jordy
31-05-2007, 01:23 PM
My car has developed a clonk type sound when I turn which seems to be associated with the suspension.
I first noticed it when pulling into my Uni's carpark, seems to be when I turn and the suspension gets compressed on the left front. It also happens when I do something like take a roundabout quite fast, the body roll compresses the suspension enough to make it 'clonk'. This doesn't happen when I'm going straight and go over bumps, nor does it happen when I'm turning and I don't go over bumps. It's not a repeating 'clonk' either, it just does it once as the suspension travels past a certain point.
It's coming from the front left somewhere, but it sounds like it might be quite close to the middle, perhaps something to do with the steering rather than suspension. I also think I can feel it slightly through the steering wheel.
If I rock the steering wheel back and forth while the car is stationary it makes a similar sort of sound from the right wheel (possibly balljoint?, don't think it's related because it's from the other side), but if I try turning the front wheels by hand it wont do it. Wheel bearings seem fine also.
Where do you suggest I look for broken bits?
Oh, one last thing, I clipped a curb fairly hard a couple a months ago (moment of inattention entering a roundabout late at night), didn't seem to do any damage or put the alignment out ('clonk' has developed a few months after this happened), but it was on the side that seems to be making those noise.
Edit: Doesn't matter which way I turn, as long as the left front suspension is compressed past a certain point it will do it, going slow or otherwise.
I first noticed it when pulling into my Uni's carpark, seems to be when I turn and the suspension gets compressed on the left front. It also happens when I do something like take a roundabout quite fast, the body roll compresses the suspension enough to make it 'clonk'. This doesn't happen when I'm going straight and go over bumps, nor does it happen when I'm turning and I don't go over bumps. It's not a repeating 'clonk' either, it just does it once as the suspension travels past a certain point.
It's coming from the front left somewhere, but it sounds like it might be quite close to the middle, perhaps something to do with the steering rather than suspension. I also think I can feel it slightly through the steering wheel.
If I rock the steering wheel back and forth while the car is stationary it makes a similar sort of sound from the right wheel (possibly balljoint?, don't think it's related because it's from the other side), but if I try turning the front wheels by hand it wont do it. Wheel bearings seem fine also.
Where do you suggest I look for broken bits?
Oh, one last thing, I clipped a curb fairly hard a couple a months ago (moment of inattention entering a roundabout late at night), didn't seem to do any damage or put the alignment out ('clonk' has developed a few months after this happened), but it was on the side that seems to be making those noise.
Edit: Doesn't matter which way I turn, as long as the left front suspension is compressed past a certain point it will do it, going slow or otherwise.