Intermittent clunk

[Tones99]

Hi all you Liberty gurus,

Im after some advice.

I have a 2008 GTB man sedan with 60k kms on it, and totally stock standard.

I have just started experiencing a clunky feeling at full lock left and right directions, both in gear and out of gear at slow speeds (normally a car park or flat surface), but it seems the issue only appears after I have been driving for some time. When I say some time, I mean after 30 mins of driving to work its only very slightly noticeable, after 1.20 mins to the central coast on Fathers Day parking the car clunk was clearly noticeable. After a 1.5hrs of lunch and back in the car, its gone. 1hr back to Sydney and there it is again when parking the car at home.
I had the car serviced at NRG on Friday and got the guys to check CVs as I thought it may be that, but they are fine. Nick said it may be the Bilstein shocks, but I have reasonably low kms. They oiled up the shocks, but of course its cold and theres no clunk or other signs.

Just wondering if anyone else has had a similar issue, or know what to be looking for?

Thanks in advance
Anthony

[seanmau5]

There is quite an extensive thread on front end knocks already. I too have an intermittent issue with knocking in the front left area. I've started with changing end links & swaybar bushes. If that's no good then I'll be inspecting my CV joints and steering rack as I've noticed a bit of fluid on the boots of these components.

It certainly is a very frustrating issue, I too have Bilsteins and they have only seen <40000km so I'll be pissed if it's that!

[peadya100]

Hey Tony!
i have a knock too, but mines only at slow speeds like parking etc.
Mine sounds almost as if its the spring moving. My very first car had chopped springs (thanks to the previous owner) and the springs would move around in that which was a similar feeling and sound.

[Tones99]

Hi Guys,
Thanks for your replies.
Does it get worse when hot? Mine is totally fine when I set off in the morning, but after a long drive its terrible.
Mine is more of a moving clunk rather than a plain knock, but its at full lock so the springs are on an angle either left or right (and the reason why I didn't think it was a CV joint).

Cheers
Anthony

[seanmau5]

Mine is 'bearable' when I first start driving but once the car has warmed up sometimes it's that bad I can hear it over my music.

I thought it might have been the spring not being seated in the strut properly too, I have S-Tech lowered springs on mine. Removing the strut and refitting the spring and top hat achieved nothing unfortunately.

Another thing to note as well with my issue is that I can feel the 'knock' all the way through the firewall to the driver's footwell which gets worse under braking. Apparently on the passenger side it's a lot stronger which has made me also think it could be the anti lift kit.

Have you inspected the rear bushes on your front lower control arm? They could be a source of the noise. In the picture below it is the bush in the bottom of the picture, where it attached to the chassis right near the passenger footwell.

[Dropz]

OP it may even be your centre diff binding up. I've often heard it described as a front end knock.

The struts are unlikely to get worse after driving and stop when cold.

[Maxi]

Hi guys,
I recently purchased a MY 07 GTB 6sp manual wagon with 84000kms. First big drive was on the weekend. I noticed a similar issue, when I steer at low speed like in a carpark or slower there is a notcy feeling coming through the steering I think(its hard to tell)Its only at low speed and is fine at normal road speed... happens both left and right steering. Its not audible but can be felt either throught the steering or through the firewall(car body)

[seanmau5]

I did some more work to mine last weekend. Took the strut out again as the plastic around the bottom coil had come off again. Glued and taped it back on, re-seated the spring and replaced the strut top mount with a spare I had..

Haven't had an issue since it was done and the spring is no longer moving around the strut when there is no load on it.. I would think, as Adam has suggested, that that was my issue.

[shav]

any news on pin pointing this issue guys? I got the same clunking happening in my car. Stock GT premium suspension other than F&R sways, rear HD mounts and front sway end links done. Feels like a ball joint when going over undulating roads. Its more of a clunk than a thud or rattle.

[seanmau5]

any news on pin pointing this issue guys? I got the same clunking happening in my car. Stock GT premium suspension other than F&R sways, rear HD mounts and front sway end links done. Feels like a ball joint when going over undulating roads. Its more of a clunk than a thud or rattle.

I've changed my ball joints too. It's hard to say specifically what my problem was because I replaced multiple elements at once.

[shav]

any news on pin pointing this issue guys? I got the same clunking happening in my car. Stock GT premium suspension other than F&R sways, rear HD mounts and front sway end links done. Feels like a ball joint when going over undulating roads. Its more of a clunk than a thud or rattle.

I've changed my ball joints too. It's hard to say specifically what my problem was because I replaced multiple elements at once.

ah ok. Usually my method of approach is to do the cheapest stuff first. So I'll get the ball joints looked at and go from there.

[Tones99]

Can you buy second hand centre diffs and replace from a wreck? Is this a stupid question?

[Dropz]

They probably wouldn't separate it from the gearbox

[Shaheenis]

I have this issue, doesn't feel major just annoying. Mine doesn't seem to be worse when warm. Best way to describe it as that at low speeds (more noticeable when turning at low speeds in car parks) it feels like a dull thudding or clunking but not rotational. My lower control arm bushes were replaced with genuine <$15K ago. As the car has a full service history I am pretty sure it will turn out to be the billies needing a relube (remove, disassemble, remove old grease and relube) job as I remember this used to be common with the STI pink inverted monotube struts of same design. I have done this before on the STIs so if I get a chance over xmas I will do this to my billies and post the results.I am hoping this will fix it so I can help a lot of peeps with a DYI.

[seanmau5]

My knock is back unfortunately... That means it wasn't the ball joints, swaybar bushes or strut top mounts..

Next I'll try new endlinks and possibly replace the ALK.