Help diagnosing a suspension clonk

[Lightweight_911]

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This is a swb car so I'm assuming it still retains the original A-arms, etc - in which case the (totally different) ball joints are attached to the ends A-arms with through bolts & a 'conventional' castle nut holds them to the separate bottom section of the strut housing (which itself is retained with 3 x bolts).



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[jonno1]

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This is a swb car so I'm assuming it still retains the original A-arms, etc - in which case the (totally different) ball joints are attached to the ends A-arms with through bolts & a 'conventional' castle nut holds them to the separate bottom section of the strut housing (which itself is retained with 3 x bolts).



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Correct.

Electronic stethoscope now in hand. Weather horrendous....but Mr Clonk....i am coming for ya

[jonno1]

So...rain stopped and have had a go.

Untitled by CARMANWAITINGINTHESKY, on Flickr

Untitled by CARMANWAITINGINTHESKY, on Flickr

Tricky because noise refers but I am pretty confident that its the strut/damper....when the clamps are on the strut nuts at the base and another clamped to the top mount bolt the clonk is clear as day - a very solid “clonk”.

When its on other components (steering rack arms, torsion bar end caps, drop links) it definitely sounds more distant

Loud here:

Untitled by CARMANWAITINGINTHESKY, on Flickr

Started to go a bit mad with it all, but given the solidity of the clonk heard via the clamp on the top mount nut, would seem to point more clearly to strut/damper?

[911hillclimber]

Sorry, forgot is was an early car.

Are the dampers adjustable for rate of damping, ie aftermarket?
When the top mount is tight I presume there is no play in the strut shaft and the top mount?

I have no experience of the early lower joints except the construction, but, rather obviously, is the joint good?
The other side is quiet in all respects, as suggested pages ago, maybe time to swop some parts over?

[jonno1]

Not adjustable.

Talk here of need for a spacer (again odd that clonk is not both sides tho)

https://www.912bbs.org/forum/threads/bi ... rts.42950/

And here

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche- ... risis.html

The question then is...where the bloody hell do you find a spacer

[911hillclimber]

Didn't James mention a spacer way back?
Does the other side have a spacer?
Comes back to if the top collar that clamps the insert in tight has bottomed out before clamping the insert.
A spacer ring would effectively increase the insert body height so the nut will not bottom out before tightly clamping the insert.

The rings must be available

Just noticed on the Stoddards web site a Koni insert for early cars and it shows the shallow conical ring.

[petric]

Don’t know if this has been mentioned but I did suspension rebuild on my 89 carrera 3.2 poly bush boge struts with Bilstein inserts on firs run to four wheel align knock from n/S checked everything was tight all ok so took car for thrash over dales/lakes did not inspire me looked around internet discovered people with same problem !
Was said to fit washer under insert so pulled inserts it stuck washer on with grease boxed up car is now perfect
So aparantly is does not tighten down enough into body quick fix just pull leg out to side peter

[911hillclimber]

Yep same effect as a ring. Measure the inside of the strut diameter and find a good Farmer's hardware shop where they sell the huge washers farmers seem to use of as close a diameter as possible. Washer will be about 3mm thick so should do the job.

[jonno1]

Thanks all

Will give the farmers washer plus grease a go

Failing that will order the Bilstein rings. £45 each if you dont want to wait 12 weeks...

[Dr_Danger]

I've had a very similar sounding clonk that I was puzzled with for ages which turned out to be a shock absorber .

[jonno1]

Ok

Got as far as getting the sleeve off

Just seems impossible to get the top of the insert down low enough to clear the arch??

Even with full lock and pushing the insert as far down as it will go I cant see it clearing the arch.

There doesnt seem to be enough droop or outward movement of the strut to allow it.

[Gary71]

You need to use full lock and also put your foot on the wishbone to push the torsion bar down. It only just clears.

Hope this works!

[jonno1]

Yup!

I was being a little gentle

Its cleared

Made sure the arch was protected with some of that spongey packing material

Now to get the locking nut off....

[Gary71]

Ah, I know you’ve just got it out but you might want to put it back in to the top mount to help you get the nut undone or it will wobble all over and it’s tight.

[jonno1]

Will do

Got the hang of it now