clunking suspension

[Hamish Coutts]

Couldn't have said it better myself, Keith!!

Hamish.

[SADLOTUS]

Just a thought - and my 10cents worth!-

You're sure the springs are the correct length? sort of a question and statement rolled into one. if they're slightly short, they'll clunk with no weight, whereas with a bit of weight, they'll be compressed into their seats and no clunking.

Hope it's as simple and as cheap as that.

[phatmendus]

Yes the springs seem fine to me. I think I am going to go down the route of new shocks anyway as they have say doing nothing for 12 or so years. Once they are off the car I am hoping I should be able to check the rest of the components for wear.

More expense but thats the joy!

Simon

[pharriso]

Resurrecting this thread as I also have a clunk when the suspension goes up & down, I've posted a video here - http://lionheartsolutions.com/lotus/StrutTop_clunk.mp4. Sound levels are high, so clunking is not that loud!

Please pardon the camera jerkiness, it's hard holding the phone still while bouncing t he back of the car

I chased down a large clunking to my seat belt top mount, but noticed this while everything was apart.

Looking at the parts diagram, if the Shock top nut is tight (which it is) & the lotocone is OK (again OK), Am I right in thinking it can only be the shock insert moving in the strut assembly?

I've ordered a thin 1.5" spanner/wrench to check it

[pharriso]

Any feedback on this??

[baileyman]

I had trouble getting my shocks tight to the towers. I eventually made a tool to grab the piston rod. Until then they went "Bang! Bang! KaBoom!" Yours sound like a regular tapping? Could it be instead something to do with wheel rotation? John

[pharriso]

Could it be instead something to do with wheel rotation? John

I don't think so, happens with the car stationary with me bouncing it up & down, as in the video.

[nmauduit]

just in case, to clear out this remote option there is the diff torque arms in the area that can cause cluncks (but more likely not if stationary, and the noise actually comes from the diff on the chassis) - I've had that and it's not too obvious to track down when it's mild and only the rubber being softened and not torn apart...

then I would concentrate first on the shock rod nut coming lose (at the top - caution not to marr the shaft if trying to hold it to do in the nut : if to be pinched by wise grip, I'd use 2 pieces of wood with a half cylindrical hole of near the rod diameter to press on),
then the shock body itself being lose inside the tube (this requires taking the suspension off I suspect).
is it only one side ?

[pharriso]

then I would concentrate first on the shock rod nut coming lose (at the top - caution not to marr the shaft if trying to hold it to do in the nut : if to be pinched by wise grip, I'd use 2 pieces of wood with a half cylindrical hole of near the rod diameter to press on),.....

The Top nut is quite tight, checked that. The Rubber mounting is not great, but looks OK...

then the shock body itself being lose inside the tube (this requires taking the suspension off I suspect).
is it only one side ?

It is only one side, I think I can get my new 1 1/2" service spanner (wrench) on there without taking this apart... watch this space...

[Quart Meg Miles]

I posted recently about a noise that was the damper body retaining nut being loose, actually undone, allowing the body of the damper to move up and down in its housing, clunking on descent, even under bouncing as in Phil's video; his doesn't sound hard enough for that but presumably the 1.5" spanner is for turning that big nut if it isn't tight.

What a pity the OP didn't tell his outcome at the end of his thread; we've all been guilty, I guess.

[pharriso]

What a pity the OP didn't tell his outcome at the end of his thread; we've all been guilty, I guess.

Totally ....

And Yes, I was able to tighten the nut with my new 1.5" special spanner to solve the issue
I managed to get about an 1/8" of a turn of the nut.

1 1/2" Service Spanner

Access still not great...

[alan.barker]

Phil well done and have you centre punched the Tube to be sure it wont unscrew
Alan

[nmauduit]

I think I can get my new 1 1/2" service spanner (wrench) on there without taking this apart...

excellent ! an other special tool to add to the list one needs for an efficient maintenance of elans...

1/8" of a turn for a 24TPI thread I believe, that is not a lot of play...

[alan.barker]

On my +2 when happened i tightened it with a pair of Stilsons.
Alan

[lotusfan]

Alan

How did you manage to get a pair of stilsons in between the spring coils?