Front End Clunk

[Matt75]

Hi Guys,

I have a massive clunk in my front end on the right on my MK II. When I go over a bump in the road or speed hump when the front wheels come under compression again there is a noice (clunk) that sounds like the shocker is loose in the strut. I pulled both struts over the weekend and made sure the gland nutsw are tightend and the shocks arenlt moving.

I am running shortened capri struts with coilovers, adjustable strut tops, adjustable TCA's, adjustable sway bar & anti dive kit.

As I don't have flared guards and the struts are so low I have had to do up the coil overs to their highest settings and I am thinking could this cause the knock.

I have gone over everything and am at a point of just saying fuck it and take it to a garage and throw money at the problem but I want to fix it myself.


What are some things that others suggest that may cause this loud clunking?

1. Loose steering rack
2. Steering arms fouling swaybar
3. Loose nut from TCA to strut
4. Spring coils compressing and makming a noise

It feels like the front end compresses over a bump then when the suspension loads up this is when the noise occurs.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Matt

[Matt75]

No one?

[Darbo]

from the pik the top nut looks close to the alloy top plate and the locknut looks like the nylock isnt on the threads

but id say your problem is the insert loose in your strut body or a insert issue in general

with the car on the ground get someone to pushand pull on the top of the wheel and see if you can see or feel any movment were the insert enters the strut body

other than that strip the strut and look for issues

[HonkyWhiteTrash]

Maybe your springs are going "coil-bound" at a point before the suspension has fully compressed the bump stops.
Have the car on flat ground and see how much distance there is between the spring coils - then get someone to compress the front end of the car while watching the spring coils - do they touch or get close to it?

[Graham]

is the rose joint in the top mount worn? or the top of the shock loose in the top mount?

[Matt75]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks to all those who reponded.

Darbo, I have done as suggested and no noises. Also, I have just rebuilt the struts so i am sure that they are not the issue.

Honky, Yeah, I thought it may have been coil binding but that's not it.

Graham, it may be the rose joint as I got them 2nd hand and have had the noise since I installed them. Is there a way top test if they are knackered or not? I have used a rattle gun to do up the top nut so I'm pretty sure that is not the issue.

Cheers

Matt

[Graham]

rose joint inners should rotate freely but not rattle around, also check the rose joint is tight in the top mount it, it could be the whole rose joint is sliding up and down in the top mount

[Matt75]

Cheers Graham, it is nice and tight to spin but I'll have a look tomorrow.

Cheers

Matt

[Darbo]

you wont get a noise pulling it on the ground just you may be able to feel some movement
i had a pair of knocking struts on a impreza once you couldnt hardly feel anything in them move but knocked lots up the road

the insert had lost a outer bush so the piston was rattling about internally

theres not a right lot on a escort that can make a clunk
i notice your running alot of castor
whats the tca inner bush like against the crossmember or are you running rosejointed tca's

[exboyracer]

I had a clunking noise from the front left on my car when the inner rose joint on the TCA wore out.

Replaced the joint, all sorted!

[Matt75]

Darbo, yeah I'm running TCA's with rosejoints and there looks to be heaps of clearance.


I'll have a play over the weekend and see what I can come up with.

Cheers

Matt

[Matt75]

Hi Guys,

I have had a play and have a few ideas on the cause.

As the struts were off a bubble arched MK1 they have been cut down lower than normal and as I have a standard arched MKII I have needed to wind up the coil springs so there is little suspension travel, once the car is on it's wheels, to avoid the tryes hitting the arches. So I was thinking the clunk was the strut, after being compressed, fully extending and coming up short and making the clunk noise.

I have about 3.5 deg of camber currently whoch is too much so once I get this down to around 2degs I should have less clearance issues and can then wind the springs back down again.

Could this be the cause?

Cheers

Matt

Here is a pic of the struts installed

[kevski991]

Hi guys i have the same problem i have escort mk2 with Gaz coilovers on front so i adjusted them by about 1 inch so it made the car higher so it didnt catch the sump on the drive now every time i go over a bump drain it make a hell of a bang so i adjusted them back to how they where bingo all ok no banging etc so i need the car lifted by about 1 inch to stop it catching on the drive so do i buy a softer spring but a inch longer than i have now im not sure on the spring lbs at the moment i need to look at this any help would be appreciated many thanks

[Matt75]

My problem ended up being the shocks were stuffed. Have ordered Gaz Gold Coilovers so fingers crossed everything will be OK.

Not sure on your issues though.

Cheers

Matt

[kevski991]

ok matt75 thank you anyway

[runoutofrigos]

You say these are shortened struts? If that is the case, winding the ride height up has possibly caused the strut insert to "top-out" on rebound. I would try lowering the ride height as LOW as you can and see if it stops.
Alternatively, jack up the car slowly and see how much of the damper rod is exposed before it "tops-out" and the struts are on full droop. That may give some indication if the normal ride position inside the shock inserts is completely wrong due to them being shortened.

Simon

[Matt75]

Hi Simon,

Yes, this is what I was thinking may have been my problem.

Cheers

Matt

[Matt75]

I had the Koni shock tested and it ended being one shock has no rebound resistance at all so that explained the noise.

I has since gone a set of GAZ Golds and all is good with 2 track days done and dusted

Cheers

Matt