Clunk click every trip

[EFFTEEOHHHCraig]

The thuds, clunks and clicks coming from the n/s/r are making me miserable now and its making driving an otherwise excellent motor a bad experience.
Last week i replaced the rear droplinks and arb bushes then thought i would drive off noise free...ermm no.I have now ordered the complete trailing arm and will fit it this week.Two mechanics now and a tyre centre cannot pinpoint the noise so im going to replace stuff until its gone.If the trailing arm doesnt solve it il replace both shockers then look at other bushes.Lots of mechanics have prodded and pushed with bars and screwdrivers but are still none the wiser.When the car drives its the small jerky bumps that cause the noise where as speed humps or similar are not a problem.I have stripped out rear panels,speakers and shelf,all rear carpets and tool dookits etc so im sure its not any plastic etc.The bootlid closed makes a similar noise when i push it but i eliminated that yesterday by driving with a carpet piece gaffer taped between the bootlid and the catcher.I know there has been lots of posts on this and its a nightmare trying to get it right,what do yous think? should i try another mechanic or garage?...free me from this distress guys!

[Gerry]

Hi,

Are you sure its coming from nearside rear?
I had a similar issue with this sort of clunking and it turned out to be the near side front wishbone bush, it was the bush at the back of the front left wishbone.
Also would check front ARB bushes and droplinks.

[MY-JAP-MISTRESS]

i had a noise like that i couldnt pinpoint.... turned out to be the exhaust against the heatshield. how much you pay for a full new trailing arm? i just got the bush changed to a poly one.

[EFFTEEOHHHCraig]

Gerry i replaced both droplinks and arb just last week but still no joy,its definately the n/s/r its very obvious but as to exactly which part is not as obvious.I checked the heat shields and exhaust hanger bushes etc but there is definately no contact with bodywork or anything else.The tailpipes if pushed quite hard do make contact but not the same noise as im hearing,i payed £29.95 from ebay for the trailing arm assy and around £9 delivery,my arm is seriously rusty on that side for some reason so it needs done before mot anyway.What i noticed also is the chubby armrest was not screwed in with the two at the rear of it and i thought i had cracked it as when i banged it agains the body it made a very similar noise..dissapointed tho:(..If nothing else at least i will have every possible component that isnt secured tight as a budgies tailpipe.Hope i can solve this quite quickly as im sure you guys know its quite crap driving around when your polished baby isnt quite right.

[escu_calin]

i live the same nightmare

i'm with ya m8 in this quest... until now replaced:
-rear ARB
-rear arm bushes->solved a bang over bumps
-rear droplinks

-front droplinks
-front arb
-front thingies that push the wheel ... forgot the damn name
-a tair rod ends

with all these; noises are coming back from all sides.. i can not decide anymore... my suspension seems like is falling apart clicking and squicking everywhere...

and more ... i hear a distinctive click when i pull the driving wheel left right (and is comes from under the engine bay where the steering rack is)
can it something bee loose ? or i am on for a darn new steering rack:(?

[EFFTEEOHHHCraig]

escu_calin m8 your last problem click sounds like a CV joint,hope you have a look on a ramp at the exhaust too as i was amazed but real happy to get it sorted.Im driving all over the place now the neighbours must be sick of me starting it up all the time woo hooo..

[Dilogoat86]

I was just about to post about the same thing myself. Suspension seems to be all over the place!! Annoying because it's my daily drive too. I've down front and rear ARB and droplinks (Front ones aren't actually done but seem to be spot on).

What is the next usual cause? I'm gonna lose the rag one day and take everything off but until then I'd like some direction.

SO ANNOYING!

[escu_calin]

as i quested under the car i found:
1) small holes (~5mm) but many in the pipe between cat and rear box so i will need 1 new
2) a shredded front bump stop on the right and i will change both... with new shocks .

And...no, it cant be cv joint simply because the rubber is fine and the play is on the steering wheel not on the actual wheels.

was wondering is these could give banging noises since i can not reach it to see if rubber intact or if it plays
http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php? ... 0s10p53956

and as a final pb:
i must ask now ; any of u knows the sizes of the bump stops? since i plan to buy these:
front:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT
rear:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT

being at half price comparing to what camskill sells

[escu_calin]

nobody had some of this in hand to tell me if they're a match:) ? please?

[Dilogoat86]

A balljoint could give more of a rumble sound, they could well be causing the issue. Only way to test them is to take them out of the hub and give them a wiggle. If they move freely around that's not bad, but if they move up and down or side to side in the arm then they're shot. They're a bloody nightmare on Minis cause they need to be shimmed to get the right resistance. Sometimes packing them with grease can help and sometimes fix them.

[Gerry]

Hi Calin,

In relation to clicking noise:
The clicking noise could still be from ur cv joints, even though cv boots are intact. The best way to test this is to while driving car in a safe place, lock steering wheel fully to the left, if you hear lots of clicking while doing this, chances are your driverside outer cv joint is on its way out and vice versa if u lock the wheels the other way.

[dstocks]

Rear parcel shelf not secured properly? Maybe something under the rear seat cushion?

[escu_calin]

thanks all for so many possible scenarios
i just soundproofed the interior of car floor and doors and the trunk
and ...
i took slowly one by one in consideration the suggestions u guys made, and i hit the wall .. i need to suspend it to actually see if anything is wrong since on the stock stand, i can not do a diagnostic... i'll have to visit the mechanic's crane .
(the cv joints seem fine.. they wont say peep at moving full turned left and right; under the seat is nothing; i stripped the car to metal, and put silicone gaskets on every screw underneath (heat shield , exhaust, and some other etc.))

Edit: what is the rear parcel shelf? on the back there is only the gas tank and the cat-back ... the tank is bolted in to the structure.. and the exhaust pipe hangs there freely:)

[Dragonheart]

Rear parcel shelf is the bit under the rear window with the speakers on it, it divides the boot space from the back of the car.

[Dilogoat86]

It's primary function is holding parcels.

[escu_calin]

aha ; no trouble on the inside.. is all insulated and tightened in place

[escu_calin]

does anyone know the dimensions of the front and rear bumper stop?
if yes can anyone tell me which are ?

thanks a bunch