S40 Clunk!

[velocitysurfer]

A few weeks after having both top mounts, an offside strut and offside drop link changed, by a friend who is a competant machanic, my S40 T4 (phase 2)has developed a "clunk" noise.

The noise happens when I go near full right lock back but not left lock, and sometimes when I go from forward to reverse, or reverse to forward - all at low speed <5mph. The noise can be heard from the offside, and isn't always the same loudness, and can sometimes be felt slightly through the steering wheel. From my ears, it sounds as if something if clunking in/out of place.

There is no noise when driving normally, at any speed, or around corners.

My friend has had a good look at the car and he can't see anything untoward.

Has anyone come across anything similar, or have any ideas what it could be?

[manoman48]

So could it be the nearside strut and link?

[velocitysurfer]

Originally Posted by manoman48

So could it be the nearside strut and link?

No. The noise is from the offside and can be heard from outside of the car.

[manoman48]

I know he is competent, but might be worth a double check that the spring is lined up correctly with the mount.

[ww2nut]

snap i had the same sound and seemed to come from front drivers side suspension,took it to a proper garage and they investigated, found nothing at all! still the noise continues, so i sprayed the whole area with wd40 lol covering the disks first, problem solved! every few weeks it comes back, sounds dangerous and expensive but passed mot no problems, let me know if you find an answer
cheers

[velocitysurfer]

Originally Posted by ww2nut

sounds dangerous and expensive but passed mot no problems
cheers

The MOT is due in December, but will do it asap in November. The car is having an oil change on Monday, so I'll ask the garage to have a good poke around.

I've got a free MOT (until the car is 10 years old, which is next year) with stratstone, as the used to be a Volvo dealership in derby. If it passes ok, I'll ask them to have a poke if the other garage finds nothing.

As others have said, in this and other topics, it sounds something todo with the offside spring.

[stevo48]

I too would like to know the answer to this as I have the same issue.

[btsam]

I would hazars a guess that it's the bearings in the suspension - they sit between the top mount and the spring seat.

if these are worn or knackered you'll get a clunk when the spring and spring seat can't twist as the bearing is stopping it moving, keep turning the wheel and it will suddendly free itself and 'clunk' as the spring and seat jump back to where they were trying to get to in the first place.

could be many other things that could be wrong but that's my guess

all the best

s

[BobbyV]

I have a clunk whenever i change gear, car went through mot last week and passed so dunno wat it could be, you can almost feel the clunk under your feet when it happens,

[velocitysurfer]

The garage has said that the offside bush holding the front anti roll bar to the sub frame is worn and could feel movement in it (not an MOT failure), but he couldn't guarantee that replacing it would solve the noise! He also said the bush looked a bugger to replace.

Also, he said my rear discs were worn, and lipped (which I knew) and would fail the MOT (due in nov/dec), and quoted £160 to replace rear discs and pads.