Rattling/Clunking noise from front of car.

[Farmer Brown]

Hi

 

I have a 54 plate 350z GT UK car with 54,000 miles on it.

 

I have been suffering from an annoying clunking/rattling noise from the front of the car for the last couple of months.

 

Noise appears when i going up to about 30-40mph over rough surfaces. It goes away after that. You would swear that something is rattling of the floor of the car. Steering angle doesn't seem to affect it but if you put the brakes lightly on and keep up the power so you don't slow down the noise does get quieter.

 

I have been under the car multiple times and cant find any loose bushes or ball joints and cant find movement on the front wheels. It is driving me mental!!!

 

I have noticed that when the car is jacked up and you wobble the steering wheel left and right that there is a slight noise coming from the right hand end of the steering rack but it doesn't sound like the noise that is annoying me. I have also noticed that the inside of the front left tyre is slightly more worn than the outside.

 

I have seen the thread about the banana bar but not sure if my problem is the same.

 

Any help/advice greatfully received!!

[ATTAK Z]

Sounds like the banana bar but you may wish to check the drop links first

[lmc]

I had a similar sound on mine and ended up being the drop links

[ATTAK Z]

Try driving it (carefully) with the drop links removed

[Ceejay29]

I have just changed the droplinks, fitted adjustables all round and am now suffering from this at the front! Grrrrr!!

[ATTAK Z]

It's notoriously difficult to diagnose banana bar failure, but if the noise disappears when you apply the brakes and maintain speed at low speed over mildly rough tarmac then it's 90% certain banana bar failure ... can you tell which side it's coming from ?

Edited June 4, 2013 by ATTAK Z

[Farmer Brown]

Thanks for quick answers.

 

By drop link do you mean upper link or transverse link? I have a workshop manual but cant seem to find reference to a drop link.

[Farmer Brown]

It's notoriously difficult to diagnose banana bar failure, but if the noise disappears when you apply the brakes and maintain speed at low speed over rough tarmac then it's 90% certain banana bar failure ... can you tell which side it's coming from ?

 

i reckon it is on the left side, worked this out by driving left hand wheels over rough stuff with right on smooth stuff.

[lmc]

Thanks for quick answers.

 

By drop link do you mean upper link or transverse link? I have a workshop manual but cant seem to find reference to a drop link.

Sway bar end links

[ATTAK Z]

It's notoriously difficult to diagnose banana bar failure, but if the noise disappears when you apply the brakes and maintain speed at low speed over rough tarmac then it's 90% certain banana bar failure ... can you tell which side it's coming from ?

 

i reckon it is on the left side, worked this out by driving left hand wheels over rough stuff with right on smooth stuff.

 

Don't know why but that's typical - LHS goes first

[scottyd]

I have just suffered banan/compression aem ball joint failure. Check your bushes mine were quite heavily worn, that's a tell tail sign

[scottyd]

 

I have just suffered banana/compression arm ball joint failure. Diagnosing it was a pretty expensive nightmare.. check your bushes mine were quite heavily worn, that's a tell tail sign. Mine sounded almost like a crunching rattling sound. There will be no obvious play in the ball joint even when it's removed.

 

 

[flyboy]

Just bought some drop links to see if that's what's rattling on my N/S front

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290817258075?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

[ZMANALEX]

More than likely it will be the compression rod bushing or the compression rod ball joint.

 

All parts are in stock and good to go same/next day.

 

Just drop me a PM if I can help you further with your diagnoses.

 

Alex.

[BulletMagnet]

Don't know why but that's typical - LHS goes first

Roundabouts

[Farmer Brown]

More than likely it will be the compression rod bushing or the compression rod ball joint.

 

All parts are in stock and good to go same/next day.

 

Just drop me a PM if I can help you further with your diagnoses.

 

Alex.

 

 

 

Just been under the car again and it is definitely the left side compression arm that's the problem. The bush where it mounts onto the front cross bar is torn. Had noticed that the rubber looked a bit new and black before but when i couldn't get it to move i thought it was ok.

 

Do you do an exchange on the compression arm ( you send a new one and i send you my old one back) or do you sell new compression arms?

[ZMANALEX]

PM received and replied to.

 

Alex.

[Farmer Brown]

Got a new compression rod from zmanalex, fitted it yesterday and problem fixed.

 

Bush was in ok condition. Ball joint was loose moving but there was no free play in it. Now all noises gone and reckon that rod was affecting handling as steering feels better and car is more settled through corners.

[ATTAK Z]

Got a new compression rod from zmanalex, fitted it yesterday and problem fixed.

 

[patwudz]

I had the same knocking front offside changed drop links still there, back to the garage & they said suspension so I bought new front struts still had the rattle, changed the banana bar job done perfect again,