Rear Suspension "CLUNK"???

[Hamish71]

I have a 2003 D2A, TD5, with bilsteins and King Springs. I have a noise which I thought was normal until I drove another D2A today. When I run over a speed bump at anything more than a crawl, I get a LOUD clunk in the back. It sounds like something big, and heavy, being thrown in the air, and landing again, like the body coming off its mounts. Noise is kind of metallic. Its been there since I got it 12 months ago. Its not the fuel tank. I had it out last week, and its back in, and very solid in the cradle.

(No, its not something in the loadspace).

[AussieAub]

I'm by no means an expert, but have you checked the "tightness" of the rear sway bar mounts?
Mine made a clunk after refitting coz I hadn't tightened it up properly.
Tried it removed for a while for more articulation but was very minimal, so re-attached it.

Just a thought....

Cheers.

[CJT]

I have a 2003 D2A, TD5, with bilsteins and King Springs. I have a noise which I thought was normal until I drove another D2A today. When I run over a speed bump at anything more than a crawl, I get a LOUD clunk in the back. It sounds like something big, and heavy, being thrown in the air, and landing again, like the body coming off its mounts. Noise is kind of metallic. Its been there since I got it 12 months ago. Its not the fuel tank. I had it out last week, and its back in, and very solid in the cradle.

(No, its not something in the loadspace).

I have something very similar and it is one of the bushes in the Watts Linkage.

To me it sounds like something big and loose swaying around every time I go over a kerb or get some flex in the rear.

My mechanic said they have never seen it happen on any other D2's but I am replacing the linkages with some curved ones for extra travel so I am not too worried.

To check, get one person under the back of the car and the other person to rock it hard from side to side and you should see and hear the worn joint.

[fatman]

What lift with king springs,maybe your shocks are short and are topping out:confused:

[MUDCAT]

Maybe the springs are not sitting in the mounts properly. Heavier guage springs can move around a bit as they are a heavier gauge then the stock ones. Just a thought

[strangy]

Get underneath with a torch and a lever to check if you have movement in any part of the "A" frame assembly or ball-joint.

There is no A frame or ball joint with the D2.

If the aftermarket springs and shocks were fitted to the car when you got it I would be looking there first as others have said, shocks possibly topping out. Simply disconnect your shocks and check their free length or you could go for short drive up and down some gutters with the shocks out if you are not sure. There are some specs here somewhere on what travel you should have, but if the springs are wrong for the shock combo these specs wont matter anyhow. If its not shocks you will have to check the watts linkage and control arms.

cheers

[Hamish71]

What lift with king springs,maybe your shocks are short and are topping out:confused:

Its only 50mm.

[Baffle]

I have a 2003 D2A, TD5, with bilsteins and King Springs. I have a noise which I thought was normal until I drove another D2A today. When I run over a speed bump at anything more than a crawl, I get a LOUD clunk in the back. It sounds like something big, and heavy, being thrown in the air, and landing again, like the body coming off its mounts. Noise is kind of metallic. Its been there since I got it 12 months ago. Its not the fuel tank. I had it out last week, and its back in, and very solid in the cradle.

(No, its not something in the loadspace).
If the shocks are the standard length, thay are to short for a 50mm lift.

Check your upper and lower shock mount bushes
Check tail pipe mounts
Watts link bushes are a good culprit for this.Not hard to change if you have the gear.


I'm by no means an expert, but have you checked the "tightness" of the rear sway bar mounts?
Mine made a clunk after refitting coz I hadn't tightened it up properly.
Tried it removed for a while for more articulation but was very minimal, so re-attached it.

Just a thought....

Cheers.
Cricky:D that takes guts, Watts is the main mechanism keeping the ass end of the car under itself.

[wardy1]

Had exactly this on my old D2, it was the watts link bushes.... they aren't cheap either:( ($200 or so) and you need a press to change them... I stand to be corrected here, but I think I'm right.

[Baffle]

the outer bushes ( Chassis) should be able to pick up around $30.00 each
Id change these first and the bolts and look for improvement.
On the "link" the 2 outers $45 odd each
The Centre.........Rip off $120 +. I think I paid $140 for mine.

Your right you do need a press, not a hard job to do though, just bevel one side of the teflon outers and use grease when re-fitting

[Andrew D]

Pretty sure I have a similar situation.

Just checked the prices on the net and are as follows:

No. 2 - $28.05 Gen, $10.43 After.
No. 3 - $30.68 Gen, $9.79 After.
No. 9 - $14.24 Gen
No. 10 - $75.01 Gen, $46.06 After.
No. 11 - $70.02 Gen.
No. 18 - $5.11

Regards
Andrew

All parts from the UK.

[Hamish71]

I have a ten tonne press, so no issue there, will have a look this week. Thanks.

[that_kid]

If the shocks are the standard length, thay are to short for a 50mm lift.

Check your upper and lower shock mount bushes
Check tail pipe mounts
Watts link bushes are a good culprit for this.Not hard to change if you have the gear.


Cricky:D that takes guts, Watts is the main mechanism keeping the ass end of the car under itself.


He's talking about taking the sway bar in and out, not the watts, if he did she would prob fall over going down the road.

Mine clicks bangs and clunks all the time, ive put it down to 10 yr old bushes and more recently 18months of abuse. If its going to be in the region of $200 of bushes it mite be worth just getting the Les Richmond cranked watts arms so then you get all your bushes and an upgrade in one go.

Off topic SWMBO was complaining about the clunking of my suspension set up so to fix it i have bought all after market arms front and rear with Currie joints all round. "I orderd the stuff to fix the clunk love" :angel:

[Baffle]

Wish I could read, sorry about that

[landcol]

Its funny I was going to post a similar thread but thought it was just mine,mine was ok but recently had bags replaced with coils which seems to give it small lift but was told it was up to normal height now,started the same clunk as described right after even after replacing dampers all round.any ideas'thanks in advance

[AussieAub]

Cricky:D that takes guts, Watts is the main mechanism keeping the ass end of the car under itself.

It was just the sway bar!
It was one of those mods I "had to try" after a recommendation.
But TBH, I found very little difference, so put it back on!

[Baffle]

It was just the sway bar!
It was one of those mods I "had to try" after a recommendation.
But TBH, I found very little difference, so put it back on!

My bad, I didn't read your post properly and had 10 other things floating around i'n the head.

Just remembered , a mate has ACE and the link arms needed replacing , they clunked around badly.

[Hamish71]

Which Provider?

I have also found complete (front and rear) urethene kits for about 90GBP, but need to determine how "complete" they are.

Also, where is that diagram from? Im looking at my copy of RAVE, and I dont have that diagram. More importantly, the diagram I do have does not show part no. 18 (from your pdf) anywhere. It does show part no. 2,3,9,10 and 11.


Pretty sure I have a similar situation.

Just checked the prices on the net and are as follows:

No. 2 - $28.05 Gen, $10.43 After.
No. 3 - $30.68 Gen, $9.79 After.
No. 9 - $14.24 Gen
No. 10 - $75.01 Gen, $46.06 After.
No. 11 - $70.02 Gen.
No. 18 - $5.11

Regards
Andrew

All parts from the UK.

[Slunnie]

My bad, I didn't read your post properly and had 10 other things floating around i'n the head.

Just remembered , a mate has ACE and the link arms needed replacing , they clunked around badly.
I've broken one of those on the rear. You certainly know about it when they break.

[Hamish71]

I've broken one of those on the rear. You certainly know about it when they break.

No ACE/SLS on mine.

[Andrew D]

Which Provider?

I have also found complete (front and rear) urethene kits for about 90GBP, but need to determine how "complete" they are.

Also, where is that diagram from? Im looking at my copy of RAVE, and I dont have that diagram. More importantly, the diagram I do have does not show part no. 18 (from your pdf) anywhere. It does show part no. 2,3,9,10 and 11.


Pretty sure I have a similar situation.

Just checked the prices on the net and are as follows:

No. 2 - $28.05 Gen, $10.43 After.
No. 3 - $30.68 Gen, $9.79 After.
No. 9 - $14.24 Gen
No. 10 - $75.01 Gen, $46.06 After.
No. 11 - $70.02 Gen.
No. 18 - $5.11

Regards
Andrew

All parts from the UK.

This is the site I looked at Britcar (UK) Ltd (http://www.brit-car.co.uk/). I have purchased gear from them before and they have been very good. You can get a response from them within ten minutes if you are online right now.

The diagram is from Microcat.

90 pounds sounds like a good price if it's all of them or close.

Regards
Andrew

[that_kid]

It was just the sway bar!
It was one of those mods I "had to try" after a recommendation.
But TBH, I found very little difference, so put it back on!


The front end has a much more noticable improvement then the rear, and since i run niether it goes alright for a 2" lift

[applemac]

I have a 2003 D2A, TD5, with bilsteins and King Springs. I have a noise which I thought was normal until I drove another D2A today. When I run over a speed bump at anything more than a crawl, I get a LOUD clunk in the back. It sounds like something big, and heavy, being thrown in the air, and landing again, like the body coming off its mounts. Noise is kind of metallic. Its been there since I got it 12 months ago. Its not the fuel tank. I had it out last week, and its back in, and very solid in the cradle.

(No, its not something in the loadspace).

I just posted about a similar problem with King springs on another thread. I took some photos of what I think the problem is:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/122205-kings-terrafirma-problem.html
Did you get the problem fixed yet ?
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/


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[Daisy Driver]

I'm getting a similar noise (I'd describe it as a 'crunch') whenever the rear suspension compresses - especially driving over speed bumps. Try as we might we cannot replicate the sound when the car is stationary, including rocking the car vigorously from side to side and bouncing on the rear bumper. I habe spent time under the car with a torch and everything seems in order. We have a '04 TD5 Diesel with air rear suspension. Dampers are the originals.

[3-Gees]

G'day all,mine does the same!,only started after new springs and shocks as well:eek:,I also thought it was shocks topping out,measured axle drop,was about 90mm,I taped a ribbon off-cut(all I could find that didn't stretch!) to the top of the shock and gave it 80mm slack and taped (only lightly)other end to bottom of shock and marked both ends.Went for a drive and got clunks,but ribbon had not got to even 80mm travel so shocks not the culprit,I've also been told its' the Watts link bushes,so I'll watch this thred with interest:D
Cheers Gregg:)

[Tombie]

I just posted about a similar problem with King springs on another thread. I took some photos of what I think the problem is:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/122205-kings-terrafirma-problem.html
Did you get the problem fixed yet ?
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachments/90-110-130-defender-county/34743d1301810915-kings-terrafirma-problem-img_3459.jpg


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34765

Are you certain they are King Springs?

I have never known King springs to do a Discovery or Defender coil that isnt ground at that end...

Can you confirm they are King, or were you just told they are from King?

[applemac]

The latest development on my shock absorber issue:

They are certainly King Springs +2
The springs aren't seating properly, (beginners mistake....), so facing the fact that I'm running out of time to prepare for the big trip I called the services of my trustworthy mechanic. This is happening tomorrow the 10th April.

Regarding the CLUNK noise some of us are experiencing:

I also mentioned to him a clunk that was there before and still exists after the new suspension being ....."installed". It feels like it's right under your foot, and sometimes also at the rear. I notice it more in wet weather, coming out of the driveway, sometimes driving along when there is a bit of suspension movement or coming to a halt and taking off.

The diagnoses from the mechanic is that it's the bushes from radius arms and trailing arms. This is apparently a common problem with a simple solution,....replace with new.
Well, the bushes from the old shocks looked like pancakes already, so I'm not surprised that other rubber is reaching the end of their life span.

My immediately question was......have you got Poly bushes ?
His opinion is that I better off put original rubber bushes, his opinion is that poly bushes aren't very good for this type of vehicle.
I'll find out the reasons behind this tomorrow and let you guys know.

[Tombie]

Thanks for that...

Well the good news... Your springs are wrong and that's why they are binding up front!!! The front are supposed to be ground to flat up top in the front and pigtailed at the bottom on a D2.

What part number is printed on the coils?

[Tombie]

Trailing arm bushes on D2s rarely fail.
More likely the Watts link or sway bar links.

[slug_burner]

The latest development on my shock absorber issue:

They are certainly King Springs +2
The springs aren't seating properly, (beginners mistake....), so facing the fact that I'm running out of time to prepare for the big trip I called the services of my trustworthy mechanic. This is happening tomorrow the 10th April.

Regarding the CLUNK noise some of us are experiencing:

I also mentioned to him a clunk that was there before and still exists after the new suspension being ....."installed". It feels like it's right under your foot, and sometimes also at the rear. I notice it more in wet weather, coming out of the driveway, sometimes driving along when there is a bit of suspension movement or coming to a halt and taking off.

The diagnoses from the mechanic is that it's the bushes from radius arms and trailing arms. This is apparently a common problem with a simple solution,....replace with new.
Well, the bushes from the old shocks looked like pancakes already, so I'm not surprised that other rubber is reaching the end of their life span.

My immediately question was......have you got Poly bushes ?
His opinion is that I better off put original rubber bushes, his opinion is that poly bushes aren't very good for this type of vehicle.
I'll find out the reasons behind this tomorrow and let you guys know.

Too hard

[Tombie]

Superpro poly I'd use any day.
But otherwise only OEM rubber.

Poly, done right and correct durometer will be great.

SP use multiple material specs and designs to keep flex and ride.

[georgesadlik]

My money is on the Watts linkage in the three centre bearings on the rocker. If you go ahead to replace these, insist on genuine only parts here or minimum A-grade parts. Last thing you want is to be replacing these just weeks after doing them. Don't ask how i know :wasntme:

Cheers

George.

[Daisy Driver]

Hmmmm.... Lots of food for thought. Daisy has her MOT on Tuesday, I'll get my tame mechanic to have a look at the rear end bushes on his ramp.

[applemac]

The latest development on my shock absorber issue:

They are certainly King Springs +2
The springs aren't seating properly, (beginners mistake....), so facing the fact that I'm running out of time to prepare for the big trip I called the services of my trustworthy mechanic. This is happening tomorrow the 10th April.

Regarding the CLUNK noise some of us are experiencing:

I also mentioned to him a clunk that was there before and still exists after the new suspension being ....."installed". It feels like it's right under your foot, and sometimes also at the rear. I notice it more in wet weather, coming out of the driveway, sometimes driving along when there is a bit of suspension movement or coming to a halt and taking off.

The diagnoses from the mechanic is that it's the bushes from radius arms and trailing arms. This is apparently a common problem with a simple solution,....replace with new.
Well, the bushes from the old shocks looked like pancakes already, so I'm not surprised that other rubber is reaching the end of their life span.

My immediately question was......have you got Poly bushes ?
His opinion is that I better off put original rubber bushes, his opinion is that poly bushes aren't very good for this type of vehicle.
I'll find out the reasons behind this tomorrow and let you guys know.


As I thought the the springs weren't properly in place and the the other clunk noise was the radius and trailing arms bushes. Everything is now running fine, in fact, the ride is very good, particularly when loaded.


As for the mechanic's negative comment regarding poly bushes, the reason is that they restrict the travel greatly and they tend to brittle over time and fail without warning (not good if you're in the meddle of nowhere.

[Hamish71]

OK, I got to the bottom of this . My bilstein shock adsorbers were actually too short, and they were fully extending and "clunking".

New proper length bilsteins, no more problem.