Clonking noise, can anyone identify (video)?
 

I started getting a light rattle over the last weeks. I wasn't sure if it was some tools I keep in the trunk, and it wasn't enough for me to really bother about it.

Last week it was a bit worse, and I figured it might be my stock rear stabiliser endlinks. I have Whiteline endlinks that I didn't get around to installing yet and I am waiting for new brake pads, so I thought I would do it all in one go. So I still didn't do anything. Today I wanted to go for a drive (car is not daily driven), and the noise was considerably worse! I emptied the trunk from tools and found a cobblestone parking lot and drove around trying to localise the noise, windows down.

It didn't seem to come from the rear after all, but rather from the right front. It seems to be more pronounced when turning left and when driving slowly. Driving faster and on even road it's only makes a clunking occasionally.

Before I start the big trouble shooting. Does anyone recognise this noise?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5E_vNS15wI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5E_vNS15wI[/ame]

2-3 weeks ago I hit a BAD pot hole at 30 mph. The kind where you pull over and get out to see it something broke.

As I was annoyed with my steering wheel being a bit of center (from last alignment nothing to do with the pot hole), I took it to the alignment shop and it was exactly the same specs as before.

I also did a 10-15 laps at the local racetrack (at that time where I started to suspect the rear endlinks). This was pretty much the last time I drove the car, I think I drove it once or twice in between.

Can't really pin point it. You'll have to look under the car to see. It could be a few things like you said tie rods end links or sway bar, something is lose. Could me something as simple as loose lug nuts.

This sounds somewhat similar to the sound my away bar was making when the bushings were becoming ruined... Not saying it's them for sure but get down in there with a flashlight and check out the sway bushings.

I should have mentioned I installed coilovers and swaybars 3 months ago. Whiteline endlinks in the front, stock in the rear.

So the swaybar bushings itself should be okay, unless the bracket holding them have become loose. I'll check.

My own guess is one of the Whiteline endlinks have gone bad, possibly due to hitting that pot hole. I guess there is no way around the big trouble shooting. I'll start be disconnecting the swaybar and endlinks both sides.

Yeah some people have complained about clanking sounds like that due to even just loose endlinks too. That's what I tried first in my situation.

Maybe not bad, but loose. Definitely worth checking for obvious looseness especially in the endlink length adjustment. I had one I left loose for too long and at some point it ejected the metal rod between both ends and spit it out on the side of the road. Never got it back.

But yes, no way around it. I used to let clunks linger around thinking that as long as the endlink was still connected to the bar, the suspension would still work right even if it made noise. Now I at least identify the clunk before deciding not to fix it. :bonk:

I fixed it today. Yes you almost nailed it.

It was they endlink/swaybar connection, the nut had loosened from the bolt, it was barely hand tight.

It wasn't enough that I could move the endlink by hand. I noticed because I wanted to remove the endlink to separate coilover and swaybar to diagnose them separately.

So even if the endlink appears to be tight I would highly recommend others in the same situation to check the nut is not loose.

I took some videos of the process with my phone, I might put them together and upload it to youtube to help others who might have the same noises in the future.

upload it and let me know im replacing my outer tie rod tomorrow and id like to check everything else as well..