Rear suspension clunk in Xantia

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stevenlizuk
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Rear suspension clunk in Xantia

Post by stevenlizuk »

Hello All,

I have a clonk from the rear suspension of my Xantia.

It occurs as the suspension reaches the bottom of the stroke and returns to shape. There was initially only a clunk coming from the off side but now it has been joined by a friend on the nearside too.

You can feel the clonk with your hand through the suspension components but I can't isolate it.

Any Clues?

From inside the car it sounds like someone rattling a ball bearing in a lunchbox in the boot.

Any help as is always appreciated.

Cheers

Steve

P.S. Does anyone have a working rear height corrector as mine has now corroded into a solid lump.
98 406 Estate LX 2.1td in white (Anyone call Ghostbusters?)

97 Xantia SX 2.1td (Chipped and happy at 130mph) Deceased after agricultural incident (crashed into field).
1981 Mini HL (Just happy to be around)
RichardW
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Post by RichardW »

Sounds like the trailing arm bearings to me. Do the rear wheels look like they are leaning in at the top?

Recent thread about replacing them.
Richard W
stevenlizuk
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Post by stevenlizuk »

Hi Robert,

Bearings were my first thought too, but would there be lateral play in the wheel when off the ground when jacked up?

Both wheels seem solid enough and the camber looks ok.

Cheers

Steve
98 406 Estate LX 2.1td in white (Anyone call Ghostbusters?)

97 Xantia SX 2.1td (Chipped and happy at 130mph) Deceased after agricultural incident (crashed into field).
1981 Mini HL (Just happy to be around)
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

You haven't got a can of car paint rolling about in the boot...? :wink:

Andrew


ps. or duff subframe mountings!?
dnsey
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Post by dnsey »

stevenlizuk wrote:=
Bearings were my first thought too, but would there be lateral play in the wheel when off the ground when jacked up?
In theory, yes, but they often don't show it up, as the bearings break up and jam the arms at the wrong angle.
stevenlizuk
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Post by stevenlizuk »

Sorry Richard, I called you Robert :oops:

I'll keep looking but as ever with this car it will be the least obvious thing that is causing the problem, which coincidentally will be the least accessable component visible.

Have also removed all tins of paint from car and it did't help :wink:

Cheers

Steve
98 406 Estate LX 2.1td in white (Anyone call Ghostbusters?)

97 Xantia SX 2.1td (Chipped and happy at 130mph) Deceased after agricultural incident (crashed into field).
1981 Mini HL (Just happy to be around)
andmcit
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Post by andmcit »

I didn't think it'd be a can of WD40 somehow!!

I mention the subframe mountings as I had the front pair of subframe
mountings fail on a GSA a few years back and it had a clunk on acceleration
or braking - took ages to pin down but you could actually see the subframe
flex and pivot about the wheels according to the transfer of weight under the
suspensions movement!!

The components that could cause any vibration on the rear are few:
the wheel bearing would be determined by play but the the rear arm
bearings sound like the obvious first culprit - the play in the arm can
be hidden by the pressure in the system and it's only really REALLY bad
when you actually see the wheel lean and the tyre's edge wearing over.

Nothing else actually springs to mind - rear ram piston pivot? Rear bump
stops? How do you move the arm when you say you can hear the play?

Andrew
NiSk
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Post by NiSk »

Get the rear of the car lifted well off the ground (preferably with a car lift- the two pillar type that lift with the wheels hanging in the air). As long as you DIDN'T put the suspension in high position, the rear suspension arms should now hang down. You should be able to grasp each wheel and move the suspension through it's full range of movement without feeling any grinding from failed rear arm bearings. You should than try moving each wheel from side to side at different positions of the suspension arm. Any play sufficiently large to give a knock should show up.

You can also check the rear crossmember fixing bolts (4, 2 each side) and the rear anti-roll bar mountings.

//NiSk
'85 BX 16TRS, '91 XM injection 241,000 km (company car), '93 XM TD12 (515,000 km), '98 XM 2.5TD Break (320,000 km)
bordercars
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Post by bordercars »

have a read of this thread, even tho i was asking about c5 the xantia gets talked ref; rear arm bearing

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=20462
stevenlizuk
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Post by stevenlizuk »

Thanks all for the help,

I'll get there in the end.

In answer to the question how am I moving the suspension. My mate is dangling off of the towball while I stand in the inspection pit looking for the clunk and having the spare wheel basket periodically bounce off my head.

Maybe the clunking is just the car bouncing off my skull.

Cheers

Steve
98 406 Estate LX 2.1td in white (Anyone call Ghostbusters?)

97 Xantia SX 2.1td (Chipped and happy at 130mph) Deceased after agricultural incident (crashed into field).
1981 Mini HL (Just happy to be around)
p20
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Post by p20 »

Not exactly a hijack, i might have the same problem :roll:
My xantia has a clunk/rattle thing going on at the rear drivers side. It's at its worst either side of 70mph. Its been there awhile and its now getting quite loud. The wheels angle in slightly at the top.
Does that sound like trailing arm bearings?
If so how easy to fettle?
307SW HDi 110
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