Front knocking

[matt888]

I've got a clonk from the front right suspension mount. It's hard to explain, but it's quite a deep clonk, like something fairly substantial colliding.

It seems to be just when the right wheel goes first over a bump (which does make me suspect something roll bar related), but it all seems solid.

I've replaced the drop links and recently put poly bushes all round (except for the roll bar) and new lower ball joints. I've checked the roll bar bushes and mountings and these seem solid.

I've seen in a couple of other posts that it could be the top mount and that it can be tested by jacking it up and levering the strut up and down. I've tried this and can't get the noise to happen.

Is there an easy way to tell if it's my top mount? I do have a bit of wheel-wobble at around 60mph (any slower or faster and it goes), if that could be a sign of anything.

Thanks for your help, Matt

[fingers99]

What you're looking for with the top mount isn't a clonk, but any relative movement between the top of the strut and the strut mount.

Difficult to guess. Really, you need to be under there with a prybar.

[sinjen]

How confident are you that the drop links are still tight?

[fingers99]

How confident are you that the drop links are still tight?

They do tend to slacken off -- especially if you've painted or powder coated the ARB.

[matt888]

Hey, thanks for your responses.

I'm pretty sure it's not the drop links as when I originally heard the clonking I replaced the drop links but still have the clonking after.

I've been under there with a crowbar lifting the strut and can't get the noise to happen. It might be this relatively movement (as I didn't know to check for that).

Think I'm being stupid here... but what exactly do you mean by "between the top of the strut and the strut mount"?

[fingers99]

but what exactly do you mean by "between the top of the strut and the strut mount"?

Pop the bung out of the top of the strut mount. Check that the 4 bolts holding the top mount on are tight. Put the car on axle stand that side. Grab the wheel and lift up. If the top mount is OK, all the movement (and there won't usually be any unless you're super strong!) will be taken up by the spring and etc. BUT if the top mount is fubar, you'll see the strut where it pokes through the top of the top mount move relative to the chassis.

Something else to check is that the chassis hasn't cracked underneath the ARB mount -- not uncommon.