Rattling / Clattering Over Bumps

Good afternoon folks.

Lately, my S1 has been making a rattly / clattering noise from what seems like the lower suspension on the front drivers side. It seems to come from low down, and only tends to do it when going under uneven surfaces / potholes. Things like smooth speed bumps, very rarely make the noise, it only seems to happen when the road surface is uneven.
Suspension and steering operation seems fine otherwise.

Are there any known usual suspects in this area, drop links or similar? I haven't yet had a chance to have a look, but any pointers would be appreciated as always.

Cheers

Ciarán

This post has been edited by Ciaran on October 16, 2007 01:47 pm

My guess would be track rod end, had one of mine changed recently. The symptoms were apparent on uneven surfaces just like yours, it was ok over big bumps.

Try wiggling the wheel manually, with the car at normal ride height of course, this should show a slight klunk if it is the track rod end.

John

Hi Ciaran.

Roll bar links are always a favourite. Frustratingly, they often won't replicate the noise with a manual 'wiggle'.

Mike.

Thanks guys, will have a look tonight hopefully.

Are the track rod ends / roll bar links a pig of a job on these or could I concievably do it this weekend?

Cheers

Ciarán

Track rod ends are easy if you have a taper splitting tool, don't know about roll bar links though. An hour or two should do it to allow for tea and thinking breaks. I confess that I paid for mine to be done and got charged for 1 hour labour, wish I hadn't as by the time I had got there and back twice I could have done it quicker and a lot cheaper ( £6.50 instead of £50 for labour plus £30 for the part plus VAT)!!!!

John

Hi Ciaran.

I stand to be corrected by those with more experience, but I think the links are probably one of the easiest jobs on the suspension. Those I've done have always had either a small hex head against the shoulder of the eye, so you can hold the pin with a spanner, if the whole lot turns when you try to undo it, or they have an Allen key recess down the centre of the pin on the nut side, for the same reason. If the joint is really knacked, you will probably be able to lever the housing off the ball and just hold it with some grips. Usual methods required if the pin is seized in the hole.
Can be a bit tedious and hard work getting the tie rod ends out of the tube (those I've done), but have always found a bit of serious heat is a big help. Don't forget to re-track if it is the rod ends.

Mike.

I would agree. Both the track rod ends and droplinks are a doddle compared with most jobs on an XM!

Peter.N.

Thanks guys, doesn't sound tooooo bad then, as XM jobs go!
Cheers for the advice, much appreciated. I'll have to buy one of those ball joint splitters, I actually had one of them in my hand in 'frauds the other day, but ended up not buying it... typical!

Stupid question, but are drop links and anti-roll bar links one and the same? I'm fairly sure they are, but often see the terms used interchangably so wasn't sure.

Ta!

Ciarán

Yes.

Also worth remembering to have the whole front of the car in the air while doing this - unless you are good at fighting the strength of the anti-roll bar and the force transfer from the other side wheel being on the ground.

Thanks for the tip Craig, I'd probably have spent two days fighting it, then would have been found crying and gently rocking back and forth in some dark corner somewhere...

Thanks

Ciarán

In case it's not that.....it may be your exhaust. My S2 has an intermittent rattle which sounds like it's coming from under the gearbox. My very reliable indy informs me it's the exhaust rattling (against the steering, I think, if that makes sense), is quite common with XM's and nothing to worry about. Having said that, we'll see what the MOT test centre have to say about it....

Good point Reg,
Funny you should mention it, my S2 actually does that, but its at the other extreme where the exhaust is hitting off the body when accelerating and vibrating like hell, so is certainly noticible, and a job for this weekend.

I'll get the S1 up in the air and check the links etc, willl give the exhaust a good going over too, cheers for the suggestion.

Ciarán

Hi Cirian

Do not forget to chock the rear wheels if you put the whole front up as you lose the effect of the parking brake. Would not like to see it wander off down a gentle slope as you get it up on a trolley jack.

Regards

XMexc

Sound advice there John, been there, tried that one!

Luckily my drive is perfectly flat, upto a point anyway, otherwise it could have made for some interesting scenes alright....

Cheers

Ciarán

Well quick update on this one;

Needless to say, things cropped up as usual and I didn't get a chance to change the track rod ends myself.
I had the car down to Willie Johnson last week for a bit of a check up and some other work though, and had him change the ends while it was up in the air.

It seems that it still had the original factory fit ones!
Strange fault with them, the boots on them were precut with no signs of water ingress, but they were stiff and immobile in certain positions.

The steering has now lost a whole lot of uncertainty, and the clattering noise is gone, result.

I also had a comment about how this was the cleanest S1 XM he had ever seen, and that it was hard to believe it was almost 18 years old... from a man who sees a hell of a lot of them that was praise indeed!
Thats put me in a better frame of mind when it comes to keeping it long term anyway

Many thanks for everyones comments and suggestions, invaluable as usual.

Cheers

Ciarán