Freelander 1 Horrid clunking noise from front. Now with added sound!

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flanagaj

Active Member
Posts
248
Location
Blandford, Dorset
Hi All,

I have been pulling my hair out regarding a terrible dry clunking sound coming from the drivers side front of the 2003 TD4. I have replaced the anti roll bar linkages on both sides, but this made no difference. I am reluctant to keep replacing parts on a whim and am hoping someone might be able to recognise the sound from the recording I made this morning.

The quality is not great, but this is the sound when recorded from inside the vehicle. The section from 01:15 to 2:00 is the part where the road was most bumpy. If anyone can tell me what it is, you'll make my day!

At the end of the recording I lifted the phone off the drivers mat in the footwell and rested it on the seat and the noise does become a little clearer. That is towards the end of the clip.

http://www.theconcretelab.co.uk/ClunkingNoise.m4a
 
I doubt that even the experienced types on here (@Nodge68?) could diagnose a noise like that just by listening. Some mechanics have a set of stick-on microphones they can listen to individually as they test drive. However, swapping parts until the noise goes can be a frustrating and expensive passtime, so here's what I'd do:

Jack up the car, support and rattle the wheel vertically and horizontally. Then either rattle, thump with hammer handle, or pry the following:

1 - Lower ball joint
2 - Wishbone bushes
3 - Shock upper and lower mounts
4 - Driveshaft
5 - Steering joints
6 - ARB
7 - Engine mounts
8 - Wobble the steering wheel back and forth.

You may have to put some weight back on the wheel and re-try to find the noise. For the record, I had the same noise, and could only find it by thumping the ARB with my fist - it was the bushes.
 
guineafowl21 said:
I doubt that even the experienced types on here (@Nodge68?) could diagnose a noise like that just by listening. Some mechanics have a set of stick-on microphones they can listen to individually as they test drive. However, swapping parts until the noise goes can be a frustrating and expensive passtime, so here's what I'd do:

Jack up the car, support and rattle the wheel vertically and horizontally. Then either rattle, thump with hammer handle, or pry the following:

1 - Lower ball joint
2 - Wishbone bushes
3 - Shock upper and lower mounts
4 - Driveshaft
5 - Steering joints
6 - ARB
7 - Engine mounts
8 - Wobble the steering wheel back and forth.

You may have to put some weight back on the wheel and re-try to find the noise. For the record, I had the same noise, and could only find it by thumping the ARB with my fist - it was the bushes.
Click to expand...

I have not done the jack up and rattle around method with the wheel. I'll go and give that a try shortly. Just for reference, it passed the MOT only 4 weeks ago so I was wondering whether that would/should have picked up on any of the points you list?

Someone also suggested jacking the vehicle up, putting it on an axle stand and then using a long bar under the jacked up tyre to pry the wheel up and down.
 
MoTs are generally done with a prybar, which won't pick up every little noise, as I found with my ARB bushes. Also the quality of MoTs does vary - I bought a FL recently which shouldn't have passed - severe diesel leak, ABS light wasn't coming on for bulb check, front prop gaiter gone, grease lost and joint rattling.

Jacking up and prying the wheel would simulate bumpy roads. You really can't pry, poke and tap enough with annoying noises like yours.
 
I have a very similar noise on my SE. I can even feel a slight clunk through the driver's foot well along with the sound. I've checked everything suspension and steering related. I suspect that mine clunk is the rear wishbone bush or the mount location pin. I've replaced both drop links and track rod ends. This is something else though and it's down low. My noise stops the moment the brakes are gently applied too. This is why I suspect it's the rear lower bush or mount location pin.
 
I did wonder if it was the bush mount on the wishbone. I took this off a few weeks back expecting to see worn rubber like you get with a buggered rear diff mount, but visually I could not see anything. I even attached a GoPro using magnets to the underneath of the vehicle expecting to see lots of lateral movement, but once again nothing.

When you say CV joint, do they knock over bumps?

I also jacked the vehicle up on the drivers side and stuck a 10ft long bit of 3x2 under the wheel. I just started rocking the vehicle and I could detect no noise.
 
Usually it is when going around a corner but could do if really worn
I had a truck run into me while parked and it sat on my bonnet then when it had come out of the repair shop I had a knocking and I looked underneath and it all looked ok but finally I took the wishbone off and the long stud that goes through that back mount was bent and that what was causing the knock as it put the whole thing closer to the under body
 
teddywood1 said:
Usually it is when going around a corner but could do if really worn
I had a truck run into me while parked and it sat on my bonnet then when it had come out of the repair shop I had a knocking and I looked underneath and it all looked ok but finally I took the wishbone off and the long stud that goes through that back mount was bent and that what was causing the knock as it put the whole thing closer to the under body
Click to expand...
There is no knocking noise when cornering, which is why I don't think it is the CV joint.

It might just be a case of changing parts until I get lucky as it is very difficult to diagnose. I think the next part I will replace is the wishbone as that would seem like the most likely culprit.

I need to get it sorted as it sounds terrible inside the vehicle and unsafe. I am sure it is ok though.
 
When the weather is better, I'll start taking things off and checking them. I could not find anything with play in it yesterday, but given the weight of the vehicle I suspect it has to have really gone to find anything.
 
I have a metallic knock coming from the N/S and have done like you and changed the drop links and track rod ends so my next option is the wishbone. I'm lucky enough to have a couple of spares which although worn had no knock when removed.
Top tip if replacing the wishbone is make sure you soak all the bolts with WD40 or Plusgas every day for a week before doing it. Especially the rear bush as it is a bugger to get off. Also probably best disconnect everything except the rear bush mount so you have leverage to twist the whishbone.
 
Well. I can report that having changed both wishbones today, the noise is still present. Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!

So that's drop links and wishbones replaced, but the horrid clunking noise is still there.
 
One thing that hasn't come up on here recently, but there was a spate a while back, was inner CV joints. I don't think these necessarily knock when cornering. I'd think they are more likely to 'go' if you have a lift kit installed. I don't know if rocking the drive shaft to see if there's any play would tell you if its faulty.
 
Have you changed the track rod end yet. With the wheel jacked up grab the wheel top and bottom and try to move it, then right and left and try to move it. I had a loose TRE at one point that only needed tightening up. If you change the TRE measure as best you can where it is so that when you replace it the tracking won't be too far out.
BTW I'm still having problems with mine and my next move is to buy a complete strut, spring etc from a scrappy so I can rule out several things at once.
 
GrumpyGel said:
One thing that hasn't come up on here recently, but there was a spate a while back, was inner CV joints. I don't think these necessarily knock when cornering. I'd think they are more likely to 'go' if you have a lift kit installed. I don't know if rocking the drive shaft to see if there's any play would tell you if its faulty.
Click to expand...
I always thought CV joints only knocked when cornering. This has been mentioned before, but I have not investigated further as the knock I am getting is only on straight lines when I hit a pot hole?

Alibro said:
Have you changed the track rod end yet. With the wheel jacked up grab the wheel top and bottom and try to move it, then right and left and try to move it. I had a loose TRE at one point that only needed tightening up. If you change the TRE measure as best you can where it is so that when you replace it the tracking won't be too far out.
BTW I'm still having problems with mine and my next move is to buy a complete strut, spring etc from a scrappy so I can rule out several things at once.
Click to expand...
Not done TRE yet. Can these come loose?

I have jacked the vehicle up and tried moving the wheel in all directions, but nothing. Even tried an 8ft piece of wood as a lever under the wheel when on axle stands, but once again nothing.
 
flanagaj said:
I always thought CV joints only knocked when cornering. This has been mentioned before, but I have not investigated further as the knock I am getting is only on straight lines when I hit a pot hole?


Not done TRE yet. Can these come loose?

I have jacked the vehicle up and tried moving the wheel in all directions, but nothing. Even tried an 8ft piece of wood as a lever under the wheel when on axle stands, but once again nothing.
Click to expand...
It probably wasn't tightened properly in the first place.
Infuriating these random noises ain't they. :mad:
 
Alibro said:
It probably wasn't tightened properly in the first place.
Infuriating these random noises ain't they. :mad:
Click to expand...
The noise started a few months ago. We had no work done prior to that, so I can't point the finger.

The noise is driving me bloody nuts, especially, considering a local Land Rover company charged me £70 to diagnose worn front wishbone bushes as the source of the problem. That was £70 down the loo!
 
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