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Knocking front right suspension


uc-logic

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I know the knocking issue has been posted numerous times but I have done the usual and still the problem persists. Car is absolutely standard apart from the new bushes and adjustable droplinks that have been fitted.

 

Anybody have any suggestions?

 

Car is an absolutely standard 2005 roadster apart from the new bushes and adjustable droplinks that have been fitted. It developed a knock in the right front suspension when going over rough surfaces. Did not happen on a smooth surface and more noticeable at slower speeds. Here is what I have done so far;

 

1. Complete replacement of front suspension bushes (both sides) including the compression (banana) arm.

2. Fitted New droplinks (adjustable).

3. Checked anti roll bar bushes and they are good.

4. Checked all the ball joints and they seem ok.

5. Checked track rod ends and they seem ok.

6. Calipers solid

7. No movement of pads

8. Re-torqued all fixings including top mounts and torsion bar.

 

No noise coming from the wheel bearing either. Jacked up with the wheel and I cannot detect any lateral movement at all.

 

Took my car to a car park today that has different surfaces to see if I could learn a little more. Driving slowly in a straight line as soon as the right front wheel hits the rough surface I get the knocking. Doing the same with the left front wheel, no noise.

 

If I repeat the procedure but drive on full lock (left or right) the noise disappears. The noise also reduces if a brake gently but it is definitely not the pads.

 

This driving me nuts - any help gratefully accepted. Anybody live close by? (Betws y Coed)

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I hear what you say but if you hadn't replaced the banana bar bushes I'd definitely diagnose your symptoms as that .......... especially when you say it disappears when you apply the brakes.

 

The reason I say this is because the banana bar is always in compression but the compression is at a minimum value when the car is rolling at low speed with the brakes off ............ as soon as you apply the brakes the bar goes back into full compression in the exactly the same way it does when you are pushing the front wheels along at higher speeds.

 

But if you've changed the bushes at both ends of the banana bar ........... well I don't know what to advise

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Has to be the ball joint on the compression/banana arm ;) It is hard to demonstrate play in them easily and you get false reassurance on finding damaged banana arm bushes thinking you have found the problem to you clunking. But they can all coexist and i think they are all a continum of the same issue.....too many soft rubber OEM bushes perishing over time and allowing unwanted play and damage to suspension hardware :scare:

 

I have just found this out meself this weekend trying to replace my perished OEM bushe with Superpro urethane ones and discovered that my drive side ball joint has play in it :surrender: So I have gone from a planned routine bush swap to needing a pair of arms in case the PSis fooked too!

 

One advice i will give anyone with worn banana arm bush is to act quickly and replace it with whatever choice of bush now available as any delay will eventually impact on the ball joint meaning you will need a new arm or used in good condition which are rare as hens teeth quoting Zmanalex :scare: Next affected will be the Transverse link arm(lower front control arm) inner bush, then drop link, then outer bush and possibly camber arm ball joint and bearing.... due constant dynamic geometry instability :dry:

 

For your compresion arm bushes here again are the options

- Superpro urethane bush - see Horsham developments

- OEM rubber bush - see Zmanalex

- SPL solid spherical bush - see Abbey

 

I have my self to blame for waiting too long :thumbdown:

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Looks like I will have to give in and buy a couple of arms. Its true that the light knocking has become more pronounced since the banana arm bushes were replaced. The suspension setup on the Z is a whole new ball game to me, had lots of issues with balljoints in the past on other cars (usually the steering knuckle joint) where both symptoms and cause were both more apparent.

 

thanks for the advice

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Looks like I will have to give in and buy a couple of arms. Its true that the light knocking has become more pronounced since the banana arm bushes were replaced. The suspension setup on the Z is a whole new ball game to me, had lots of issues with balljoints in the past on other cars (usually the steering knuckle joint) where both symptoms and cause were both more apparent.

 

thanks for the advice

 

 

Unfortunately sounds like worn ball joints in the compression arms.

They can be found here mate.

 

viewtopic.php?f=157&t=43455

 

viewtopic.php?f=157&t=43458

 

Drop me a pm if I can help further. :thumbs:

 

Alex.

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