Dreaded clunk

[Fraz]

My 130 has the clunk in the rear somewhere. I wasnt too fussed about it, other than it annoyed me a little in traffic. I have since found out that it is usually one of two things. The Transfer case gear (or something like that) or the ball on the A-frame.

How can I narrow it down? I want it to be the ball on the a-frame because it sounds less expensive. What can I do to prove it or rule it out??

Thanks

[87County]

transmission line "clunks" can be relatively acceptable, and, if you've done nothing bad to the driveline and depending on ks since last replacement, it'll probably be the A-frame ball joint

you could get under it and listen (safely of course) ....while someone rocks it up and down

not a job to do yourself, because of the tonnage likely to be required to get the old one out...

have it replaced first, see if it fixes your problem (there are greasable/adjustable replacements available)

what is your general location ?

[lambrover]

park in the drive way and put the hand brake on leave in neutral, go to the back wheel and lie down next to the tyre looking up at the A frame ball joint use your hands to rock the tyre back and forth this will show if you have any movemant in the ball joint and the rear control arms.

[Fraz]

Im in newcaslte. Roughly how many k's should one get out of the ball joint?
I dont know if its ever been replaced, and Im approaching 160k.

I will try the rolling tyre test tomorrow - good suggestion thanks.

I do notice that without handbrake and neutral selected, I am able to rotate the driveshaft. Id say it would be around 1/4 turn, probably less. Is this expected?

[lambrover]

Im in newcaslte. Roughly how many k's should one get out of the ball joint?
I dont know if its ever been replaced, and Im approaching 160k.

I will try the rolling tyre test tomorrow - good suggestion thanks.

I do notice that without handbrake and neutral selected, I am able to rotate the driveshaft. Id say it would be around 1/4 turn, probably less. Is this expected?

that back lash sounds about normal for a rover, I had a 130 with only 75000k on it and I had to put a new A frame ball joint in.

[fraser130]

My 130 has 80k on it, and it needs done, going to doo it before summer.
It's a simple job, but not easy, they are REALLY hard to remove.

Fraser

[lambrover]

remove from a frame then the best way is to use a press, but you can use a big hammer and a drift. but either way the best idea is to remove the two bolts then cut those flanges off so the housing can sit on a block and won't restrict the ball joint from moving out of the housing.

[jplambs]

Hi Fraz.

I bought a defender a few weeks ago and when I got it, it clunked really badly. There is a post on it (about 3 weeks ago) in the defender section, I'm not sure how to link to it. The comments were really helpful.

In my case the A frame ball joint was reasonably new and after checking it, it was ok. However the two bolts underneath it at the front were loose and the flat plate at the base of the joint was flexing every time I stopped or put it in to gear. The other problem was that there was 300ml of oil in the transfer case, they are supposed to hold 2 and a half litres. Probably not what is causing your problem but worth checking both of these.

Jonathan.

[abaddonxi]

I've got a clunk in my 110, the lower shock mounts are thrashed out of round and the shock flops about. Standard solution, so I'm told, is to weld a washer over the out of round mounts.

[Fraz]

I took a punt and had the rear ball joint replaced.
Other than the difference it made to my bank account, there was little change to the noise

Am I now looking at a new transfer case drive gear?? How much?
Should I just live with it and hope its not a major fault waiting for me to get right out into the middle of nowhere?

Cheers