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'Clunk' on rear drivers side

B

Blurredman

Member
Ok, this car is starting to drive me just a little bit mad...

Took it for service and MOT a couple of weeks ago. Turns out a rear spring had broken, so had that replaced. Took the car out and it did feel much more planted, but when I went over a couple of not-too-deep potholes I noticed a loud 'clunk' from the rear end, drivers side. Took it back to the garage and they immediately spotted that the anti-roll bar link had snapped in half too. Replaced that.

Drove off, clunk still there when going over bumpy road. Got home, removed everything from the boot (including that dead body I've been meaning to hide for weeks), just in case it was something silly.

Went back to the garage, mechanic spent another hour with the car in the air trying to find anything off. Nowt. Drove off, clunk still there.

My best guess is it's the shock absorber, but only when it's at the full length of its travel. Or maybe it's broken at the top fixing point. I'm going to price up replacing both the rear shocks.

Question: the car has 'sport mode' which sharpens the suspension. Does that mean all the shock absorbers have this, or is it only the front ones?

Anyone else had anything similar?

Cheers
 
Not all E89 have adaptive shocks.

It’s more common on the 35is.

It was an option, but it’s very uncommon on 4cyl cars.

There are posts on here about the clunk, suggest reading up on some posts. I think springs are one of the causes, perhaps look at replacing both of them if not already done.
 
It'll probably be the rubber spring pads at the top and bottom of the coil spring.
The new spring sticks on these and then thumps onto the chassis when they decompress. Sounds terrible. I'm waiting on new pads so I can fix mine.
 
Your picture in front of the JP i spent 5 minutes in car park opposite in the boot of my car whilst my bus. partner drove the car over bumps trying to locate the bump.
After weeks of trying to find the problem and 2 visits to dealer i finally had out the rear right spring, clean the rubbers each end and by accident re-positioned the spring about 30 degrees rotated anti clockwise from it proper position.
Noise never come back in 10 years.
 
If you are passing the airfield, pop in. Send me private pm.

The sound is like someone hitting underside of boot with rubber mallet.
 
Picture of spring in new position.
IMG_0985.JPG
S1 was straight outboard but now about 30 degrees anti clockwise.

I jacked car up, wheel off. Second jack under wheel hub, removed bolt at end of shock, also bolt through anti roll.
Lower 2nd jack, migt have to push down on the trailing arm and spring can be pulled out.
I washed the rubbers with washing up detergent and coated rubber in talc.
Refitted with spring in wrong position. Bump gone.
 
Problem i think as the barrel spring compresses it diameter at each end decreases slightly gripping the rubber, when spring extends it goes with a bump.
There is a retaining lip on the rubbers.
r.jpg
 
Deepseaskateboard said:
Not all E89 have adaptive shocks.

It’s more common on the 35is.

It was an option, but it’s very uncommon on 4cyl cars.

There are posts on here about the clunk, suggest reading up on some posts. I think springs are one of the causes, perhaps look at replacing both of them if not already done.
Click to expand...

I thought all 35is models had adaptive dampers?
Rob
 
I've just fitted the new rubber pads top and bottom for both sides.
While it is far better I'm still getting a chunk every now and again. The problem is I don't have S1 printed on the spring so don't know which way they should be orientated. Is there a way of knowing without this?
 
Thanks to good advice from flybobbie, I now have a (hopefully) clunk-free car. Story started with a broken spring spotted at MOT time, which with hindsight was causing some handling issues. Mechanic changed the spring but the clunk was apparent pretty quickly, normally when going over deep potholes or if going up a ramp or kerb when there was more weight over the back wheels. Couldn't understand it so took it back and found the anti-roll bar link had snapped; changed it, still the same. The replacement spring was non-oem (about £80) so bit the bullet and ordered an OEM one (about £180). Looking at the two springs together you can clearly see that the OEM spring (right of picture) has a narrower taper towards the end. Put the new spring in and made sure the orientation matched that of the one on the other side. Been out and about the last couple of days and no clunking - hope I have not jinxed it by saying that!
 

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Just look at coil position.
The S1 pretty much lined up withe start of the coil.
Looking at my photo it looks like the start of coil bares on rubber but starts to lift clear opposite S1 going anti clockwise..
 
I think the way the coil sits on the rubber could be the problem.
BMW spring also might sit better, the oem might be proving the start of coil the problem.
I think once sorted, just let sleeping dogs lie and don't disturb.
 
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