Hi,

I have an infuriating knocking noise coming from what sounds like my front suspension, it sounds like a clunking, almost as if something's loose. It also seems to be coming from both driver and passenger sides.

It began after I swapped out my wishbones as they were knackered, while I was at it I did the drop links, put everything back went for a ride and it's knocking? Originally u assumed I'd just forgotten to tighten something so I got it back up in axle stands and went through everything. All right and tight. Next I assumed it must be the Arb bushes, maybe loosening them off had pushed them over the edge, so changed both, still knocking. Next I got it up on ramps, went over every thing underneath looking for anything loose, as it sounded like something was actually physically moving, nothing. I even checked every bolt under the driver and passenger, everything fine.

So, any ideas what it might be? It didn't happen before the wishbones, coils seem fine, is there something obvious I'm missing?

Check to see if your roll bar is centred. There are a couple of silly plastic bits that are fixed to the roll bar to locate it left-to-right. They sit right next to the ARB bushes. If one or both of them comes off, it allows the roll bar to migrate sideways, then it starts knocking (on the subframe, from memory).

Not much you can do about it other than buy a new roll bar, though some here have fitted clamps to the bar to do the same job as the plastic bits.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply, both still present and correct unfortunately, the only other thing that I thought might have happened is if I knocked something out of true at the coil end when I jacked the ball joints in? It seems to be particularly bad on rough road surfaces but not consistent. Equally doesn't seem to be an issue on speed bumps? I'll try and a video so you can hear it, it's literally keeping me up at night!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B1EDlT63atApR21PUHNKYnk1cEk

Hopefully the above link should give you an idea of the clunking, if anyone has any ideas about where it's coming from I'd really appreciate the help.

did you undo anything at the top of the struts?

is the arb well clear of the power steering pipe expansion coil that's in the wrong location in your previous post

Hi professorb, have the same in my 2006 jtd. The garage says it must be the arb. Next wednesday it will be fixed. If you find out where it comes from, please let me know. It drives me crazy.

To rule out the tab disconnect the drop links and tie up the roll bar... handling will be fine but don't go crazy

Hi,

Thanks for the comments, I originaly thought it must be the expansion coil for the power steering as it's in such a weird location, when I was doing the arb bushes I had a look to see if it could be re oriented, but there's just literally no way(short of replacement). I think maybe what happened was someone had the whole arb off at some point and when putting it back in must have snared the coil then bent it down, or installed a replacement pipe and just messed it up or bent it before putting it in. Either way, it does have clearance of the arb, I wrapped the arb underneath in some heat resistant foam, to see if that would deaden or stop the noise. No change.

Also, when I did the arb bushes, after putting it all back I checked Borge sides for play with a pry bar, not a smudge of movement.

The only other things I can think of are maybe the strut mounts, I haven't touched them but I guess maybe when I jacked the ball joints back in on the new wishbones maybe they went?

My last possibility is an engine mount? I'd brought a new gearbox and front passenger side mount anyway, so I'm going to swap them ( had a slight movement in the gearstick in third under acceleration).

If it is at the strut mount, anyone got a good way of checking? I'm pretty certain it's not a coil or a bearing as there's no sounds when turning the wheel?

I changed the top mounts on a friend's multi that was knocking and it was cured.
Clearly I can't say if that's your problem too.
There is no way to check top mounts.
If they look perished and generally rubbish may be worth changing.
One thing to check first is make sure damper rod nut on top of each strut is done up.
Broken road spring will knock , same friend has broken spring that wasn't obvious till road wheel off.
Have you tried completely removing one drop link and driving to see if noise gone, worth trying just to 100% eliminate things you have replaced.
I also think someone else bent your pas pipe replacing arb complete.

Just listened to video again , it does sound like broken spring to me but so hard to tell.

Hi,

Thanks Jackwhoo for the suggestions, as an update, had it up to check on the front could and top mounts, everything looks fine, while it was up had a look at the arb mounts again and this time noticed a small amount of play. Took the mounts off (for anyone who hasn't changed the arb bushes, the original metal mounts are spot welded together, so when you change the bush you have to crack the weld) it looked like when I cracked the weld, it had flared at one end, so when they were down me pack up they hadn't slotted together perfectly and there was a very small gap. Anyway, had them both off and filed down the excess, back together with a tight join between the upper and lower and the knocking has almost gone. I have to say, the amount of play in the arb was tiny, really tiny, so small that I was actually half convinced that it was the flex in the steel.im amazed it was causing such a loud clunking.

Anyway, when swapped in the new arb bushes I went for the rubber (same as original) because to be honest I couldn't work out how you'd get a poly bush on to the bar. Looking at it today, the fit of the rubber is awfull, had anyone tried putting the polly ones on? Is it much easier than I'm imagining?

Unfortunately, it was al just a mirage... just did an actual journey, rather than round the block, seems almost the same as it was. Maybe there was a bit of knocking from arb bush but can't be the clonking I've been looking for, unless the rubber bushes are just total garbage.

As the fromt coils seem fine, no bvious cracks or damage, I guess it must be the strut mounts.

The only other possible is the new drop links input on with the wishbones, they're obviously brand new and they seemed totally fine when i put them on, but maybe they're a slightly different size to the originals?

Honestly remove one anti roll bar drop link complete,
go for a drive .
if noise has gone you will know for sure it it's caused by something to do with anti roll bar or drop links.
It will help you not go crazy.
It only takes a very small amount of movement in the arb bushes to cause a knock.
I recently changed my arb bushes , used original birth brand rubber ones with fabric insert bonded in to stop chafing against anti roll bar. When fitted they are really tight on the arb. From moulding marks think they are original fiat.
Recommend them , found on eBay cheap too

Also it's easy to remove one drop link , I feel your frustration don't give up you will get there.

Just wanted to say thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement and to actually tie this thread up (I hate it when people don't report back!). I've been away for a few weeks so I just had the chance to get back at it, took of both the drop links, went for a drive, no noise.... hallelujah!

When I got back I had a good look at both the drop links, both have excessive wear on the bottom joint with the arb, which is crazy as they've only done about three hundred miles. When they're in place you can't see it but when they're off if you move the ball joint the rubber is cracked and perished. These were cheapies that came with the new wishbones, so anyone looking at the super cheap drop links, it's not worth it. I figured that as they were cheap I'd get 2-3 thousand miles out of them, obviously I got no where near that.

So I'll be ordering some good quality links and while they're off I'll be changing the arb bushes again to poly bushes, hopefully that'll be me for a good. For anyone who's got a clonk in the front suspension, I'd seen it in a number of threads on here, that it's 9 times out of 10 the drop links with the multi, I didn't really believe it and I was convinced it was the strut mounts, but it seems like it really is pretty much always the drop links, so even if you've replaced them recently, get em off and I bet there's cracking and wear on them.

Been there, done that. Cheapo wishbones aren't worth the hassle either.

For the drop links, have a look on ebay for Meyle HD for the Multipla. From the moment you get them out of the box, you'll know you've made the right choice. Very nicely made.

Lemforder get my vote for wishbones

Glad you found problem, amazing that drop links failed so fast !

Just had drop links done, FAI Autoparts £9.74 the pair delivered via Ebay and £35 at the local garage to fit.
A very quiet car at last, should have done it ages ago, the clonking and banging was annoying.