nasty clunking from somewhere at the front...

Got really nasty clunking/thudding noises from the front whenever I hit a pot hole or rough ground. Doesn't seem to be more pronounced on one side or the other. Been getting worse over the past few months. You can really feel the clunks through the steering wheel sometimes like it's being transmitted straight up the steering column.

A few weeks back I tightened up the back-lash screw on the steering rack and this made a slight improvement. I guessed the rest was down to worn bottom ball joints but I just had a good poke around with a pry-bar down there (with the car on a 4 post ramp and front wheels off the ground) and couldn't find anything loose. The only thing that had a bit of play were the driveshafts, but it's not like I'm getting worn driveshaft noises (like clicking on full lock.)

Anyone got any ideas what to check?

Most bits are new at the front, the wishbones are the only bits that haven't been treated to new bushes. Someone told me you can buy complete wishbones with ball joints - anyone know where's best to get them from?

Could be a loose strut insert (if you have an insert), worn ball joints, worn top mount, hitting bumpstops (particularly of lowered)

Cheers

Rich

hitting bumpstops

Happens to mine . 40mm lowered , pot hole crash bang   

Check also the steering rack security and anti roll bar ends .

Someone told me you can buy complete wishbones with ball joints - anyone know where's best to get them from?

GSF then fit a bug pack poly bush set [also at GSF] .Ball joints are seperate items .

Thanks for the suggestions - I reckon possible candidates are a loose insert(s), loose rack or loose bottom ball joints - everything else is new and the problem didn't appear after fitting these bits.

I guess if the rack is loose it'll be obvious - I'll get it on the 4-post ramp and give it a shake.

Any ideas on how best to check the lower ball joints - I tried a few things with a pry bar, but couldn't get any play.

Any ideas on how best to check the lower ball joints - I tried a few things with a pry bar, but couldn't get any play.

Hi they are that cheap i would replace them if you think they may be causing the problem . I think they are under a Tenner from GSF .

Cheers………….

Hi they are that cheap i would replace them if you think they may be causing the problem . I think they are under a Tenner from GSF .

Sure, they're cheap but you have to do all that messing around with drilling out the old studs and replacing with nuts and bolts to fit the new ones. I think you can get complete wishbones, but they're expensive and euro car parts are out of stock.

The car's not lowered - totally standard - surely it can't be the bumpstops?!? I'm pretty sure I'm not getting enough suspension travel whenever I hear it for that to be the case. New dampers as well.

I jacked it all up at the weekend and disconnected the struts at the top (to remove any tension from the springs.) I then got hold of the hubs in turn and shook, rived, pushed and pulled, but couldn't find signs of play anywhere!

i too have a similar problem.. only over rough ground can i hear a load of clonking horrible noises coming from feet.. have had a poke around trying to find some play in drive shafts, anti roll bar, wheel but everything seems solid…
have been told that anti roll bar bushes can be failing even if they look fine ??
i have been puzzled for ages and dont have the money to just start replacing      
part after part un till i find the problem..
 
no helpfull tips i'm affraid but atleast you know there are other people struggling ot there too matey! " )
good luck and let me know what the problem was,
cheers, Rowan.

have you done new top mounts?

i'd look at top mounts first. see if there is play in the nut at the top of the shock.

A couple of years on and the clunking/rattling was still there. Loads of parts were changed back in 06 including top mounts, anti-roll bar bushes replaced, dampers renewed with new OE (Bilstein?) inserts. On it's MOT in Mar 07 it failed on a slightly loose bottom ball joint, so that was done. Nothing changed, so that left a few possible things:
* steering rack still had play
* Steering column mounts/bearings loose
* The other ball joint (even though it had no play)

I decided to strip the whole front end down. I adjusted the steering rack back-lash again and replaced the other balljoint. I took the struts apart but wasn't able to get the inserts out (screw cap on too tight and I lost my special tool.) Still, I satisified myself that the inserts weren't loose by holding the bottom of the strut in a vice and riving the piston up and down. I also replaced the only original bushes - all 4 wishbone bushes (OE from VW). Just for good measure I got new wishbones too (Lemforder from euro car parts.)

Put it all back together and the noise has all but gone! Still slightly there, but might be my imagination or something's a bit loose in the dashboard. I've no idea what fixed it. I reckon it could have been the steering rack adjustment - I did it up as tight as I dared this time (go too tight and you get binding at the ends of the rack.)

As a side note - don't bother with ball joints from GSF! Even the most expensive FEBI-branded ones. The rubber boot on the one I replaced in 07 was found too be almost shot - surely would have failed next MOT. So I fitted VW ones on both sides! (Note the rubber on the 25yr old original one was still good!)

Dan

I have the same problem on the passenger side

replaced top mounts, struts, shocks, wishbones were already poly bushed

had the car jacked up and been swinging on everything but nothing semmed loose

It's only when I go over bumpy ground and only on passenger side

In the end I got rid of most of the problem by replacing both lower ball joints and tightening the back-lash on the steering rack (with rack removed.) I don't know which made most of the difference - but definately much better now. Problem hasn't totally gone. My guess is that the rack wears in the middle of it's travel and causes play. If I tighten the backlash any further with wheels straight ahead, then the rack binds at full-left and full-right. Recon rack on the cards I think….

Dan

I get nocking from the front on bumps.  Mine didn't become obvious till it was on the ramps for the mot. quite simple really.

Driveshafts are hitting the chassis when i go over potholes.

Seeing as it's not a constant thing I've learnt to avoid potholes.  It's not a fix but I'm not going to mess around notching the chassis.

Jon.