'Clunking' from right rear

[Jaik]

I've noticed a clunking coming from the right rear of my car over bumps, but also sometimes on fairly smooth ground. Having recently fitted BC Racing coilovers, Che ARBs and new droplinks I have checked all of those first. Nothing is loose, and there's no parts that are obviously interfering with each other. Ste suggested checking the droplinks are sitting square on the ARBs which they look to be. All the bushes seem to be fine too.

Another friend has suggested it could be an engine mount on the way out which makes sense, but it seems like a bit much of a coincidence that it's happened when all the new suspension parts went on. Would the stiffer setup put more stress on the engine mounts? What's the easiest way to check them?

Any other possibilities of what could be clunking back there? Noises are obviously difficult to describe accurately online, but it sounds quite suspensiony/bushy in nature.

[spit]

If it was bushes I'd expect some hairy handling under braking. I'd hope those FleaB droplinks would last longer than a week before the bearings give up, but its a slim possibility.

Can you induce the clunk with some sharp pulling away? That'd favour the mounts.

Only other thing I can think is that your hardtop clips need tightening as the cold weather sets in  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

[Ilogik]

If it was bushes I'd expect some hairy handling under braking. I'd hope those FleaB droplinks would last longer than a week before the bearings give up, but its a slim possibility.

Can you induce the clunk with some sharp pulling away? That'd favour the mounts.

Only other thing I can think is that your hardtop clips need tightening as the cold weather sets in  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

If they are cheap droplinks i have heard of them going very quickly.

[Anonymous]

Just a thought, have you checked the tie rods (camber, caster & toe) to make sure they are tight, remember to check the bolt head not the nut as this is fitted with a lock facility.

Also is the top nut on the BC secure, the one which holds the strut together.

Rob.

[Jaik]

Could be a knackered droplink I suppose  s:( s:(  I'll take her out for another pootle later and see if I can get the engine rocking a bit  s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:  

Braking and handling both feel fine (with the caveats of dead rear tyres and needing a geometry check), and the hardtop isn't on yet.

I've grabbed all the suspension arms by the scruff of their necks to check if anything was loose and it's all tight and as it should be but haven't touched the nuts and bolts.

The top nut sounds like a possibility, is that accessible with the struts installed or do they need dropping out?

[Anonymous]

The top nut sounds like a possibility, is that accessible with the struts installed or do they need dropping out?

It's normally just below your damper setting adjuster, if you are looking at the top mount that is. I had this when I had the Tein fitted on the front, had to hold the top spring mount with a C spanner then nipped the nut up from the top, also put a little thread lock on to stop it happening again.

Was there any parts drawing supplied with the struts? if so you should be able to see the nut I'm talking about as it bolts the top mount to the coilover.

[spit]

Drag it round tomorrow evening Jaik and we'll have a butcher's.

[Jaik]

The top nut isn't loose but I'm not sure what the torque setting should be so it's still a potential culprit.

I've been for a drive to try and nail down when it's happening, some observations:
- As speed increases it happens less frequently (could just be harder to hear from the increased road noise, but I don't think so), at low speeds it's clunking a lot
- Hitting a pair of "half-speedbumps" dead straight doesn't make a sound, but going over with the right side of the car does
- The right rear wheel hitting manhole covers and suchlike is the main cause
- It happened once as the suspension settled after firm braking, after driving a particularly rough road, then didn't happen again for a good 15 minutes before it gradually crept back to how it was

To me the above certainly points to a suspension part, the second and third point suggesting something droplink related and the other two pointing to something possible damper related?

Does anyone know what the torque setting should be for the top nut on the BC Racing coilovers?

Ste, I don't want to put you out yet again mate so if you've got stuff to do it can wait, just let me know.

[Jaik]

Well Ste worked his magic again and found the problem within a couple of minutes. It was an embarrassingly simple loose droplink, so it looks like spring washers might be the way forward. Do we know what size thread the droplinks have? My dad said he'd grab some washers from work.

[Anonymous]

a knwo this is bit random my hardtop clips r making noise on the bumps, how do u tighten them up

[Jaik]

Here you go, a quick search for "adjust hardtop clips" would've brought up this:
 m http://www.spydermagazine.com/2002/Feb/ ... adjust.htm m