Replaced track rods, now got a CLONK from suspension?

[Chri5]

Ok, so the plan was to replace the track rods, track rod ends and wishbones today so got all the parts Friday and cracked on this morning.....

First started the drivers side.....undid the TRE, undid the rod on the rack end with a 32mm spanner

Next, undid the anti roll bar link on the wishbone, split the bottom ball joint and undid the 2 large wishbone bolts and removed it, no problems.

Offered up the new wishbone to find it had a completely different ARB fixing hole, compared to the slot on the 172's, . So basically had to put the old one back on for now as nowhere stocked 172 ones and Renault wanted £145 (!) for a pair and would have to wait til Tuesday. I was only replacing these as matter of course anyway, to try and eliminate the clicking noise Ive had when slow speed manouvering.

ANYWAY, put it all back together and set the tracking as best I could until I get it done properley, and now I have a clonking noise when going over rough bumps in the road and if dropping off a curb (even a low one at that), coming from the drivers side :dapprove: It was never there before!!
The only thing I undid on passenger side was the track rod and end, and thats all replaced and tight.

Ive double checked everything is tight, and it is so wtf is it now???

 

[Chri5]

Anyone??????

 

[hilldawg172]

could be any of them really. Get a beaker bar on everything and get wiggling lol look out and listen for excessive play. My guess is you finished off a bushing or ball joint taking it apart or failed to reconnect the tracking arm to rack correctly because as you will know space isn't great lol. Id of personally left it in bits till I got the new wishbones never a good ideal to reinstall perished parts

 

[Chri5]

Hmmmm, I have had a look but will investigate further in the morning
The bottom ball joint is only about 1 year old and the track rods are definately in and tight up against the rack, I had a think and "stepped" spanner so space wasnt too much of an issue but I know what you're saying lol!

I know but I didnt have much choice as I needed the car and they werent necessarily perished, I was just replacing them as a matter of course. I did notice that putting a screwdriver/extension bar through the wishbone bushes (where the bolts go through) and trying to flex them didnt make them move much, if at all. Is this normal or is this a sign of old "brittle" bushes with not much flex?

Compared to the new, but wrong ones, which you can move a little.

 

[Dan]

I have this, I have lead to believe its the top mount that's making the clonk, is on the expansion of the suspension, if so it's exactly the same as what I have right now lol

I'm going to replace all the same as well as the arb bushes and go to solid top mounts but not change the inter track rods unless they look bent when I take it apart.

 

[hilldawg172]

Is the ball joint genuine Renault or a motor factors part? The cheap copies barely last any time at all especially if the car has been lowered. As mentioned above could easily be a strut top. But id still say lower ball joint, ARB bushes or track rod, they are the most common offenders.

 

[Chri5]

Its a motor factor one tbh and it was fine before splitting it today. It also came out without too much bother, so I wasnt wacking it etc. I guess it has had a hard 12months, with a couple of track days, a trip round Germany including the 'Ring lol

Im pretty sure my top mounts havent ever been replaced and I've had them apart a few times myself changing various springs and shocks but they werent knocking beforehand thats the thing.
Also I noticed it clonking a couple of times earlier, when turning into a side road on the right with a little bit of pace :S

I just dont want to start chucking money at it unecessarily but I need it sorted before the 30th (Donington track day)

Im considering getting the new Powerflex wishbone bushes instead of new arms @ £150!!! New top mounts are about £60 each too!

 

[Chri5]

Bottom ball joint was the culprit! Sorted it and the noise has gone

 

[Dan]

Did you just change them to Renault oem spec ball joints?
And was like I said the knock once over the bump on extension?