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Front End Clunk


AngelsEnvy
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It was that simple!

I cant believe I could have missed it for so long and spent so much money on trying to chase down one nasty noise!

Why did the dealer never find it when under warranty?

I've bought and fitted almost every part on the front end and as I replaced each part the noise got worse.

OK I'll stop teasing. For my particular vehicle it was as simple as below. Yours maybe different? Who knows.

 

The torque for the top strut mount nuts should be set at 27nm

They were barely set at 19nm 

Did them all at 27nm and I've had not one clunk since!

Now done a few hundred miles over country lanes, with big potholes, with just normal suspension noise for the type of road and tyres fitted.

Its like Christmas has come early :D

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Is something I suggested to another 300c owner( at least the area where to look), I hope he reads this thread and sorts his clunking noise too.

Very common of Ford too.

The dealer doesn't want you to solve the problems with £13,50-15, they want you to spend hundreds if not thousands, I've been to a Chrysler dealer once, never in my life again.

Glad it was that simple, sad it took a lot of money for you to get there.

Edited by mikebh8
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Is something I suggested to another 300c owner( at least the area where to look), I hope he reads this thread and sorts his clunking noise too.

Very common of Ford too.

The dealer doesn't want you to solve the problems with £13,50-15, they want you to spend hundreds if not thousands, I've been to a Chrysler dealer once, never in my life again.

Glad it was that simple, sad it took a lot of money for you to get there.

 

I gave up with the dealers as soon as it was out of warranty and have been looking after things myself ever since. When it went in for the last airbag recall I was waiting on drop links to arrive so I could replace them myself and the 'dealer'  :lol: said, Oh do you know that one of the 'anti tension units' needs replacing? How much I asked? £842.23 was the reply! I asked them to explain in detail which part they were referring to? Seems that a pair of drop links cost around £30, ditto poly bushes, but if you fit Chrysler 'anti tension units' they come in a tad more expensive!! Same part just way more expensive :D

The good news is there is nothing left to replace on the front end and its now handling as it should, could have been worse! I've put around £3k into upgrade parts that needed replacing over the last seven years but when you consider a dealer also quoted me £57 for a new oil cap and £48 for a sump plug, no, not a joke, then can you imagine what the dealer cost would have been? :wacko: These are pretty simple cars, mechanically, and once the rubbish bits are junked and replaced with decent ones they should go on for many many years. Fingers crossed...

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Front end clunk returned Jan 2018.

 

So it was definitely not faulty - Tie Rod Ends - Anti Roll Bar Links - Anti Roll Bar Bushes (tried both rubber & poly) - Front Lower Control Arms - Rear Forward Lower Control Arms - Upper Wishbone (left & right) Rotors (left & right) Upper Tension Struts (left & right) - Shocks (left & right) or engine/gearbox mounts? I think that covers everything, not that there is much if anything left. Anybody got any ideas? I'm more than open to any mechanical suggestions! :angry:

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What if driven with the bolts loosen the tip mount became faulty?!

Is it in the same area, plus the dread on the bolts might have damaged when loose, try new bolts and new mount?!?!

Just guessing.

Both mounts have been done so all new thread and I've replaced with Nylock nuts. I'm gonna have a look at the mounting bracket on the shocks tomorrow, the one half way down the shaft, as the weld is known to brake and that can be an issue because its difficult to spot as it only grates/bangs under load!

To be honest I'm still leaning towards the wrong grease having been inserted at the point of manufacture on the tie rod ends as the bang is at its worse when the temperature is low and the grease is thick! The noise definitely lessens when the parts and or the outside temp warms up! Anyway the hunt continues and has been made even more difficult due to all the new parts being fitted. Until then the 300c 3.5 sits in the garage and the Hemi is getting lots and lots of outings! lets hope that don't start clunking :rolleyes:

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Both mounts have been done so all new thread and I've replaced with Nylock nuts. I'm gonna have a look at the mounting bracket on the shocks tomorrow, the one half way down the shaft, as the weld is known to brake and that can be an issue because its difficult to spot as it only grates/bangs under load!

To be honest I'm still leaning towards the wrong grease having been inserted at the point of manufacture on the tie rod ends as the bang is at its worse when the temperature is low and the grease is thick! The noise definitely lessens when the parts and or the outside temp warms up! Anyway the hunt continues and has been made even more difficult due to all the new parts being fitted. Until then the 300c 3.5 sits in the garage and the Hemi is getting lots and lots of outings! lets hope that don't start clunking :rolleyes:

Well the good news is its looking more and more like an issue with the shock design! More specifically the thread/nut on the top of the shock. It appears there is a shortfall of thread! A design fault by the manufacturer perhaps, leaving a small gap between the strut mount and the shock shaft which no amount of tightening of the nut itself resolves as the inner shaft just spins, what you end up with is a very small amount of movement between the inner shaft thread and the strut mount resulting in the rather loud 'clunk'. As I type I'm in the process of trying to fit a washer of the correct thickness onto the shock to take up the slack therefore allowing the nut to be fully tightened and remove said gap! Not as easy as I thought it would be because I'm unable to stop the shaft from turning! May need to fabricate some kind of tool to hold the10mm hex, thus stopping the shaft turning within the shock cover, whilst also tightening the nut. I hate these cars with a passion. :angry:

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Well the good news is its looking more and more like an issue with the shock design! More specifically the thread/nut on the top of the shock. It appears there is a shortfall of thread! A design fault by the manufacturer perhaps, leaving a small gap between the strut mount and the shock shaft which no amount of tightening of the nut itself resolves as the inner shaft just spins, what you end up with is a very small amount of movement between the inner shaft thread and the strut mount resulting in the rather loud 'clunk'. As I type I'm in the process of trying to fit a washer of the correct thickness onto the shock to take up the slack therefore allowing the nut to be fully tightened and remove said gap! Not as easy as I thought it would be because I'm unable to stop the shaft from turning! May need to fabricate some kind of tool to hold the10mm hex, thus stopping the shaft turning within the shock cover, whilst also tightening the nut. I hate these cars with a passion. :angry:

Ok all of my time, energy and money was wasted on looking at the top when it was in fact the bottom I needed to be looking at! The front end 'clunk' has proven to be the lower ball joint on the front near side which has only shown up as the weather got warmer and or the rubber boot has degraded and grease began to appear on nearby parts! Replacement parts now ordered and I will be sorting it next week when the required press is in my hot little hands but may try a Mercedes kit in the meantime, as lets face it, what we have is an E-class system or as close to it as makes no difference? Wish me luck, I'm going in... 

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