Can't diagnose clunking in new front suspension!

[mixmup]

I've just done a full replacement of the OEN dampers - with Bilstein (B8's) i think they are called - they're not special, gust a a high qual. gas replacement for the original dampers, so I'm also using the original springs (I had been told this would be fine)
no there is a periodic clunking from the front left setup. it's excited by rougher roads - but is not proportional to bump or pothole size - and is drasticallt exaccerbated by eg. going over a speedbump while making a sharp left turn. this happened at less than 10 kph this morning.
A clue?
Anyone have any ideas at all?

[Tim]

Who did the installation?
Check that the upper strut mount is done up tight. If there is any play there you can get some knocking.

[mixmup]

ok, i did the install, everything was done up properly.
it's a mk4 1.6
the first trip i did the top mount bushes settled a little, and the topside mounting plate was already done up hard... so i butchered another spacing bush to make up the slack - is this a design flaw in the mk4? or have i done something wrong with the topmount bush/thrust bearing?

[Tim]

The bushes are a wear item. Its usually recommended to replace them when you replace the suspension.

If you jack the car up off the ground and then try lifting the wheel by hand there should be no slack before the suspension compresses. If you have slack then something is definately out of whack. Id sugest refreshing the bushes and bearings. They arent overly expensive and make a big difference if the old items are worn

[mixmup]

all the bushes and bearings associated with the suspension are new.

[Tim]

aahh ok. Strange that you say you had some slack there then.

[Jmac]

Im thinking worn drop link, or have you changed them too????? if not go for a run with them off briefly, see if it goes away
Cheers
Jmac

[dylan8]

Im thinking worn drop link, or have you changed them too????? if not go for a run with them off briefly, see if it goes away
Cheers
Jmac

also make sure they are done up correctly? my drivers side currently wont do up tight and it clunks as it slowly comes undone

[mixmup]

AHA! - you guys rock.
droplink bushes are new (super-pro) - but forgot to grease up the left side.

think that'll solve it.
cheers

[gavs]

If you have replaced all the following bushes....:

Lower control arm front and rear bushes
Swaybar "D" bushes
Swaybar end link bushes
Strut mounts and bearings

Then I would say tie rod ends and / or ball joints.

I just replaced bothe ball joints and tie rod ends yesterday in my car and it's a much quieter and tighter ride now.

There is a thread on VW Vortex that outlines one guy's search for his front end knock, he effectively replaced nearly every copmponent in his front suspension over a period of a year and it turned out that the last thing he did, being the tie rods, was the culprit all along!

For reference, I bought both tie rod ends and both ball joints, delivered, for the same price as 1 ball joint through VW Australia.

Look at ECS tuning for your parts, especially with the Aussie dollar where it currently is!

[audi-tone]

i had kinda the same problem. i replaced the rear bushings in the control arms and the strut hats and the D bushings from the swaybar and had clunking for ages, UNTIL i got a wheel alignment (when i got new tyres) and the clunk is no more. at all. when you change any suspension parts it's wise to get a reallignment i believe.

[gavs]

You can't actually do a wheel alignment an a Mk4 golf unless it has adjustable camber plates. The only thing that can be changed is the toe which I doubt would cause clunking issues. Perhaps your alignment involved a new tie rod end.

[Manaz]

You can't actually do a wheel alignment an a Mk4 golf unless it has adjustable camber plates. The only thing that can be changed is the toe which I doubt would cause clunking issues. Perhaps your alignment involved a new tie rod end.

http://www.xfos.com.au/Bora/WheelAlignment.jpg

There is some, albeit not much, that can be done. Regardless, getting an alignment done after suspension parts are replaced is a necessity.

[audi-tone]

yeh there were very slight adjustments in camber but the toe was way out.
front measurements were.

camber
left: from -0.54' to -0.50'
right from -0.10 to -0.11

toe
left: +1.7mm to 0.0mm
right: +1.4mm to 0.0mm

and after this there hasn't been clunking. hve no idea why. i thought the endlinks were stuffed (have replacements but not going to bother at the moment) but they must be ok..

[gavs]

Interesting how you have data on the before and after Manaz as after researching and playing with my own car I was under the impression that camber cannot be altered!

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2004123

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1363022

These were the 2 threads I did most of my reading of on Vortex, there have been others with fancy 3d animations also. I know that the whole front subframe can be moved around to adjust the camber settings, but because this is bolted directly to both LCAs, if one moves then they both move.

I have personally removed and re-fit every front suspension component in my car and after putting the car on our alignment table here at work, the only thing that has changed is the toe, which is because I changed the tie rod ends on Sunday. The only place that I can see where you could possibly get the mentioned tiny amount of adjustment is where the ball joints bolt to the LCAs. The holes on the LCAs are slightly elongated so I guess it might be possible to use these to get a bit of camber adjustment.......

Thoughts people? Manaz, is this how you have adjusted your camber?