Help Identify Loud Donk?

[Andy_con]

thought I would start a new thread as it may not be a directly related issue, but to follow on from this -

http://www.cliosport.net/threads/wish-bone-replacement-questions.770014/

passenger side front was making a horrible creaking noise and it was the wishbone, which I replaced and that noise has gone.

but now I have a separate loud donk coming from the front passenger wheel (I think), which wasn't there before I did my wishbone. ive doubled checked the wishbone and everything seems correct and still done up tight.

the noise happened twice on the way home from work tonight but in the same situation. I was going into a roundabout, turns wheels left to enter then turned wheels right to go around it and at that point I got a very loud donk.

all comments and thoughts welcome, im aware in the wishbone thread there are suggestions of driveshaft issues. but how come I didn't have this noise before doing my wishbone??

 

[Andy_con]

bump...

 

[mace¬]

Hmmmm if it is a donk then it must rule out Doink and Dink. Can't help much more than that sorry.

 

[Andy_con]

and there was me waiting for someone to post up "put a donk on it"

 

[bozothenutter]

topmount?

 

[Andy_con]

????

got standard top mounts, recently replaced the rubber and put that big washer in there to

 

[Andy_con]

its just getting silly now, the noise is getting more regular.

cant pin point it to one move when driving. it does it when turning sharp, when turning light and when going over bumps. the only thing I think I can say is its coming from the passenger side and it didn't make the noise before I did the wish bone.

had the car up on axel stands again today, with both wheels off and I really cant see any issue at all on both sides.
both springs look fine, I changed the top mounts maybe a year ago so they should be good. turned the steering wheel from lock to lock many times and nothing seems perfectly smooth. turned both wheels by hand and again nothing, seems fine to me.

the noise is a loud donk/crack. you could almost say there is a loud donk/crack and something moves out of place then there is another loud donk/crack and it goes back in place when you next turn the wheel. I can feel the donk/crack through the steering wheel every time, logic would say this wasn't there before I did the wish bone so its highly likely ive done something wrong.

im desperate ...

on the below photos of bolts is there anything to watch out for? are there any certain torques I need to watch out for? ive just done them all up as tight as possible?

 

[con1981]

If it's not a top mount my money is on a snapped spring.
From the pics that lower ball joint looks brand new

 

[Andy_con]

did check the spring but couldn't see anything, is a snapped spring easy to spot?

lower ball joint?? I have just replaced the wish bone

If it's not a top mount my money is on a snapped spring.
From the pics that lower ball joint looks brand new

 

[con1981]

did check the spring but couldn't see anything, is a snapped spring easy to spot?

lower ball joint?? I have just replaced the wish bone

Have a feel around the cup on the damper where the spring is seated. You may find a bit of spring there. If not check it's seated right. Other option is to drop the shock from the car although I don't think that will be necessary

 

[Andy_con]

your referring to the bottom area of this red spring?

 

[con1981]

Yeah that's right. Although if you've recently replaced its unlikely it that causing the noise

 

[Andy_con]

well I replaced the top mounts like a year ago, springs are originals on the car so 10 years old

Yeah that's right. Although if you've recently replaced its unlikely it that causing the noise

 

[con1981]

well I replaced the top mounts like a year ago, springs are originals on the car so 10 years old

Chances are it's the spring

 

[Andy_con]

ok thanks, I need to find the fault before I replace. I don't want to start replacing stuff that's not broke.

funny how this noise has only occurred after changing the wish bone the other week

Chances are it's the spring

 

[con1981]

ok thanks, I need to find the fault before I replace. I don't want to start replacing stuff that's not broke.

funny how this noise has only occurred after changing the wish bone the other week

I had the same issue a while back. For me looked as though it had already one replaced but they didn't do the other. This was a good time for me to upgrade to some eibachs as 2 new front springs were going to be £100.

 

[Andy_con]

a lady friend was driving my car umm maybe 2 weeks ago and did hit a decent sized pot hole, so I wonder...

 

[Andy_con]

I had the same issue a while back. For me looked as though it had already one replaced but they didn't do the other. This was a good time for me to upgrade to some eibachs as 2 new front springs were going to be £100.

im very happy, ive found the fault. broken spring at the top, you can only just see it.

so next question is, where can I get a replacement oem one? ive got cup suspension
and do I need a spring compressor to change it? or any other special tools?

 

[con1981]

Glad you've found the problem.

 

[con1981]

I needed spring compressors on mine although some say you can do it without. I don't know of the cup springs are different from the non cup.

 

[Andy_con]

Glad you've found the problem.

ok cool thanks

 

[Andy_con]

I needed spring compressors on mine although some say you can do it without. I don't know of the cup springs are different from the non cup.

is it ok to drive for a few days till I can fix it?

 

[con1981]

is it ok to drive for a few days till I can fix it?

You've been driving it so far I presume so I wouldn't worry too much. Just don't Cain it.

The lower strut to hub bolts I found a pain in the arse to remove. If you break them they are £6 a piece from renault. I broke all of mine so I replace with m14 hex bolts 60mm in length part threaded with nylon nuts and washers. Get yourself a small propane torch from b&q though should stop u trashing them as I did.

 

[Andy_con]

no idea which bolts your talking about?

the two big ones but the brake disk?

 

[con1981]

no idea which bolts your talking about?

the two big ones but the brake disk?

At the bottom of the shocker it is connected to the hub by 2 bolts.

 

[Andy_con]

umm no idea but ill watch out

 

[Andy_con]

At the bottom of the shocker it is connected to the hub by 2 bolts.

umm no idea but ill watch out

 

[JMR]

Bear in mind if you're driving with a broken spring and you know about it, it would be frowned upon in a very negative way if you had an accident directly relating to sudden loss of control of the vehicle or part of the spring ejecting from the vehicle and causing an accident otherwise.

I was warned of this in November when one of mine broke. I just garaged it til the springs arrived.

If its proper cup suspension, it will be a 182 Cup specific spring. Yellow and blue dots on the front springs iirc.
I fitted Cooksports as the Renault genuine ones were £105 ea and the Cooksports were £120 for all four.

Cooksport out of stock at moment though. DO NOT go for the GSF/ECP type springs.

 

[Andy_con]

I don't want to replace all four I really just want to replace the broken one.

thanks for the advice

 

[mctw]

I'm having the exact same problem - exactly the same noise and only started since i changed the wishbone.. Drivers side though.

Springs are 3 month old cooksports... guys is there anything else that could be causing it? As @andy_con said, it sounds like a clunk as something moves one way, then a clunk as it moves back the other! but everything have been done up seriously tight!

 

[Andy_con]

I had to really look hard to see the top of the spring was broken, like I say a lady friend was driving the car and hit a big pot hole. so I suspect that caused it.

im a bit of a girl when I comes to car parts, where is the best place to get springs from? I need help...

 

[mctw]

Renault Wolverhampton in the traders section is your best bet for Renault parts.. Otherwise try looking at the for sales for some second hand springs like Cooksports or Eibach.. A full set will probably be the same as 1 spring from renault (plus you should ideally replace anything suspension related in pairs..)

 

[Andy_con]

I don't want something that's harder than the cup springs I have at the moment. I need something asap, so if I want new where is best to go for non Renault springs?

Renault Wolverhampton in the traders section is your best bet for Renault parts.. Otherwise try looking at the for sales for some second hand springs like Cooksports or Eibach.. A full set will probably be the same as 1 spring from renault (plus you should ideally replace anything suspension related in pairs..)

 

[LeeRS]

could you describe the clunk as the same as a biscuit tin lid popping? (if that makes sense)

 

[mctw]

Pretty much!

 

[LeeRS]

yeah, mine is doing it at the moment. Ive checked my springs (cooksports) and cant see any damage to them.
can sort of feel the clunk through the floor aswell when it occurs. Does it under heavy braking too but not every time. Seems to be at low speed turns aswell.

 

[GCC]

Have you checked the spring as above? I know you're saying they were done recently but you never know...
Also have you checked the drop links??

 

[Stefan.]

Not damper gone?

 

[mctw]

Changed the dampers for new genuine ones at the same time as fitting the Cooksports and pure motorsport solid top mounts..

@GCC drop links? I didn't think these cars had any as the ARB clamps directly onto the bottom of the wishbone? Unless its possible that thats moving and causing the noise as it was removed...

 

[mctw]

Just a thought - has anyone got an exploded diagram (or something similar) of how the front wishbone attaches? Just wondering if I've done something stupid like put a washer in the wrong place!