Technical Noisy front suspension

[greypanda]

Hi there,

I have a 2016 lounge with 48k miles. It had developed a knocking sound over speed bumps, so I got the wishbones changed last month and this fixed the problem. However, it has now developed a hammering sound over rough road and it is driving me mad! It doesn’t do it all the time, is fine over bumps, but hates any rough road. It seems to be coming from the NSF and under the footwell. I am thinking it could be the drop links? They were last changed 3 years ago and at 20k miles. Top mounts were changed last year.

I did take it back to the garage who changed the wishbones but they couldn’t find anything. I know drop links are an easy fix so I guess worth a try.

Would really welcome anyone’s thoughts.

Thanks so much.

 

[jrkitching]

I know drop links are an easy fix so I guess worth a try.

Yes, that was my first thought also. Folks often report droplinks failing at less than 20k, especially the cheaper aftermarket ones.

It's easy to miss wear in the droplinks if you test them either with the weight of the car on its wheels, or with the wheels hanging free with the car jacked up, since the anti roll bar puts them into either tension or compression and you can't easily feel the play.

The trick is to put the car onto axle stands and then jack under the strut to lift the strut just enough to unload the anti roll bar, when any play will then be obvious. This is also the ideal position for refitting the droplinks, since it puts the fixing holes at exactly the right distance apart.

And if you're really struggling to find the cause, have someone who's an MOT tester examine it - they're great at finding suspension faults, since they're looking for them every day.

 

[greypanda]

Yes, that was my first thought also. Folks often report droplinks failing at less than 20k, especially the cheaper aftermarket ones.

It's easy to miss wear in the droplinks if you test them either with the weight of the car on its wheels, or with the wheels hanging free with the car jacked up, since the anti roll bar puts them into either tension or compression and you can't easily feel the play.

The trick is to put the car onto axle stands and then jack under the strut to lift the strut just enough to unload the anti roll bar, when any play will then be obvious. This is also the ideal position for refitting the droplinks, since it puts the fixing holes at exactly the right distance apart.

And if you're really struggling to find the cause, have someone who's an MOT tester examine it - they're great at finding suspension faults, since they're looking for them every day.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Helpful detail on all counts and really appreciated.

The garage who fit the wishbones, and then subsequently checked it again for the new noise, are not MOT testers. I have booked it in at another garage I know that are, so can update again soon.

I would ask my other half to fit the drop links if we had the space, but c'est la vie

 

[John202020]

It's possible to nip a drop link rubber gaiter, as I know, it's life then only becomes a year or so, I take it, it's sharp, pothole say knocks rather than gently over speed humps the noise occurs ?
When you say top mounts, do you mean the top bearing mount was replaced which requires the strut(and spring assembly)to be removed to replace, it's also not impossible that the shock absorber is starting to fail internally

 

[greypanda]

It's possible to nip a drop link rubber gaiter, as I know, it's life then only becomes a year or so, I take it, it's sharp, pothole say knocks rather than gently over speed humps the noise occurs ?

It is quiet and solid over speed bumps the hammering/fast knocking noise occurs when I drive over uneven road or potholes (hard to avoid them sometimes)

When you say top mounts, do you mean the top bearing mount was replaced which requires the strut(and spring assembly)to be removed to replace, it's also not impossible that the shock absorber is starting to fail internally

Yes, top mount bearing on both sides. I have never actually had the shocks replaced.

 

[John202020]

That leaves, drop links, track rod end and shocks or something has come loose?

Rule out anything loose undr the bonnet like the battery?

 

[greypanda]

That leaves, drop links, track rod end and shocks or something has come loose?

My theory is drop links as from my experience they do not last long and I assume they would have been taken off to fit the wishbones.

It is strange as the garage who fit the wishbones checked to see where the new noise was coming from but found nothing loose and couldn’t visibly see anything. It sounds like something is loose when driving over any uneven road. I don’t seem to have any steering issue though.

Rule out anything loose undr the bonnet like the battery?

I will check

 

[steveras57]

Agree that it could also be track rod ends!!! does the car still steer accurately at speed without any undue wandering ?

 

[greypanda]

Agree that it could also be track rod ends!!! does the car still steer accurately at speed without any undue wandering ?

Yep it does steer OK. I did a 140 mile journey on the motorway the other day and all was fine.

Would the garage who checked for the noise have been able to visibly see faulty track rod ends?

 

[steveras57]

Yep it does steer OK. I did a 140 mile journey on the motorway the other day and all was fine.

Would the garage who checked for the noise have been able to visibly see faulty track rod ends?

No! the wear takes place in the ball, joint underneath the rubber gator!

 

[John202020]

Grab a hold of the wheel, rock left to right as in trying to turn it, you'll hear and or feel play in the rack rod most often

 

[Derbyfella]

Agree that it could also be track rod ends!!! does the car still steer accurately at speed without any undue wandering ?

This is a good point.
We now have a 66 plate less than 30,000 miles…having changed the wheels 14” to 15” alloys the wife complained about the steering and something not feeling quite right, when compared to the 500c which is still on 14” steels. So I took it out, and agreed something amiss a little bit of wander and more worryingly the feeling of not wanting to straighten out when it came out of a. Certain corner. No obvious clunking or bumping - took it for an alignment check, slightly out, amended took it home, slightly better but not right. Further questions when home and a mention of. Some noise so decided to replace the drop links….
Now feels much better.

 

[greypanda]

This is a good point.
We now have a 66 plate less than 30,000 miles…having changed the wheels 14” to 15” alloys the wife complained about the steering and something not feeling quite right, when compared to the 500c which is still on 14” steels. So I took it out, and agreed something amiss a little bit of wander and more worryingly the feeling of not wanting to straighten out when it came out of a. Certain corner. No obvious clunking or bumping - took it for an alignment check, slightly out, amended took it home, slightly better but not right. Further questions when home and a mention of. Some noise so decided to replace the drop links….
Now feels much better.

This is a helpful story. Thank you for sharing. I also have a 66 plate

I am hoping it is the drop links. Have you replaced the track rod ends or any other suspension?

 

[Derbyfella]

This is a helpful story. Thank you for sharing. I also have a 66 plate

I am hoping it is the drop links. Have you replaced the track rod ends or any other suspension?

Nope nothing else, but when you say track rod ends I believe that you are talking about what others have called drop links on here

 

[John202020]

Just to clarify track rod ends are on the steering rack rod ends
Drop links are connected to the shock absorber

 

[TrevC]

Just to clarify track rod ends are on the steering rack rod ends
Drop links are connected to the shock absorber

Don't know if this is helpful, but I had a similar noise on my first car (in 1974!) and it turned out to be worn/perished anti-roll bar bushes. No idea whether 500s can suffer from this.

 

[greypanda]

Thanks everyone for your messages. Really supportive and appreciated. I will try to update once it has been to the garage.

 

[Derbyfella]

the same garage?

 

[TurleysIndependantTuningS]

Mine does it too, ever since o took it to a garage have new front suspension fitted.
half of the problem is a loose drop link,
Also they didn't tighten the wishbones up enough, and they put the suspension mount on upside down, and the other one was backwards.

(Next time im doing it myself so i know its done right!)

I have fixed most of the problems,
But it still knocks a tiny bit. and i suspect that they did something else wrong too but im still trying to trace it..

Its fine, but its annoying, and i want it perfect because i thrash it, hard, and a lot!!
and this makes me be a bit fastidious about imperfections..

If you find it, let us know so i can check if its that on my car..

 

[greypanda]

Mine does it too, ever since o took it to a garage have new front suspension fitted.
half of the problem is a loose drop link,
Also they didn't tighten the wishbones up enough, and they put the suspension mount on upside down, and the other one was backwards.

(Next time im doing it myself so i know it’s done right!)

It sounds like a loose drop link to me. I drove it again this morning and the noise comes more from the front left. Perhaps it has been loosened by a pothole.

Frustrating as the garage who fit the wishbones have checked it over again and cannot find anything loose. That being said I haven’t had the drop links changed in 3 years and have done about 28k miles since then! So I will start with those at the new garage I have booked into who do offer MOT testing, so hopefully they will be able to give a more thorough check.

I have fixed most of the problems,
But it still knocks a tiny bit. and i suspect that they did something else wrong too but im still trying to trace it..

It is so frustrating isn’t it.

Its fine, but it’s annoying, and i want it perfect because i thrash it, hard, and a lot!!
and this makes me be a bit fastidious about imperfections..

If you find it, let us know so i can check if its that on my car..

I will definitely report back!