Been hibernating for quite a while and my car has see very little action.
But having been stirred in to action by having to get the car through an MOT (it passed I thought i'd asked the garage to have a look at the clonk that was happening over speedbumps or potholes - even at low speeds.
So they tried changing the droplinks as that was the most likely culprit. But apparently (I got a phone call today) it's still happening although at higher speed. He described the sound as coming from high up.
Car has new top mounts, and also the B12 kit and the alignment done by Kenny Brown Motorsport in Glasgow. So i'm assuming it's been done right.
Next step is changing the steering rack and the TRE/Suspension arms.
Anything else i should be looking at?
It's the one thing that stopping me driving it more.
Have they put the top mount bearings in the wrong way up?
Custom roll cages/shiny suspension bits/general fabrication work undertaken, PM me.
Top engine mount repair/reinforcement/chocking for cracked chassis and high powered cars, drive in, drive out, 2 hour turnaround.
06-09-2016, 09:20 PM (This post was last modified: 06-09-2016, 09:24 PM by MisterGTR.)
(06-09-2016, 09:17 PM)Rippthrough Wrote: Have they put the top mount bearings in the wrong way up?
Thanks.
I'll check that.... But wouldn't that be obvious to a mechanic with Motorsport background?
Also wouldn't the symptoms be more noticeable?
It was my first thought but I'd assumed you couldn't put them in the wrong way!!
Just to be clear the guy who fitted my audio suggested using Kenny Brown. And it was done while I was on hols. I've never even met the Kenny. I'm more using a local garage to me who I trust and know.
95% of people in motorsport I wouldn't trust to tie their own shoes.
Custom roll cages/shiny suspension bits/general fabrication work undertaken, PM me.
Top engine mount repair/reinforcement/chocking for cracked chassis and high powered cars, drive in, drive out, 2 hour turnaround.
07-09-2016, 10:18 AM (This post was last modified: 07-09-2016, 10:20 AM by MisterGTR.)
Okay went for a drive with new drop links and it's much better but if you hit speed bumps too hard the sound is still there. Apparently a bolt was rubbing the suspension on the previous install. But not the sole cause.
This is the drivers side top mount from the front of car
Seems fine to me as I don't think you could fit it the other way.
I wonder if it's just the suspension travel bottoming out.
Going to get xsara rack put on this weekend and get bushes and arms replaced. (Need to read up on all the bushes to get them to replace)
Bit gutted I am not doing work myself but lack of dry space (I'm useless so a ten minute job turns into a 2 day job!) and my stupid limp wrist means it would be sitting over winter and I want to actually use it.
(07-09-2016, 09:17 AM)Magenta Sunset Wrote: could it even be the exhaust pipe tapping on the floor-pan?
It's sounds like it's high up in the suspension area and sounds on whichever side I go over the speed bump at. Good thing is, it's much better now with new drop links. So it's only if you're going too fast over them to be sympathetic to the car that you hear it.
I do think i have a similar issue with my estate when i got over harsh bumps it makes a pretty bad knock/clunk noise. Seems to have only started since i fitted the B8s on the front though
I have checked all the suspension and there is no play in anything and most bits are pretty much new. My next thing to try is new top mounts which i got just not had chance to fit them yet.
(07-09-2016, 12:19 PM)Frosty Wrote: I do think i have a similar issue with my estate when i got over harsh bumps it makes a pretty bad knock/clunk noise. Seems to have only started since i fitted the B8s on the front though
I have checked all the suspension and there is no play in anything and most bits are pretty much new. My next thing to try is new top mounts which i got just not had chance to fit them yet.
Interesting. May just be that the b8s don't have enough travel.
(07-09-2016, 12:19 PM)Frosty Wrote: I do think i have a similar issue with my estate when i got over harsh bumps it makes a pretty bad knock/clunk noise. Seems to have only started since i fitted the B8s on the front though
I have checked all the suspension and there is no play in anything and most bits are pretty much new. My next thing to try is new top mounts which i got just not had chance to fit them yet.
Interesting. May just be that the b8s don't have enough travel.
Were yours new? Mine were 2nd hand.
Mine were also 2nd hand, though they look like they haven't done much work or are very old. What springs have you got on yours?
Does seem odd we both have a similar issue by the sounds of it.
Top mount bolts too long, or are you using stock ones with the brace?
Custom roll cages/shiny suspension bits/general fabrication work undertaken, PM me.
Top engine mount repair/reinforcement/chocking for cracked chassis and high powered cars, drive in, drive out, 2 hour turnaround.
07-09-2016, 09:31 PM (This post was last modified: 07-09-2016, 11:03 PM by MisterGTR.)
(07-09-2016, 07:28 PM)Rippthrough Wrote: Top mount bolts too long, or are you using stock ones with the brace?
I didn't fit them. So don't know. I bought the skf top mount kit from euro car parts. And didn't even open the box, so don't know if they came with bolts.
What would I be looking for to check if they were too long?
Just whip them out and measure the lengths - although generally if they say 10.9 on the top they're probably OE ones.
Custom roll cages/shiny suspension bits/general fabrication work undertaken, PM me.
Top engine mount repair/reinforcement/chocking for cracked chassis and high powered cars, drive in, drive out, 2 hour turnaround.
08-09-2016, 07:36 AM (This post was last modified: 08-09-2016, 07:39 AM by MisterGTR.)
(07-09-2016, 11:40 PM)Rippthrough Wrote: Just whip them out and measure the lengths - although generally if they say 10.9 on the top they're probably OE ones.
Okay will do. Thanks very much.
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(08-09-2016, 06:10 AM)Poodle Wrote: You won't be able to see if the bearings are in upside down with it fitted, you'll need to drop the top mount out and dismantle to check it.
Ah okay. Stupid question but how would I know if they were upside down.
When I do work I take photos of before so I have a reference but obviously in this case I don't.
Your top mounts might be incorrect? On mine with SKF top mounts and the OMP brace, the fourth hole has a little metal pin sticking out of it? I'll take a pic later on today hopefully.
Also, are the bolts on the strut mount tightening up? You do need longer bolts but only 3-4mm.
(09-09-2016, 01:01 PM)BiG K Wrote: Your top mounts might be incorrect? On mine with SKF top mounts and the OMP brace, the fourth hole has a little metal pin sticking out of it? I'll take a pic later on today hopefully.
Also, are the bolts on the strut mount tightening up? You do need longer bolts but only 3-4mm.
Yeah you could be right. I say that because I can't imagine it's the b8 eibach setup as lots of people run them and nobody has mentioned a compromise over stock.
The car is at the garage so I can't look at the top mounts. And the photo I've taken and posted above is at an angle, such that the 4th hole isn't fully visible.
But I'll pop over there tomorrow and look and compare with your photo.
If mine doesn't have the little metal pin showing... Would that indicate the bearing has be put in upside down? Or?
I wish I'd opened the box now because I can't picture what they look like not installed.
The pin is on the body of the top mount, entirely separate to the bearing. If the top mounts were for a different vehicle i'd be very surprised if they could be made to fit at all, it's not like VAG where you can get 4 different mounts off the same reg all with 2mm differences. If those bolts are standard length i'd be getting some longer ones rather than trying to tighten them as hey are - they don't have a lot of thread in the top mounts even without the brace, it'd be very easy to strip the threads out of your nice new top mounts.
The reason it's a common mistake is because the bearings come upside down in the box to save on packaging space, they have to be flipped before installation.
(10-09-2016, 05:12 AM)Poodle Wrote: The pin is on the body of the top mount, entirely separate to the bearing. If the top mounts were for a different vehicle i'd be very surprised if they could be made to fit at all, it's not like VAG where you can get 4 different mounts off the same reg all with 2mm differences. If those bolts are standard length i'd be getting some longer ones rather than trying to tighten them as hey are - they don't have a lot of thread in the top mounts even without the brace, it'd be very easy to strip the threads out of your nice new top mounts.
The reason it's a common mistake is because the bearings come upside down in the box to save on packaging space, they have to be flipped before installation.
Well, by the sounds of it you having the exact same issues as me.
Btw I have replaced both front
Wishbones inc mounts
Top mounts and bearings
Drop links
Ball joints
I have not touched the rack but it if go over a small dip in the road it rattles a little, hot a bump hard it knocks hard. Nothing appears to be loose or worn. Only other item I have and need to replace to rule out are the roll bar bushes.
Have either of you guys done that yet?
Not always Grumpy!!
306 Cabby SE, 2.0l 16v
To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be!
12-09-2016, 03:32 PM (This post was last modified: 12-09-2016, 03:33 PM by MisterGTR.)
(12-09-2016, 02:06 PM)insomaniac45 Wrote: Well, by the sounds of it you having the exact same issues as me.
Btw I have replaced both front
Wishbones inc mounts
Top mounts and bearings
Drop links
Ball joints
I have not touched the rack but it if go over a small dip in the road it rattles a little, hot a bump hard it knocks hard. Nothing appears to be loose or worn. Only other item I have and need to replace to rule out are the roll bar bushes.
Have either of you guys done that yet?
I haven't done the anti roll bar bushes.
I'm waiting on pads and disks to arrive before I go over with them. So will raise possibility with them. The arb ball joint was an advisory. Thing is all was fine until the struts and top mounts changed. Hence I'm looking in that direction.
i have VTS shocks on mine, so maybe it is height related?
I too have been replacing parts to try and find the issue, once my elbow has stopped being a pansy, and blowing everytime i need to lift, or pull something i will have the chance to change mine out.
if you do manage to find out what is causing yours, or i find out what is causing mine, then i am sure it will both be a simular issue
Not always Grumpy!!
306 Cabby SE, 2.0l 16v
To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be!
Been hibernating for quite a while and my car has see very little action.
But having been stirred in to action by having to get the car through an MOT (it passed I thought i'd asked the garage to have a look at the clonk that was happening over speedbumps or potholes - even at low speeds.
So they tried changing the droplinks as that was the most likely culprit. But apparently (I got a phone call today) it's still happening although at higher speed. He described the sound as coming from high up.
Car has new top mounts, and also the B12 kit and the alignment done by Kenny Brown Motorsport in Glasgow. So i'm assuming it's been done right.
Next step is changing the steering rack and the TRE/Suspension arms.
Anything else i should be looking at?
It's the one thing that stopping me driving it more.
Thanks in advance.
Hi
Had my 306 HDi Meridian, for 16 days now! mine does this too, it is 16 Years old, but I am not too worried, it must comes with age !
Andrew (Saxblower)
