Banana arm - diagnosing

[GT Driver]

My car has gone into the garage to diagnose a rattle / clatter at low speeds over rough ground. The noise disappears under braking - I am thinking it's the banana bar bush/ball joint from all the threads I've read on here.

 

Initial inspection by the mechanic has not pulled up anything obvious.

 

It's more of a rattle rather than a clunk/knock. As if something is loose underneath. I have a little more bump steer than normal but other than that the car is still reasonably planted.

 

Where a visual inspection doesn't determine it's the bush; or a applying the pry bar doesn't show any noticeable movement on the ball joint end - just wondering what you guys think is the best course of action - replace the whole arm (£250, ouch) or just start with the bush replacement first (£35)?

 

Thanks guys

[daveyjm69]

I had same problem on drivers side I replaced the banana arm it was still there ended up being passenger side drop link so replaced both good luck freind

[SHEZZA]

I had a failed bush on my passenger side arm which was obvious to see and also drivers side drop link which was causing the rattling noise for me over rough surfaces. I'd probably start with them maybe as not as dear as the arms. There's some genuine ones on the bay at half the price at the moment. See link.

 

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=191534778094&globalID=EBAY-GB

[Zeezeebaba]

I had both a knock and a rattle. Knock was bannana arm bushes and the rattle was drop links.The droplinks looked and felt fine but when replaced the rattle had gone. It would seem diagnosing with the Z isn't as easy as some cars I've dealt with before.Usually there is easy play on components but with the Z the usual rules don't seem to apply at times. As stated replace the droplinks first if it's just a rattle.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Zeezeebaba

[GT Driver]

Thanks for the replies.

 

UPDATE: Just had a call from the mechanic. The front driver side shock absorber is leaking - but it's not so bad that affecting it's handing (yet). But he doesn't think this is source of the rattle though. This may be the cause of the increased bump steer noted in my first post.

 

Again, nothing noticeable on the the banana arm.

 

He told me on the phone he checked the droplinks and they looked ok. If the droplinks look ok from a visual inspection - is there any way to rule it out?

Edited July 23, 2015 by GT Driver

[Zeezeebaba]

Mine looked and felt fine on the ramp. I had the bannana arms changed completely but still had a rattle. This was done at Horsham Developments and the test drive still had a rattle evident so they put new droplinks on anyway and it cured it even though the old ones seemed ok. The bottom line here is its difficult to diagnose rattles on components when load is taken off the car on a ramp. The Zs components are prone to noise if they are just starting to go it would seem.

[Zeezeebaba]

Droplinks are usually easy to diagnose and obvious when the load is off the car. However in my case this wasn't so. We even looked at ARB bushes trying to diagnose the rattle but new droplinks sorted it.

[daveyjm69]

Same as above links looked fine untill removed that was my problem and cure

[Ewen@Clark Motorsport]

As others have said a rattle like you describe is more likely to be drop links.

 

We have OEM Nissan and Whiteline on the shelf, let me know if I can help

[GT Driver]

The general consensus so far is to start with the droplinks. Which actually makes sense from a cost point of view and purely based on the fact it's a rattle instead of a clunk - and I've driven a Z with a knackered banana arm and it was most definitely a knocking noise as opposed to a rattle.

[inspiral]

Been there done that. Do the drop links, little labour and cheap. Failing that do the banana bar, not that much labour and use a pattern part @ 1/3 of the OEM cost.

[inspiral]

Pattern part review: http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/86235-new-compression-arms-70/

[GT Driver]

Just an update - fitted 2 used oem shocks to the front on Saturday (bought a member on here, thanks Phil!). Rattle has disappeared. The driver's side was in such a bad state that I have to put the rattle down to the spring when under compression/rebound - it was obviously loose or something. The sound did disappear under braking though, when there was some load applied on the spring. The shock was in a bad state, fluid/oil leaking all over it.

 

Myself and 2 other car-mates fitted both shocks. Relatively straightforward job to do, really helped having assistance though especially when trying to get enough clearance to get the shock up out.

 

Glad my Z is now hoonable again!