Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: maverick on 18 April 2014, 14:55:05

Title: front suspension clonk
Post by: maverick on 18 April 2014, 14:55:05

this may have been answered elsewhere but I have looked and couldn't find an answer ...

recently I've started getting a clonk over bumps on the drivers side front suspension. the steering's a bit wayward too. the usual suspect is a track rod end as when I jack up the car and try rocking it between 12 and 6 o clock positions there's nothing, but rocking between 3 and 9 gives the noise ...
I got a new track rod end and disconnected the old one from the hub ... the old one. which isn't that old. is still good with no play at all in it. its still good and stiff,  if fact I replaced all four track rod ends just last year .. when I tried rocking the wheel with the track rod disconnected I still seem to be getting the noise.
its difficult to pin the exact source of the noise on my own. is it possible it might be the top strut mount ?

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: RobG on 18 April 2014, 15:03:08

Droplinks possibly

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: YZ250 on 18 April 2014, 15:04:13

Usual suspects (but not always) would be Droplinks. More noticeable over speed humps.  :y

If steering is a bit wayward, could be wishbone bushes, but not necessarily linked to the clonking.  :-\

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: maverick on 18 April 2014, 15:55:49

I'll check the drop links, only replaced them last year for the MOT but they were cheap ones ... both wishbones have been replaced within the last couple of years and I replace the front bushes with poly ones ... so I'm hoping its not them :)

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: 05omegav6 on 18 April 2014, 17:35:14

Life expectancy of cheap wishbone bushes/ball joints/droplinks range from a week to two years :y

Less than a week and you're unlucky, over 18 months and you're doing well...

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: dbug on 18 April 2014, 19:21:49

My vote is for droplinks - when failed give a rattling/knocking noise more obvious over a rough road ;)

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: omega3000 on 18 April 2014, 19:44:40

Quote from: RobG on 18 April 2014, 15:03:08

Droplinks possibly

 :y

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: maverick on 03 May 2014, 14:59:19

ah well, replaced bottom arms and droplinks ..... and ........ the clonk is still there !!  b*llocks

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: jonny2112 on 03 May 2014, 16:02:08

Droplinks definitely usual suspects (I've just replaced mine again).
It's not a broken spring? You'd have noticed that probably, and is there any play in the shock?

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: chrisgixer on 03 May 2014, 17:46:17

Quote from: maverick on 03 May 2014, 14:59:19

ah well, replaced bottom arms and droplinks ..... and ........ the clonk is still there !!  b*llocks

Check steering idler for play.
Tighten steering box bolts to body if nothing else is obvious.

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: Kevin Wood on 03 May 2014, 22:59:23

Might be worth checking the anti-roll bar bushes too, but they rarely fail on an Omega. :-\

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: joff on 04 May 2014, 07:41:50

What about the track rods ball joints :-\

Title: Re: front suspension clonk
Post by: MV6Matt on 04 May 2014, 08:32:03

Quote from: joff on 04 May 2014, 07:41:50

What about the track rods ball joints :-\

....especially if the boot perishes....