Confused!!! No play in front wheels still getting a "clunk"?

[Rob]

Ok so if the ball joints were dead I'm sure there'd be play in the wheel yes?

Me and mike checked it tonight (only on a jack) but there was nothing obvious wrong...

As per my other thread I'm getting an intermittent single "clunk" at low speeds when braking, this "clunk" also moves the steering wheel a touch (if you're not holding onto it)

It's literally just one "clunk" which you can feel through the pedal/floor of the car? And is quite easy to hear, but you can't make it do it?

 

[James.f]

possibly a sticky caliper?

 

[Bluebeard]

You checked those topmounts for tightness? I've heard nothing but bad things about Compbrake topmounts.

 

[Rob]

Top mount is a shout actually, I've always assumed because they're solid they'd be fine. Is it just a case of checking how tight the top nut is??

Only other thing I thought it could be... A while back when we fixed the sticking caliper we lost the little metal support clip for the pad (but I've been told
these aren't necessary) is it possible the pad is moving about in the caliper?

It's definately not a sticking caliper as we fixed that issue a while back and it feels nothing like that.

 

[markblack172]

As above check topmounts, I had compbrake and they clunked on mine too

 

[Rob]

I hope it's the top mount, will make me so happy!! Is it just a case of tightening them up?

Or are they fubar'd if one is knocking????

 

[Bluebeard]

Top mount is a shout actually, I've always assumed because they're solid they'd be fine. Is it just a case of checking how tight the top nut is??

Can't say for sure, but jack the car up and and turn the wheels all the way left and all the way right. If the top mount is turning/looks loose, i'd say its fubar'd!

Standard topmounts are the way forward.

If you need a set, I have some I can post to you.

 

[JoedotwasT5phy]

You'd not notice a caliper moving rob. Not an anti roll bar or something?

 

[drhowser]

Another possibility is the wishbone mounts. I remember a couple of people having similar problems that they eventually traced to where the wishbones muont to the car.

Saying that though, my money's on the topmounts first.

 

[Rob]

Can't say for sure, but jack the car up and and turn the wheels all the way left and all the way right. If the top mount is turning/looks loose, i'd say its fubar'd!

Standard topmounts are the way forward.

If you need a set, I have some I can post to you.

You're a diamond Danielson, I'll check that when I return from fcs, or maybe Tunst/Mike can check for me ;-)

How much do you want for then boyo?

You'd not notice a caliper moving rob. Not an anti roll bar or something?

It'd be the pad jumping about in the caliper? Or is that going to be so ridiculously minimal I wouldn't notice? Well from under the car today, everything felt/looked normal...

 

[Bluebeard]

Nothing you pillock, you can have them.

They're on the car at the moment, but its going to powerstation soon to have my ASTs fitted and geo setup so i'll keep them and send them to you. (If thats the problem! lol)

 

[JoedotwasT5phy]

You're a diamond Danielson, I'll check that when I return from fcs, or maybe Tunst/Mike can check for me ;-)

How much do you want for then boyo?



It'd be the pad jumping about in the caliper? Or is that going to be so ridiculously minimal I wouldn't notice? Well from under the car today, everything felt/looked normal...

Be far too minimal matey

 

[Rob]

Nothing you pillock, you can have them.

They're on the car at the moment, but its going to powerstation soon to have my ASTs fitted and geo setup so i'll keep them and send them to you. (If thats the problem! lol)

Cheers sweetie x

Joe cheers that rules that out that then

 

[Tunst]

Have you checked them bushes i told you about yet?

 

[Rob]

Me and Mike checked that area, sort of, but seriously, no play in either wheel, at all.

Mike had a good feel about, but said everything felt normal? You can check on Saturday if you're so wise

 

[Darren85]

Its the pedal that gets me.. Ok, so moving topmount could explain the s/wheel movement, the knock and the feeling on the floor pan, but is the pedal actually moving (depressing I would assume), or do you think its actually the knocking transfering down the pedal, if you get what I mean?

 

[Rob]

I think its just the clunk transfering through the pedal tbh mate, it doesn't seem to depress the brake further, you can just feel it thats all, I imagin you could feel it through the floor/steering wheel/all sorts tbh.

I was just trying to describe what I could feel.

 

[Darren85]

I see what your saying mate.. it could well be the top mount in that case, at least by process of elimination your replacing all the important parts on the motor!

 

[iimushroomzii]

I had similar to this when my subframe was bent, hope it's nothing as serious for you My money's on topmounts.

 

[Rob]

Darren - Yeah tell me about it, well we didn't replace the ball joint as there is no play, at all, so it seemed like a pointless exercise.

Mushroom - Don't tell me that! lol!

The more I think about it, the more it screams top mounts tbh, I've been in a car where they were shagged and it felt very similar iirc.

I had just ruled them out due to them being solid compbrake top mounts, guess I'll have to learn how to check them, lol!

 

[Darren85]

I think you need some sort of C Spanner to adjust the Combrake mounts?

 

[Rob]

Fo 'rizzle?

I thought it was just a case of tightening the big nut on top? lol!

 

[Darren85]

Fo 'rizzle 'omes...

Check this picture, the top mounts have a threaded part that sits under the turret and the top part tightens down over this causing it tighten down.. Get me. If anything is loose its the top part (seen in the pic) C Spanner is needed..

 

[Rob]

I'll go get the stilsons. (best thing about being on site)

 

[Darren85]

Pipe wrench on a top mount! Better then a hammer and screwdriver mind! :rasp:

 

[Rob]

Oh yus! I figure there's nothing I can brake with stilsons and they have a good grip, do I have to jack it up to check? Or can I just try tightening them?? And if they tighten, they were loose?

 

[Darren85]

Keeping it on the ground would be how I would do it, least then the force from the suspension pushing up will be easier to tighten down the nut if it is loose..

If it does tighten up, then yes, it was loose, wouldn't be so much of a 'solid' top mount then haha

 

[Rob]

Just went out and checked it, both of the c spanner bits are TAF, got a big pair of stilsons on them and couldn't budge either, either way!!!

The bolt seems no where near as far through as the one in your pic does though, I've got a few pics I'll upload in a min...

 

[Rob]

All looks normal:

 

[adam172]

are you sure all the anti roll bars are in perfect condition ? i had a similar thing on my mk1 and it was a hairline crack in one of the ARBs that was making the clunk noise

 

[Darren85]

All looks fine with the mounts mate.. Maybe what Adam said?

 

[Rob]

Will check soon I guess, to FCS first though, lol!

 

[adam172]

im sure there will be enough knowledgeable people up there to have a noisy over your car and find the problem lol, but re reading what you have wrote it sound exactly like what i had - also yours is on coilovers isn't it? i wuld check them over as well tbh!

 

[Rob]

Yeah on coilies, but they seem in good nick tbh.

FK silverlines, so not cheap jobbies, hopefully someone wise at FCS will sort out it, like a bunch of yoda's.

 

[Sean6545]

It sounds like either the pads moving slightly in the calipers or Ball joint.

Try getting a levering the ball joint down away from the hub, see if theres movement.

 

[Rob]

UPDATE:

Knock also now happens sometimes when pulling off a bit (all be it a lot quieter), steering wheel kicks to one side a bit when you pull away (in a similar way to it does when you get the knock)

Advise on what to do now?

 

[iimushroomzii]

Take it to a garage and get them to have a look!

 

[Rob]

Meh, money = low lol!

I suppose I may just them to diagnose it then sort it myself...

 

[Bluebeard]

It needs to go somewhere mate. Its no good just trying random s**t every day! Things could be getting worse! Infact they probably are as its doing it when pulling away now!

Pay someone an hours labour, get it diagnosed, buy a secondhand part to replace it and do it in your driveway.

 

[iimushroomzii]

That's what I'd do mate.