RicarTTo

My 2002 225TT has an odd noise that I only hear at low speeds on rather level surfaces. I mostly hear it when I'm driving around in a parking garage. I can not seem to cause it to happen by braking, accelerating, going over a bump, etc. It just goes clunk, clunk, clunk.

I've searched the forums and don't see a specific idea, except perhaps tightening bolts on the shocks.

Any ideas?
I installed new Koni Sport Strut shocks about 7500 miles ago. The noise is since then.

Thanks -- Ricardo

letitbe777

did you also install strut mounts -that could be the bane of your problems

RicarTTo

I can ask them...

M power this!

well, since it's since the shock install and they do clunk if not properly seated, i'd first check the rear shocks. loosen them up, make sure they're seating correctly and crank to torque spec!

Lexx

Down links off the sway bars. Cheap. Easy.

Also any rubber parts will need to be replaced - especially the motor mounts, otherwise it will tear your exhaust apart.

The bushings in the lower control arms could need replacing.. but the downlinks are the most likely suspects

RicarTTo

I'm back onto this "clunk" thing. (I've retired and now have more time for pursuing such things.)

Since first posting, the clunk noise has gotten to be a very frequent thing -- it happens all the time now. Does it on the straight, not caused by turns or by slight bumps. It just clunks. For instance, it typically clunks when even gently starting from a stop. I'm convinced it's coming from the rear suspension, just not entirely sure what the source is.

I've had the car back to the shop that installed the shocks. They test drove, heard the noise and said they had no idea... (!!). Said the shock mounts were properly torqued. (I don't know if they actually checked, since it would take a slight effort to get to the top mount.)

Anti-Sway Bar bushings -- not the cause:
Searching the forum, I saw a lot of posts about the sway bar elastomer bushings being a noise source. Per one post, I applied white lithium grease to front and back bushings. The car rides over rough freeway with much less noise, but, unfortunately, the rear "clunk" remains.

Current suspect: shock mounts / bolt torques:
While greasing the front ASB bushings, I noted a *lot* of popping/clunking from the rear while lowering the front. With helper lowering, I felt the bottom shock mount/bushing (ASB link to shock). A lot of the vibration seemed to be from there.

So -- my next steps are to loosen and re-torque the upper and lower rear shock mounting bolts. This is my current best estimate of the source of the clunk noise. I sure will be glad when I get this fixed.

I assume the shock bushings don't get similar lube, like ASB bushings... seems like slight binding could cause noise too.



side note:
I saw one note to use new bolts on top mount. Is this really necessary?? (I'm guessing this note came from reference to eBahn. ...I need to upgrade to Windows 7 Prof'l, so can get my eBahn running in Windows XP mode... Really irritating that they have not upgraded to run in Windows 7. For the cost, they should maintain it... I think.)

RicarTTo

After several days "soak", almost all the "clunk" noise has gone away, as a result of applying the white lithium grease to front and back AS bushings. So I plan to reapply some grease to hopefully fully eliminate the noise.