Suspension Noise

[busters dad]

I've just had a new spring fitted to the o/s front of my 03' V40. The old one had broken and was picked up on the MOT. Having been replaced, It now knocks and clunks like a good un'!! Particularly when turning and going over lumps and bumps. The garage that fitted it said It's fine and will bed in, failing that It'll need another part replacing. It's been a couple of months now and It's no different. I'm loathed to pay more money on it when, regardless of a broken spring or not, was a damn sight better than it is now.
Anything I can do myself perhaps??

[Orca2]

Check the drop links and the top mount. If the spring is ok .

[happy diver]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heavy-Duty...item5d4bbbb050

[baldmosher]

If it sounds like a potato rattling around in a metal box on rough roads, it's a worn top mount (also the nut visible from under the bonnet will be clearly off-centre)

If it sounds like a small potato rattling around in a metal box even on smooth roads, it's a knackered drop link / ARB link (give it a good shake up on the ramp to listen for knocks, and visually check the rubber boots for damage)

If it sounds like it's about to fall apart when you go over a speed bump, maybe the garage fitted the spring back to front and it's rubbing on the wheel arch.

Hope this helps

I reckon it's the drop link and they're easy & cheap to change, go for Meyle HD if so as they last longest (allegedly, ymmv)

[stephend]

Baldmosher, I have to ask: how come you're so well versed in the sounds that different sized potatoes make when rattling around in metal boxes...?

[happy diver]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[busters dad]

Originally Posted by baldmosher

If it sounds like a potato rattling around in a metal box on rough roads, it's a worn top mount (also the nut visible from under the bonnet will be clearly off-centre)

If it sounds like a small potato rattling around in a metal box even on smooth roads, it's a knackered drop link / ARB link (give it a good shake up on the ramp to listen for knocks, and visually check the rubber boots for damage)

If it sounds like it's about to fall apart when you go over a speed bump, maybe the garage fitted the spring back to front and it's rubbing on the wheel arch.

Oh the humour!!! Hmmm, not so much a rattle but hitting a turnip on a tin perhaps, when turning that is, almost as if the spring is sticking and then popping back into position. When turning the wheel full right then full left frequency of knocks is about twice every second.
When going over speed humps it sounds bloody awfull!! Should that not be upside down rather then back to front???

[Orca2]

Sounds a lot like shagged top mounts , they bind up and twist the spring until the turning force makes the spring boing around. Get someone to turn it from lock to lock while you watch and listen to each front strut , it will be pretty obvious which one it is, alternatively the spring is not seated properly on the top mount or strut.

Loving the vegetable sounds.

[baldmosher]

Originally Posted by busters dad

Oh the humour!!! Hmmm, not so much a rattle but hitting a turnip on a tin perhaps, when turning that is, almost as if the spring is sticking and then popping back into position. When turning the wheel full right then full left frequency of knocks is about twice every second.
When going over speed humps it sounds bloody awfull!! Should that not be upside down rather then back to front???

Well, that depends. Is the spring for the correct side*? Did they fit it backwards? Correct rotation for Comfort should be straight and it should be pretty clear to see from the mounts, but for the Sport it's angled by 20° (or something like that). When we rebuilt my legs, we got it wrong, and there were three of us there looking at it... whadda mistakea to makea!

*actually I do think they are the same both sides but could be wrong.

I would also err towards top mounts, but as I say you can see that yourself from the top centre nut position, being not centre. Could also be the spring receiver (mounting bracket thingy that goes between like a washer) but top mount is far more likely to go.

Obviously, IF they've fitted the spring wrong, the garage should be sorting this out (and I would have expected a mechanic to notice that the top mount was gone when they fitted the spring - even I would notice that and I'm no mechanic). That outcome probably depends on your existing relationship with them. I'm a little gutted to be leaving Salford as my local mechanic is ace. Knows his limits with specialised stuff, but for general mechanical stuff and for good value labour, he's great.