PH 1 172 – Another Rear End Knocking / Tapping Thread!!

[John Laverick]

Gents,

I know I’m not a regular but hopefully someone can offer some advice ... I have done a search but I can’t find a post which seems to match my issue.

I have a Ph1 172 with up-rated Spax suspension [Coilovers on the front] .... I have a light tapping/knocking coming from the rear end which seems to have got progressively worse over the last 3/4000 miles.

I can only hear it at low speed [less than 30mph] when going over small bumps/uneven surfaces – its more irritating than anything else tbh. It’s not a loud or heavy knock but more like a light tapping .... it sounds like the rear struts ‘topping’ out to me. If I open the boot and lift the back of the car slightly I can hear the noise but can’t seem to locate it.

I have a feeling its either shagged rear shocks [although they’re only about 20’000 miles old] or shagged top mounts [can these be replaced separately?]

It’s not the exhaust / mounts as I have recently replaced them.

Any other ideas? Common faults?

Cheers

John

 

[Middo]

potentially could be that the rubber bushes attached to the damper have been overtightened and split. otherwise have you kept the rubbers on the spring platforms, as otherwise you have metal from the spring touching the car which causes a bit of noise.

 

[edde]

Most likly the dampers are shot.

There rubish the Spax stuff

 

[John Laverick]

Most likly the dampers are shot.

There rubish the Spax stuff

I think that's the most likely .... they were only replaced 1 year ago [about 15'000 miles] ... so shouldn't really have failed this quickly.

Are my symptoms typical of shot rear shock absorbers?

Should I replace with spax or is there a better alternative tht will work well with the existing coilovers onthe front and Spax springs on the back??

 

[Day]

My H&Rs are the same on the rear.

I just turn the stereo up tbh.

 

[Chrisjk]

Could the subframe be hitting the exhaust? just a thought.

 

[Day]

^ I think that's more likely.

I did solve one knocking problem recently though, that was a loose heat shield.

 

[edde]

I think that's the most likely .... they were only replaced 1 year ago [about 15'000 miles] ... so shouldn't really have failed this quickly.

Should I replace with spax or is there a better alternative tht will work well with the existing coilovers onthe front and Spax springs on the back??

They can fail even quicker.

Forget spax though.