Front passenger suspension knock *losing the plot*

[jinjur]

Hi team,

So the Clio has developed an irritating (and concerning) knock in what seems like the front passenger suspension but I have had the lot stripped right down and I cannot find play in anything.

I appreciate that with the weight of the car, we can be talking about a tiny bit of play that I might not be able to detect but still, any time I have had a suspension knock (even when it was less than this) it has always been very clear when you find the culprit and easy to hear when moving the components by hand.

I can hear it when going over rough surfaces, it could almost be mistaken for having a hammer bouncing round in the glove box if you can imagine that.

I can also hear it when I put the car into 3/4/5 gear too early and labour the engine a little so it vibrates. I captured this on video and you can hear it at around 15 seconds on. You can also hear the noise change and clatter about a bit as I drive over rough tarmac. This is not a cobble road despite the sound the car is making. You can also hear as soon as the engine labouring stops and it smooths out, so does the noise.

video

This is a distinct knocking noise and not a little tap.

FYI, Front end was refreshed 2 or 3 years ago as follows:

* New inner track rods (First Line FTR5277) - pulled and trailed at this with the TRE disconnected and no noise or movement
* TREs - replaced with the above, tested by hand and still feeling very tight in movement
* Bottom arms - both replaced with Renault genuine items. Bottom ball joint removed and no unusual play or noise, still quite stiff
* Top mounts - replaced last week..........I do this almost yearly as I would class these as high wear items and always freshen up the front end feel. This did not solve the noise.

Car dives laser straight if maybe a little road camber lively and there is no knocking in the steering when rocked left to right, engine on or off. Tyre wear is even.

Have not looked into the arb bushes but I honestly don't see anywhere that they would make contact with metal to make this kind of noise. Yes, they are worn but not hanging out.

One curve ball.................could this be a driveshaft or cv? Could that knock over rough surfaces without making any clicks or other noise that I would usually associate with a cv?

Sorry about the brain fart

Regards
Andy

 

[STEVE.M]

Hi team,

So the Clio has developed an irritating (and concerning) knock in what seems like the front passenger suspension but I have had the lot stripped right down and I cannot find play in anything.

I appreciate that with the weight of the car, we can be talking about a tiny bit of play that I might not be able to detect but still, any time I have had a suspension knock (even when it was less than this) it has always been very clear when you find the culprit and easy to hear when moving the components by hand.

I can hear it when going over rough surfaces, it could almost be mistaken for having a hammer bouncing round in the glove box if you can imagine that.

I can also hear it when I put the car into 3/4/5 gear too early and labour the engine a little so it vibrates. I captured this on video and you can hear it at around 15 seconds on. You can also hear the noise change and clatter about a bit as I drive over rough tarmac. This is not a cobble road despite the sound the car is making. You can also hear as soon as the engine labouring stops and it smooths out, so does the noise.

video

This is a distinct knocking noise and not a little tap.

FYI, Front end was refreshed 2 or 3 years ago as follows:

* New inner track rods (First Line FTR5277) - pulled and trailed at this with the TRE disconnected and no noise or movement
* TREs - replaced with the above, tested by hand and still feeling very tight in movement
* Bottom arms - both replaced with Renault genuine items. Bottom ball joint removed and no unusual play or noise, still quite stiff
* Top mounts - replaced last week..........I do this almost yearly as I would class these as high wear items and always freshen up the front end feel. This did not solve the noise.

Car dives laser straight if maybe a little road camber lively and there is no knocking in the steering when rocked left to right, engine on or off. Tyre wear is even.

Have not looked into the arb bushes but I honestly don't see anywhere that they would make contact with metal to make this kind of noise. Yes, they are worn but not hanging out.

One curve ball.................could this be a driveshaft or cv? Could that knock over rough surfaces without making any clicks or other noise that I would usually associate with a cv?

Sorry about the brain fart

Regards
Andy

That doesn`t sound too good & you have half answered your own question.

There could be 2 things going on, as there is a rotional noise associated with load, and another with rough surfaces.

Check the ARB with both wheels in the air, any wear should be quite apparent if they are that bad.

Check the driveshaft as you say, particularly the inner tripod, any movement should be detectable by hand, an outer CV would also usually be knocking when turning out of junctions.

Front wheel bearing.

All 4 engine/gearbox mounts are worth investigation regarding the noise over rough surfaces.

And if your gearbox spits it mainshaft bearings out in the next 30 miles, you have an answer.

 

[jinjur]

Liked.............although I shouldn't as now I am wholly depressed.........lol

So yeah.......that rotational noise has been there for a while now, especially under load etc. Its more "gaunchy" (not sure if word) but no knocking. The knocking is new. The gearbox whines, grumbles, crunches............all the bad noises.

The knocking seriously sounds like its more connected to the car though so will focus on the arb as you suggest.

Especially that rough surfaces cause it.

With regards to the gearbox, yes....agree......I will wait until it objects with being confined and then I will know what is wrong. *sad faces*

 

[R3k1355]

My 182 had abit of a knocking noise when the wheel bearing went.

Weirdly neither front wheel bearing made the usual droning noise when they died.

 

[jinjur]

Right. So.

A rebuilt gearbox is now in the car. Different gearbox.

New ARB bushes throughout

Noise is still there. Exactly the same


All of the mounts have been replaced apart from the powerflex dogbone which is fine


The noise seems to be coming from lower left although it is really hard to tell.


Either way, I got the outer cv swapped and the noise is the same


I got the front shock/spring/top mount bearings switched sides to see if the noise moved (in which case I would have replaced the lot)..........noise stayed the same and in the same low leftish area.


So, what have we got left.


I have rotated, pulled and trailed the wheel every which way, zero movement or noise that i can sense, same for the lower ball joint and tre. Zero play, all actually quite tight.


I have looked for anything that could be loose or making contact, nothing.


The only things not touched right now are the inner tree on the driveshaft and the track rod which was replaced with a First Line FTR5277 maybe 2 years ago. Again, I have pulled this tre like a loon and can sense nothing.


Could all of this be the inner tree of the shaft?


J

 

[White16valver]

If you have done everything else / everything cheaper / everything easier... it's time to do the bits you don't want to do... lol

 

[frayz]

I had a similar issue and like you, checked everything, found nothing and no witness marks of anything moving.
I cured mine by gunning up the lower arm/subframe hardware. Like you all my stuff was new and torqued to spec.
Worth a try if you've gone this far.

 

[npt]

It might not be a suspension component rattling, I'd be looking at everything else around that area or turn the radio up a bit

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

I spent ages chasing knocks on my clio. Hours underneath with a pry bar trying to feel movement. Replaced all the suspension, outer ARB bushes, track rod ends and steering rack bushes. But there was one big knock i just couldn't trace. At the start of lockdown I took it to a friendly MOT station that had no other work on and had an extended go on the shaker plate. The wishbones appeared to be a culprit. Replaced those and bingo, no more clunks.
It made me wish I'd put the car on the shaker plate months ago.
From this i learnt there are some things you just can't diagnose by driving, or on the driveway.

 

[jinjur]

Hmm.....I hear you.

I would be surprised rho as these are genuine reno....but definitely worth a look i guess.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

The point is I spent hours grinding my teeth with frustration trying to chase a clunk. I should have just chucked it on the shaker plate after i bought it and drawn up a list of jobs.

 

[Martin_172]

That's sounds like the exhaust manifold rattling on the arb