Hello all. After searching through forum threads and trying to figure out this issue, I'm hoping someone might be able to help identify an intermittent clunk I've got in my '05 non-Cup suspension 182. I appreciate this is a common question and difficult to diagnose, but I've yet to find a reliable garage near me, and as I believe I've checked the most obvious possibilities I thought I'd see if any of the resident experts could point me in the right direction.
The noise is a single or sometimes double (i.e. two in fairly quick succession) "clunk", appears to come from the passenger side of the car, and tends to happen when turning left over a speed bump or drop curb. It will sometimes happen as a single clunk when I turn left over the drop curb out of my drive, then another after I turn 90° right at the end of the road, as if something moved as the wheel went down and then moved back when the suspension at that corner was loaded. After it happens it does not occur again during normal driving. It seems to have got worse recently since having a new wheel bearing and outer tie rod end fitted.
I can occasionally (rarely) make a single clunk happen by dry steering quickly when stationary. Steering otherwise feels fine with minimal play - I've looked at the top mounts and underneath the car whilst someone dry steers from side to side and can't see anything obvious, though the noise did not occur while I was watching (the joys of diagnosing intermittent faults). The top mount looks a bit worn and did seem to move a fair bit from side-to-side, but to be honest though I don't really know what normal movement of the top mount on a 182 looks like.
Items checked so far:
> Outer tie rod lock nut checked
> Checked tightness of nuts/bolts around hub attachment
> Wheel nuts correctly torqued
> Coil spring inspected (in place) and seems undamaged
> Top mount washer fix added
> Top mount 17mm and 21mm nuts checked/tightened
My current suspicion is the top mounts, either the usual top mount knocking problem (I've seen varying reports as to whether the washer "fix" actually helps or not) exacerbated by a change of alignment during the recent wheel bearing/tie rod end replacement, or simply the nearside top mount being worn and on its way out. The car was MOT'd in June though and nothing was found.
Please see the videos below of the top mount movement when dry steering, and also a recording of the noise during a slow left turn over the drop curb by my drive. Really appreciate any input you guys might have as to possible causes or diagnosis options to pin this down. Additionally, if anyone can recommend a decent independent garage near Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire that would be very useful. Thanks in advance! ?
Top mount when dry steering:
Double clunk noise example (apologies for boring view!):
The noise is a single or sometimes double (i.e. two in fairly quick succession) "clunk", appears to come from the passenger side of the car, and tends to happen when turning left over a speed bump or drop curb. It will sometimes happen as a single clunk when I turn left over the drop curb out of my drive, then another after I turn 90° right at the end of the road, as if something moved as the wheel went down and then moved back when the suspension at that corner was loaded. After it happens it does not occur again during normal driving. It seems to have got worse recently since having a new wheel bearing and outer tie rod end fitted.
I can occasionally (rarely) make a single clunk happen by dry steering quickly when stationary. Steering otherwise feels fine with minimal play - I've looked at the top mounts and underneath the car whilst someone dry steers from side to side and can't see anything obvious, though the noise did not occur while I was watching (the joys of diagnosing intermittent faults). The top mount looks a bit worn and did seem to move a fair bit from side-to-side, but to be honest though I don't really know what normal movement of the top mount on a 182 looks like.
Items checked so far:
> Outer tie rod lock nut checked
> Checked tightness of nuts/bolts around hub attachment
> Wheel nuts correctly torqued
> Coil spring inspected (in place) and seems undamaged
> Top mount washer fix added
> Top mount 17mm and 21mm nuts checked/tightened
My current suspicion is the top mounts, either the usual top mount knocking problem (I've seen varying reports as to whether the washer "fix" actually helps or not) exacerbated by a change of alignment during the recent wheel bearing/tie rod end replacement, or simply the nearside top mount being worn and on its way out. The car was MOT'd in June though and nothing was found.
Please see the videos below of the top mount movement when dry steering, and also a recording of the noise during a slow left turn over the drop curb by my drive. Really appreciate any input you guys might have as to possible causes or diagnosis options to pin this down. Additionally, if anyone can recommend a decent independent garage near Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire that would be very useful. Thanks in advance! ?
Top mount when dry steering:
Double clunk noise example (apologies for boring view!):
