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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> Clunking
        
(Message started by: PJDavis on Mar 10^th, 2013, 9:27pm)

Title: Clunking
Post by PJDavis on Mar 10^th, 2013, 9:27pm

Hello fellow Scorpio owners!

I have just done a long return journey this weekend, about 700 miles. The car went faultlessly as expected. Mind you it has started a clunking noise from the front I think off-side, very much like the drop-links noise. I have just replaced the drop-links with new items and they are still tight. The time the car does the wee clunk is on a left-hand bend with weight on the front like on a middle bend thats at the bottom of the hill, or when I'm going quite slow up to a junction if I apply the brakes a touch sharper than I should, to make the front-end dip, it gives a sort of wee clunk as it dips? I wondered if it was a well-known thing? I've done the wish-bones and all is tight, steering as well. I'll hopefully get it on the ramp tomorrow, and was thinking either the main front anti-roll-bar bushes, or something to do with the top of the strut, but it sounds like it's coming from lower than the top of the strut. At one point on the motorway, I was doing about 90mph, and going around a left bend at the bottom of a slight hill, and the sound was like a drumming-noise almost like a heavier noise than when one goes around a corner on 'shell-grip'.

Any Ideas?

Peter

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by Matt on Mar 10^th, 2013, 10:03pm

What are the front pads like? ive know fiesta to clunk from worn pad arms (moving in the carrier)

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by PJDavis on Mar 10^th, 2013, 10:07pm

I think it's a heavier sound than the pads Matt, but I'll have a look at that as well. Thanks.

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by Bikerdon on Mar 10^th, 2013, 11:01pm

It may well be a track rod end is a bit worn, or possibly the inner track control arm knuckle joint, had that problem on one of my old scorpio's which caused a similar sound, notably the shell grip sound you describe.

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by PJDavis on Mar 11^th, 2013, 8:49am

I'll certainly be looking at that also, but both rod and rod-end were done about November for new items. I'll be checking how tight they are!

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by gozz on Mar 11^th, 2013, 10:04am

PJ.
I had a similar clunking on one of my limos,it was the inner track rod end on the offside which was dry,I discovered it by slipping the rod off and moving it up and down,the sound thus produced resembled a knock which when all connected, was transmitted through the suspension and magnified.I put some gear oil on it,and by working it around,got rid of it never to return.It was difficult to believe that something so slight could produce such a knock.
GOZZ.

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by PJDavis on Mar 11^th, 2013, 11:36am

Gozz
I'll be checking, but both were new the tail-end of last year. I'm thinking something has come loose!

Title: Re: Clunking
Post by PJDavis on Mar 11^th, 2013, 8:42pm

Finally, I got the car on the M/V department ramp, (a department that I used to Lecture in on a lower-level, before moving over to the real department of Engineering) and from about 1pm until around 3pm I checked every blasted suspension component I could starting with the wishbones and drop-links and all their bolts and then moving onto the steering links and the anti-roll-bar. Nothing! I double and re-checked all, and the only very slight adjustment came from tightening the near-side steering-rod to the rack, but hardly much. Finally, when all was lost I decided to re-check the wheel-bearings, and with all power-off and the car on 'wheels-free' I moved the wheel by hand to left and right lock.............there was a clunk!!!!! It was the bloody bottom ball-joint, IT-MOVED! BOTH-SIDES! My thoughts were that both wish-bones were goosed again! Ha ha, no, the pinch-bolts on both sides had worked loose, and this after 'horsing them up! I'm not going to go into why, I don't know, I know I tightened them up at the time, but maybe because I was outside in my driveway lying on the ground trying to get them torqued whilst tired, I don't know, but they weren't loose, just needed nipped-up. All is now well, and I adjusted the wheel-alignment again! Very funny although I didn't think at the time. Still, the front suspension has had a full overhaul!
Peter