Changed Drop Links and NOW there's a knock?! (Xantia 1.9TD)

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romie
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Changed Drop Links and NOW there's a knock?! (Xantia 1.9TD)

Post by romie »

Sooo, got an MOT fail on the offside front anti-roll bar linkage (excessive play in a pin/bush).

There was no knocking or clonking what-so-ever prior to the fail.

Fitted two new drop links. . four nuts all correctly torqued. Done.

And NOW I have a clonk/knock from it appears to be the offside wheel arch area when I swerve the steering back and forth. Also it seems to clonk when I go over small bumps in the road.

The steering seems to have not changed one bit through-out all this.

I've been reading on here that trying to pack out the drop link joints with grease is a good thing. . although there is another thread that says there's not much point as the grease cannot get to the back of the ball joint due to it being pressed in very tightly and sealed.

Anyone experience/resolve this before??

Slightly confused.. Cheers
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
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Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
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romie
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Post by romie »

They had the correct 'end orientation' and were 12mm threads just like the originals . . hmm?
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
Ford Transit Tourneo 2.5L Di 1999 165k
Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
Suzuki Bandit GSF400 1992 x 2
Mountain bike, skateboards, snowboards, surfboard, longboard and feet!
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Post by RichardW »

Cheap droplinks are rubbish - it's worth investing the extra for the OE spec Lemforder ones (GSF do them - at about twice the price of the cheap ones). Worth a check that there isn't play in the track rod end - grasp the wheel and try to rock it 9o'clock to 3o'clock (with the wheel on the floor - do it jacked up and the angle blocks the play in the joint!). You could disconnect one of the drop links and take it for a (short, careful!) drive to check if the noise disappears, then take the links back for a refund, and get some Lemforder ones!
Richard W
romie
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Post by romie »

Hey Richard, cool - I'll try that this evening :)

Thanks for that thought, I couldn't feel any play in the new joints but I need to exhaust all testing tonight as re-mot is tomorrow morning eep :/
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
Ford Transit Tourneo 2.5L Di 1999 165k
Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
Suzuki Bandit GSF400 1992 x 2
Mountain bike, skateboards, snowboards, surfboard, longboard and feet!
Pleiades
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Post by Pleiades »

Romie.

I'm with Richard on this one, most not only cheap drop links are rubbish, fit Lemforder.

The way that I do the test is to leave the car in normall ride with wheels in straight ahead position, then get hold of the car by the roof just at the join from the front door and rock the car from side to side, if the drop links are naff, you will hear the knock.

To confirm the problem, get someone else to rock the car whils you lay down by each front wheel, put your arm around to the back and get hold of each drop link ball joint in turn, you will feel the offending joint.

Regards
Martin.
romie
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Post by romie »

Pleiades wrote:Romie.

I'm with Richard on this one. . .
. . Regards
Martin.
Fantastic, ta. I'll try that one :)
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
Ford Transit Tourneo 2.5L Di 1999 165k
Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
Suzuki Bandit GSF400 1992 x 2
Mountain bike, skateboards, snowboards, surfboard, longboard and feet!
411514
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Post by 411514 »

Starting with the easiest fix, i had this exact problem a couple of weeks back, it turned out to be the brake pipe guide catching on the wheel weight, you might be lucky
romie
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Post by romie »

After dry turning the steering wheel a number of times yesterday to investigate problem, the knocking/clunking whilst turning the steering wheel from hard left to right and visaversa seemed to have vanished.

I still heard a clunk when going over small bumbs though.

So I took the drop links out and packed the joints with grease and it seems to have stopped making any noise :/

So there you go, hmm.

Thanks peeps for your ideas!!
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
Ford Transit Tourneo 2.5L Di 1999 165k
Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
Suzuki Bandit GSF400 1992 x 2
Mountain bike, skateboards, snowboards, surfboard, longboard and feet!
romie
Posts: 451
Joined: 07 May 2010, 14:02
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
My Cars:
x 2

Post by romie »

. . oh, and the car passed its mot! (after removing air filter and thrashing her up and down the motorway for a couple of days) :p
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
Ford Transit Tourneo 2.5L Di 1999 165k
Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
Suzuki Bandit GSF400 1992 x 2
Mountain bike, skateboards, snowboards, surfboard, longboard and feet!
NAM
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MOT pass

Post by NAM »

Congratualations on the MOT - I think we are a dying breed - not many Xantia Estates around these days plus my other half is keen for a new car on the drive. However I'm holding firm, determined to keep the Xant Est going for as long as I can.

Interesting about the Drop links - I have had a recent run on them not lasting very long. My local Cit specialist does the job for me when I can't stand the noise any more but next time round I will ask for the quality ones. For all I know he may fit them already but the last set probably managed 2 years of driving (about 16K miles) before needing a change.

Until the next MOT then - happy driving!
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romie
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Joined: 07 May 2010, 14:02
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Re: MOT pass

Post by romie »

NAM wrote:Congratualations on the MOT - I think we are a dying breed - not many Xantia Estates around these days plus my other half is keen for a new car on the drive. However I'm holding firm, determined to keep the Xant Est going for as long as I can.

Interesting about the Drop links - I have had a recent run on them not lasting very long. My local Cit specialist does the job for me when I can't stand the noise any more but next time round I will ask for the quality ones. For all I know he may fit them already but the last set probably managed 2 years of driving (about 16K miles) before needing a change.

Until the next MOT then - happy driving!
Ha, cheers NAM.

With the help of the guys on this forum it only took me three weeks to figure out how the injection pump works, what was wrong with it, repair and reinstall on the same Xantia. . she will NEVER die!!!! bwahahaha >:D

I just hate it that everything is 'hidden' by everything else on this car. . biggest job on working on em is removing all the good bits to get to the relativity simple problem!! grr - sacre bleu

Soooo good luck with yours fella
Citroen Xantia 1.9TD 1996 estate 100% veg 323k
Ford Transit Tourneo 2.5L Di 1999 165k
Yamaha R1 1999 26k
Kawasaki ZXR750 L1 1993 66k (to LPG?)
Suzuki Bandit GSF400 1992 x 2
Mountain bike, skateboards, snowboards, surfboard, longboard and feet!
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