Freelander Loud Clonk Noise

When my 1999 Freelander XDI (84k) has been parked for a few hours and I reverse it off my drive and put a hard right hand lock on, I hear a loud clonk/bang that is coming from underneath the car.

It sound quite drastic but drives OK apart from a whirling noise which gets higher in pitch the faster I go, could this be linked with the clonk?

This Clonk has started since I have had new Diff bushes and New Diff fitted and its not the wheel bearings!

Any ideas anyone?

Cracked chassis or subframe mount broken.

Maybe even a broken or missing exhaust hanger allowing the pipe to touch a drive/ prop shaft. Is it when you reverse on a smooth surface or do you have to drop down off a lowered kerb at all?

The Mad Hat Man said:

Cracked chassis or subframe mount broken.

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Agree, very likely to be this.

The Mad Hat Man said:

Cracked chassis or subframe mount broken.

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This seems to be your usual diagnosis of all shakes wobbles and drive shaft related vibrations.Welcome to the northside blackpool biker,if it turns out to be drive shafts try these,youll havem in cork 2 days later.£12 SHIPPING ,dont know if thats cause I rang open 7 days 8_-10(dont quote me),its on the ad.eBay.co.uk Shop – J R TRADING UK LTD: Search results for.

ps.you should sit into mine for a drive some time.

OldIrishWulf said:

This seems to be your usual diagnosis of all shakes wobbles and drive shaft related vibrations.Welcome to the northside blackpool biker,if it turns out to be drive shafts try these,youll havem in cork 2 days later.£12 SHIPPING ,dont know if thats cause I rang open 7 days 8_-10(dont quote me),its on the ad.eBay.co.uk Shop Iamacompletepillock.com: Search results for.

ps.you should sit into mine for a drive some time.

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You prat! - where does the OP mention "shakes, wobbles and drive shaft related vibrations"?
He mentions a "loud clonk/bang" and the most likely explanation is as I have said - it is not exclusive, but it is a good starting point. If after checking those out, then we move onto other possible causes, not trying to spam a website, without the slightest reason to believe that is the problem. Get off yo soapbox and try and help someone, instead of trying to show everyone what a complete pillock you are.

OldIrishWulf said:

This seems to be your usual diagnosis of all shakes wobbles and drive shaft related vibrations.Welcome to the northside blackpool biker,if it turns out to be drive shafts try these,youll havem in cork 2 days later.£12 SHIPPING ,dont know if thats cause I rang open 7 days 8_-10(dont quote me),its on the ad.eBay.co.uk Shop – J R TRADING UK LTD: Search results for.

ps.you should sit into mine for a drive some time.

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Cheers for the welcome, enjoying the northside a lot more than mahon/blackrock, especially walking home after a pint or two... tried some of the homebrewed in the franciscans well last night with a few friends, lovely stuff. So where abouts are you in Cork?

Good link, reckon i'll need these after i lift mine (eventually).

As for the knocking, it is actually very likely to be the subframe mount cracked. The tube that the bolt sits in pulls through the chassis and knocks against the box section. It's a very common problem, i've actually had it on my freeby just before i came to Ireland. My fix was to cut a small hole through the floor (enlarging the current inspection hole) and fit a strong plate in between thee chassis and nut, to stop it pulling through. Worked a treat and no welding was needed.

The way to tell is if you change from reverse to first a couple of times and just go back and forward, it may knock when you change direction. The knock is even more noticeable if you're not too smooth on the clutch, and if you change gear very fast under sharpish acceleration.

Mine makes a similar sound. But only after it has been sitting still for a long time. Think about a month or longer. And only once, before it first moves. Even if I've moved it half a meter (to work on it) the sound is gone. A mechanic told me it was probably the hand brake sticking a very little and he'll have a look at it in the summer when it's due for it's MOT. In the mean time, just keep it moving, was his advice. So I'm hoping it's not the chassis, but I haven't checked that out. Should I?

Cmdr_Keen said:

Mine makes a similar sound. But only after it has been sitting still for a long time. Think about a month or longer. And only once, before it first moves. Even if I've moved it half a meter (to work on it) the sound is gone. A mechanic told me it was probably the hand brake sticking a very little and he'll have a look at it in the summer when it's due for it's MOT. In the mean time, just keep it moving, was his advice. So I'm hoping it's not the chassis, but I haven't checked that out. Should I?

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It's quite possible that this could only be the handbrake. What makes me think that's the chassis on the OP's car is the it started happening after diff bushes etc were replaced, and newer diff bushes will transfer more stress to the subframe as there is less movement on the bushes.

If you get on your knees at the back of your freeby with a cro-bar, and poke it inbetween the subframe (very rear right attachment near the bolt) and the chassis, you'll see movement if it's pulled through.

What if it is the Chassis or subframe, can it be fixed and will it be expensive?

I've already forked out over £1000 this winter.
New Diff Bushes
New Diff
x4 new Tyres
New Disc, Pads, Shoes and cylinders

In that order!!!

yup - its an easy, and relatively cheap, fix. to be found in general Q's and A's section.

One thing that I find interesting is that yu say you can hear a "whirring" - i wonder if the VCU damper has become dislodged? might be worth checking.

freebiker said:

It's quite possible that this could only be the handbrake. What makes me think that's the chassis on the OP's car is the it started happening after diff bushes etc were replaced, and newer diff bushes will transfer more stress to the subframe as there is less movement on the bushes.

If you get on your knees at the back of your freeby with a cro-bar, and poke it inbetween the subframe (very rear right attachment near the bolt) and the chassis, you'll see movement if it's pulled through.

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That's an easy check to do. Tnx!

Can't find anything about how its repaired, Does it have to be welded?

There is a complete how to in the general Q's & A's bit. You will need to look.

Nope can't find anything....

If anyone has found it can you give me a link please

The Mad Hat Man said:

You prat! - where does the OP mention "shakes, wobbles and drive shaft related vibrations"?
Get off yo soapbox and try and help someone, instead of trying to show everyone what a complete pillock you are.

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If you think that every noise coming from under the vehicle is a crcked chassis or subframe your the pratt.Unless he'd bin knocking the ****e out of it in very rough terrain,or had a crash,that should not have happened.
Drive shaft cv joints do give a clack clack clack sound when theyre on the way out,one mans clonk is another mans clunk.

You gave me the reasuring idea that it might be a cracked subframe or chassis.Thanx for that,Bollox.

Add that to the testimonials that take up pages of this forum,or do us a favour and remove them altogether,we all know you have more posts on here than anyone here ever will.

You pillock.

I dont "think that every noise coming from under the vehicle is a crcked chassis or subframe", however it is a common possibility and therefore reasonable to check it out. You will also notice (see post #11) that I also considered other alternatives.

Maybe the Op will let us know what he finds his problem actually is.