Intermittent clunk front drivers side

[martinozcmax]

Hi,

I keep getting a cluncking noise on the front right corner. Seems to do it whenever it feels like it. I can't tie it down to when turning or braking.

I got my friendly local mechanic Nick to come out with me on a test drive and he heard it. He initially seemed to think it was coming from the rear right but after a few more minutes and clunks he agreed with me it was at the front.

He put it up on his hoist then crawled all over her with a pipe looking for slack. Eventually he showed me there was slack on the front right hand side brake caliper. The pads (which were new a few months ago) had some movement up and down. The mechanic who works for Nick suggested I just whip the wheel off and apply silicone rubber to the top and bottom of the brake pad. I tried this and it seemed to work (ie no clunk) for 5 minutes or so then it returned.

I then replaced the brake pads with a different set new again and a good make. I did notice when I put them in that there was slack up and down. As in I could easily move the pads when fitted to the caliper in an up and down direction.

I have never noticed any slack there before when swapping brake pads and I'm sure the rest of the wheels don't have this issue.

Has anyone come across this before? How would a caliper wear in just the vertical plane ?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
:(
Regards


Martin

[Bearman]

Hi Martin,
You forgot to mention what vehicle this is on. However it is unlikely that the brake pads are the culprit. More than likely play in something like the swivel housing , panhard rod bushes, steering drop arm or rod. Usually have to find it by the process of elimination if nothing is evident..........Brian

[martinozcmax]

Hi Brian,

Forgive me, had a senior moment. It's a Discovery 1.

I did think of wear on the front end however I had some great help on here when I first bought her and she had "world's worst steering wobble". I replaced just about everything, pan hard, tie rod end, bilstein shocks etc. I can't imagine they'd have gone duff in just over 18 months of light road use ?

That and a new set of alloy wheels fixed the steering wobble at 95k's. Now just got to get rid of this kerclunck !

Maybe get the mechanic to have another look.

Thanks


Regards


Martin

[PhilipA]

The pads are held in position by either split pins or rods with a split pin at the end ( ventilated).
I cannot see how they could move much unless the rods/pins have a lot of wear. Many barke pad sets do not have the pins included.
So you could try new pins.
BUT a common fault is that the bolts holding the leading arm bushes under the axle can become loose and cause a clunk, usually on take off but can be any time.

Regard sPhilip A

[strangy]

When I did the radius arm bushes in my early Rangie, I had a clunk similar to what you describe. Only happened when turning right and other seemingly random occasions, I could make it happen on the same piece of road, but couldnt reproduce it consistently on similar terrain.

I eventually found that despite the bolts connecting to the front diff had been tight at refitting, they had not been correctly torqued, allowing a small amount of movement under some loading situations. Retorqued and clunk gone. I also thought it was coming from the rear but it was because the radius arm attached under the drivers seat and some noise was able to transmit.

Perhaps this is your problem considering the front end being woked on.

Cheers

[dullbird]

I had a clunk under mine....was bushes

[martinozcmax]

The pads are held in position by either split pins or rods with a split pin at the end ( ventilated).
I cannot see how they could move much unless the rods/pins have a lot of wear. Many barke pad sets do not have the pins included.
So you could try new pins.
BUT a common fault is that the bolts holding the leading arm bushes under the axle can become loose and cause a clunk, usually on take off but can be any time.

Regard sPhilip A

Thanks for that. Mine are the old unventilated type with no slack on the pins. I'll ask Nick to check those bolts.

Thanks Philip.

Martin

[martinozcmax]

When I did the radius arm bushes in my early Rangie, I had a clunk similar to what you describe. Only happened when turning right and other seemingly random occasions, I could make it happen on the same piece of road, but couldnt reproduce it consistently on similar terrain.

I eventually found that despite the bolts connecting to the front diff had been tight at refitting, they had not been correctly torqued, allowing a small amount of movement under some loading situations. Retorqued and clunk gone. I also thought it was coming from the rear but it was because the radius arm attached under the drivers seat and some noise was able to transmit.

Perhaps this is your problem considering the front end being woked on.

Cheers

That was it exactly strangy, nice quick easy fix. Thanks mate.

Regards


Martin

[haydent]

i had a clunk under mine (d1 v8) and happened fairly consitently while during braking , turning and sometime accelerating.

replaced the panhard and radius arm bushs' which fixed it, though i suspect it was just the panhard.

either way it feels much better, brakes better and handles firmer.

had to catch a taxi with my arms to the local ultra tune to change the bush's for me, cost just under $300 for 3 hours work as the had to burn them out with the oxy. (super pro poly bushs supplied by me)

im also in the process af getting new tie rod ends, and looking at replacing front pivot rear oil seals and adjusting pivot preload.