Clunk clunk clunk

[Cuiken]

Daft maybe… but have you made sure calipers are tight/ not rattling on the sliders…

Had this on my crafter, upon looking found the one caliper was loose on the sliders! ( I reckon it had new sliders installed and they cleaned/ drilled the bores with a 18mm drill) worth a nose?

There are no daft suggestions at this point! I'll add it to the list.

Toi reinforce a point I made in the previous post though. The worst clunking is resolved. You no longer feel large clunks resonating up through the floor. What we have now is just an irritating noise.

I only mention this since other people with 'the dreaded clunk' would be well advised to take a look at the lower ball joints. Occam's razor and all that, they should always be a first thing to check. Only issue was that they are tricky to check on the driveway and, somehow, the first garage we used just missed them.

The new garage didn't think the wishbone bushes were worn enough to be the culprit but I do still really like the sharper feel that has come with the powerflex bushes. As others have said, no apparent increase in road noise or deterioration in ride.

 

[Cuiken]

Okay, so after living with it for a couple of weeks. I think it's quiet enough. From the front.....

There is now a loud squeacking/creaking noise coming from the back of the van. What the h*ll is that now?

Honestly, it's driven me to start looking at one of these new Fordswagen Transitsters.....

 

[gilesjuk]

Okay, so after living with it for a couple of weeks. I think it's quiet enough. From the front.....

There is now a loud squeacking/creaking noise coming from the back of the van. What the h*ll is that now?

Honestly, it's driven me to start looking at one of these new Fordswagen Transitsters.....

Just look up the problems with the Transit and its rather daft "wet belt" design, that should change your mind. A failed DPF regen results in diesel getting dumped into the sump which then attacks the belt, leading to engine failure. Not to mention rubber particles in the oil is bad news. There's been a recall on all 2.0 litre euro 6 Ford diesels.

 

[Cuiken]

The new 2.5 Duratech hybrid (230hp!) does not use the wet belt as far as I can tell. Seems to be a very old/unstressed engine with a bit of hybride wizadry

Looks like this too:



TBH though, I'd take a an old Leyland truck if it didn't perpetually clunk/squeak....

 

[JumpShip]

We had a clonk on ours , new shocks, springs, top mounts and drop links and it turns out that it was the arb bushes (despite not being able to find any movement in them ).

 

[DXX]

Just look up the problems with the Transit and its rather daft "wet belt" design, that should change your mind. A failed DPF regen results in diesel getting dumped into the sump which then attacks the belt, leading to engine failure. Not to mention rubber particles in the oil is bad news. There's been a recall on all 2.0 litre euro 6 Ford diesels.

There’s a wet belt on the Transporter driving the oil pump, no planned maintenance schedule, what could possibly go wrong?!

 

[Cuiken]

Arrrrgh, there is definitely still a remaining 'clunk'. Far less frequent than before (probably due to the new lower ball joints that were replaced last month) but still intermittently present. Worst at low/medium speed or when manouvering on an uneven surface. Gives a full percussive clunk that comes back through the accelerator pedal.

I have now changed everything that can be changed on the front suspension aside from the ARB bushes (which look pristine). I've checked the subframe mounts/bushes for tightness and the engine mounts look fine when visually inspected.

Really annoyingly, I now need to get the tracking fully done before putting new tyres on it (so as not to knacker the new front tyres, current ones are wrecked/bald) fully aware that I'll need to do it again if/when I figure out what is wrong with the van.

This whole episode (reliability/enjoyment/cost) is really spoiling the van.

 

[Cuiken]

More updates:

I took the van into a local (generally decent garage for three bits of work:

1. Tracking - All done. Drives in a straight line. Chuffed.

2. New and irritating creaking/squeaking from the rear - Garage replaced the rear lower spring seats. This was a bit annoying as they are only 8 weeks old. Of course, this made f**k all difference but did leave me £150 lighter. Great times. In the end I put it up on ramps at home and sprayed a load of PTFE oil into the ARB bushes at the back. Problem solved.

3. Interminable clunking from the front - Garage agreed it is there and that it's very anoying. Apparently they checked all suspension components, engine mounts and sub-frame mounts and found nothing untoward. Item 2 above might cause me to question their competence but it also tells me they'll also replace a part at a moment's notice if they can justify it at all and they found nothing they could justify changing.

So, squeaking is fixed but clunking remains. Here's the updated list of stuff checked and changed:

1. Shocks and springs from @CRS Performance
2. All wishbone bushes replaced (with powerflex)
3. New drop links (twice) - Meyel HD and another OEM tried
4. New top mounts thrust bearings etc - VW parts
5. New Lower ball joints - VW parts
6. Checked subframe bolts (all tight, no visual issues with the actual subframe mounts)
7. Engine mounts all looking good (visual inspection only)

Clunk manifests as single 'clunks' at low speed under a variety of conditions (dropping down from a curb, changing direction at low speed off throttle, low speed potholed roads) and a 'resonanant rattling/clanking' if you hit a lumpy surface at higher speeds.

Only thing not yet changed at the front are the ARB bushes and clamps. Tempted to try them but they look fine and the noise doesn't feel like an ARB issue so suspect it'll be more good money after bad.

Anything else anyone can think of. This is absolutely doing my head in.

Ta.

 

[Paynewright]

Are the bump stops where they should be? You may need to lift the cover to see

 

[Cuiken]

Yep, they are in the right spot and also new.

Thanks.

 

[FerrisBFW]

Only thing not yet changed at the front are the ARB bushes and clamps. Tempted to try them but they look fine and the noise doesn't feel like an ARB issue so suspect it'll be more good money after bad.

Really easy to change and tbh I would have done these right at the start, and also when the main wishbone bushes were sorted.

I really feel for you, the money and time you have spent on this. I have an old 5.1 Caravelle and its silent now I replace a bunch of stuff brakes and suspension wise.

 

[Cuiken]

Only thing not yet changed at the front are the ARB bushes and clamps. Tempted to try them but they look fine and the noise doesn't feel like an ARB issue so suspect it'll be more good money after bad.

Really easy to change and tbh I would have done these right at the start

I did check initially (and rule them out) by removing the drop links and test driving with he ARB tied off. At that point, it still clunked badly so I figured it was nothing to do with the ARB/Bushes.

Worth checking again now though since the worst culprit was always the lower ball joints. Now those are fixed, maybe the residual is indeed the ARB.

You say easy to change. I'm assuming access is okay without too much dismantling but that I'd need to jack both sides of the van so there is no tension in the ARB when removing the clamps that hold the bushes in place?

Ta.

 

[FerrisBFW]

Jack it up, wheels off, two bolts holding on the U-clamps on each side and remove the old bushes and reverse the procedure.

 

[Cuiken]

Jack it up, wheels off, two bolts holding on the U-clamps on each side and remove the old bushes and reverse the procedure.

Ta, I can borrow a second trolley jack. After that I guess it's down to how easily those bolts will want to move.

 

[Lubrown]

There's been a recall on all 2.0 litre euro 6 Ford diesels.

At least, it appears from this, Ford are doing something about known issues then.

Ta, I can borrow a second trolley jack. After that I guess it's down to how easily those bolts will want to move.

Powerflex also do ARB bushes. Forty odd quid. Not sure what OE ones cost?

 

[CRS Performance]

More updates:

I took the van into a local (generally decent garage for three bits of work:

1. Tracking - All done. Drives in a straight line. Chuffed.

2. New and irritating creaking/squeaking from the rear - Garage replaced the rear lower spring seats. This was a bit annoying as they are only 8 weeks old. Of course, this made f**k all difference but did leave me £150 lighter. Great times. In the end I put it up on ramps at home and sprayed a load of PTFE oil into the ARB bushes at the back. Problem solved.

3. Interminable clunking from the front - Garage agreed it is there and that it's very anoying. Apparently they checked all suspension components, engine mounts and sub-frame mounts and found nothing untoward. Item 2 above might cause me to question their competence but it also tells me they'll also replace a part at a moment's notice if they can justify it at all and they found nothing they could justify changing.

So, squeaking is fixed but clunking remains. Here's the updated list of stuff checked and changed:

1. Shocks and springs from @CRS Performance
2. All wishbone bushes replaced (with powerflex)
3. New drop links (twice) - Meyel HD and another OEM tried
4. New top mounts thrust bearings etc - VW parts
5. New Lower ball joints - VW parts
6. Checked subframe bolts (all tight, no visual issues with the actual subframe mounts)
7. Engine mounts all looking good (visual inspection only)

Clunk manifests as single 'clunks' at low speed under a variety of conditions (dropping down from a curb, changing direction at low speed off throttle, low speed potholed roads) and a 'resonanant rattling/clanking' if you hit a lumpy surface at higher speeds.

Only thing not yet changed at the front are the ARB bushes and clamps. Tempted to try them but they look fine and the noise doesn't feel like an ARB issue so suspect it'll be more good money after bad.

Anything else anyone can think of. This is absolutely doing my head in.

Ta.

Would you be able to get this van to us ? we might see something others might not , ?

 

[Cuiken]

Would you be able to get this van to us ? we might see something others might not , ?

Would love to but I'm up in Edinburgh so not really practical unfortunately. Happy to take any guidance you can offer though!

Cheers.

 

[Stay Frosty]

While Cannock isn't on a par with Edinburgh for tourism it does have an excellent chip shop and by the sound of it a knowledgeable hero prepared to put some skin in the game and help you with the clunk from hell.
I would be looking for someone to visit and stay with in Steve's area and make an adventure out of resolving an ongoing issue that is sending you barmy.

 

[Cuiken]

While Cannock isn't on a par with Edinburgh for tourism it does have an excellent chip shop and by the sound of it a knowledgeable hero prepared to put some skin in the game and help you with the clunk from hell.
I would be looking for someone to visit and stay with in Steve's area and make an adventure out of resolving an ongoing issue that is sending you barmy.

Well.... I do like chips

 

[Stay Frosty]

Do it, we're down in Northampton if you're struggling to get in The Cannock Hilton.