Odd clunking noise under driver front suspension area
03-11-2018, 12:09 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Odd clunking noise under driver front suspension area
Hello all, I come reaching out to you for some knowledge. I can't fill in the details about a noise that just started about 4 days ago on my 2008 C300 4Matic. I may try to get a recording of it to clarify in the future.
I had recently changed my front sway bar links due to a clunking noise that would come every so often pulling out of my driveway in the mornings. Did some hand checking and noticed links were fairly easily to move by finger so I replaced them about 2 weeks ago. That solved it for that period of time it seemed, but now when I drive slow or up to 60 mph(haven't went faster then that) there is a non consistent clunking/knocking and I feel it a bit under my pedal area through floor board.
From what I've read and gathered there was a strut issue for early w204's which could be my cause but nothing is documented on feeling it gives just audible sound.
The knocking happens more on uneven roads not bumps like potholes or speed bumps. That's what is throwing me off, under throttle it seems to lessen but especially with no throttle it tends to feel like it does it more. I just can't seem to feel like I can find a certain scenario to replicate it. For a half mile or so it didn't do it at all tonight then it started on what felt like smooth pavement with no potholes to me but yet the slight unevenness triggered this noise and feel.
Has anyone had an experience like this or read about one like this. It's thrown me for a loop. I have went under the car and visually and with my hands checked for any looseness or movement I could cause and only thing I found is I have slight vertical play for my front drive shaft coming from the transmission side transfer case so maybe in time I need to think about the bearings there or it may be by design I'm not sure.
I did get cheap sway bar links from rockauto instead of the slightly higher priced moog brand. Only thought I have is I may get lemforder sway bar links and see if the cheap ultra-power brand ones are causing it some how.
The noise tends to happen by movement from suspension on shallow adjustments not by deep hole or bump but it very much does contribute and coincide in a round about way just not consistently. It's a kind of deep sound not hollow sounding either. At most it seems to be only slightly rapid as in having half a second in between knocks then random for a second or two then nothing for a good minute.
Just taking a stab at the dark to see if anyone might have some insight they might be willing to share about. I appreciate if you have read down this far and apologize for my not so great description,
I had recently changed my front sway bar links due to a clunking noise that would come every so often pulling out of my driveway in the mornings. Did some hand checking and noticed links were fairly easily to move by finger so I replaced them about 2 weeks ago. That solved it for that period of time it seemed, but now when I drive slow or up to 60 mph(haven't went faster then that) there is a non consistent clunking/knocking and I feel it a bit under my pedal area through floor board.
From what I've read and gathered there was a strut issue for early w204's which could be my cause but nothing is documented on feeling it gives just audible sound.
The knocking happens more on uneven roads not bumps like potholes or speed bumps. That's what is throwing me off, under throttle it seems to lessen but especially with no throttle it tends to feel like it does it more. I just can't seem to feel like I can find a certain scenario to replicate it. For a half mile or so it didn't do it at all tonight then it started on what felt like smooth pavement with no potholes to me but yet the slight unevenness triggered this noise and feel.
Has anyone had an experience like this or read about one like this. It's thrown me for a loop. I have went under the car and visually and with my hands checked for any looseness or movement I could cause and only thing I found is I have slight vertical play for my front drive shaft coming from the transmission side transfer case so maybe in time I need to think about the bearings there or it may be by design I'm not sure.
I did get cheap sway bar links from rockauto instead of the slightly higher priced moog brand. Only thought I have is I may get lemforder sway bar links and see if the cheap ultra-power brand ones are causing it some how.
The noise tends to happen by movement from suspension on shallow adjustments not by deep hole or bump but it very much does contribute and coincide in a round about way just not consistently. It's a kind of deep sound not hollow sounding either. At most it seems to be only slightly rapid as in having half a second in between knocks then random for a second or two then nothing for a good minute.
Just taking a stab at the dark to see if anyone might have some insight they might be willing to share about. I appreciate if you have read down this far and apologize for my not so great description,
Last edited by catmandoob; 03-15-2018 at 09:32 PM.
03-11-2018, 12:28 AM
#2
Super Member
Hello all, I come reaching out to you for some knowledge. I can't fill in the details about a noise that just started about 4 days ago on my 2008 C300 4Matic. I may try to get a recording of it to clarify in the future.
I had recently changed my front sway bar links due to a clunking noise that would come every so often pulling out of my driveway in the mornings. Did some hand checking and noticed links were fairly easily to move by finger so I replaced them about 2 weeks ago. That solved it for that period of time it seemed, but now when I drive slow or up to 60 mph(haven't went faster then that) there is a non consistent clunking/knocking and I feel it a bit under my pedal area through floor board.
From what I've read and gathered there was a strut issue for early w204's which could be my cause but nothing is documented on feeling it gives just audible sound.
The knocking happens more on uneven roads not bumps like potholes or speed bumps. That's what is throwing me off, under throttle it seems to lessen but especially with no throttle it tends to feel like it does it more. I just can't seem to feel like I can find a certain scenario to replicate it. For a half mile or so it didn't do it at all tonight then it started on what felt like smooth pavement with no potholes to me but yet the slight unevenness triggered this noise and feel. I would of gotten lemforger but they dont make the 4matic sway bar links, febi bilstein was my only option other then genuine.
Has anyone had an experience like this or read about one like this. It's thrown me for a loop. I have went under the car and visually and with my hands checked for any looseness or movement I could cause and only thing I found is I have slight vertical play for my front drive shaft coming from the transmission side transfer case so maybe in time I need to think about the bearings there or it may be by design I'm not sure.
I did get cheap sway bar links from rockauto instead of the slightly higher priced moog brand. Only thought I have is I may get lemforder sway bar links and see if the cheap ultra-power brand ones are causing it some how.
The noise tends to happen by movement from suspension on shallow adjustments not by deep hole or bump but it very much does contribute and coincide in a round about way just not consistently. It's a kind of deep sound not hollow sounding either. At most it seems to be only slightly rapid as in having half a second in between knocks then random for a second or two then nothing for a good minute.
Just taking a stab at the dark to see if anyone might have some insight they might be willing to share about. I appreciate if you have read down this far and apologize for my not so great description,
I had recently changed my front sway bar links due to a clunking noise that would come every so often pulling out of my driveway in the mornings. Did some hand checking and noticed links were fairly easily to move by finger so I replaced them about 2 weeks ago. That solved it for that period of time it seemed, but now when I drive slow or up to 60 mph(haven't went faster then that) there is a non consistent clunking/knocking and I feel it a bit under my pedal area through floor board.
From what I've read and gathered there was a strut issue for early w204's which could be my cause but nothing is documented on feeling it gives just audible sound.
The knocking happens more on uneven roads not bumps like potholes or speed bumps. That's what is throwing me off, under throttle it seems to lessen but especially with no throttle it tends to feel like it does it more. I just can't seem to feel like I can find a certain scenario to replicate it. For a half mile or so it didn't do it at all tonight then it started on what felt like smooth pavement with no potholes to me but yet the slight unevenness triggered this noise and feel. I would of gotten lemforger but they dont make the 4matic sway bar links, febi bilstein was my only option other then genuine.
Has anyone had an experience like this or read about one like this. It's thrown me for a loop. I have went under the car and visually and with my hands checked for any looseness or movement I could cause and only thing I found is I have slight vertical play for my front drive shaft coming from the transmission side transfer case so maybe in time I need to think about the bearings there or it may be by design I'm not sure.
I did get cheap sway bar links from rockauto instead of the slightly higher priced moog brand. Only thought I have is I may get lemforder sway bar links and see if the cheap ultra-power brand ones are causing it some how.
The noise tends to happen by movement from suspension on shallow adjustments not by deep hole or bump but it very much does contribute and coincide in a round about way just not consistently. It's a kind of deep sound not hollow sounding either. At most it seems to be only slightly rapid as in having half a second in between knocks then random for a second or two then nothing for a good minute.
Just taking a stab at the dark to see if anyone might have some insight they might be willing to share about. I appreciate if you have read down this far and apologize for my not so great description,
Sway bar links for sure, I put on Febi bilstein links and they come with allen heads instead of the oem or lemfergers torx to hold the ball joint. This made it harder for me to tighten the inside bolts.After a week I started hearing a clunk. started checking everything till I gave the sway bar links an extra torque down and that solved it, they just weren't tight enough and it caused the noise you are experiencing which is when the suspension is flexing and the sway bar is doing its job.
Last edited by W204Motorsports; 03-11-2018 at 12:32 AM.
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catmandoob (03-11-2018)
03-11-2018, 01:31 AM
#3
Member
Thread Starter
Thanks for the response, I was narrowing it down but couldn't say for sure. I think I actually read where you mentioned that in another thread. Gave me the idea to re-grease the new links I put on and ensure torque as good as I could.
Did you feel it when it knocked under your feet, I think that is the part that worried me the most. Reading about the driveshaft flex discs and certain 4matic u joint scenarios I was thinking the worst because of the feeling under my feet. Now that I have checked the best I could and well enough for myself on the underside of the old w204 I pretty confidently know it's not drive line related so I'm breathing better haha.
Did you feel it when it knocked under your feet, I think that is the part that worried me the most. Reading about the driveshaft flex discs and certain 4matic u joint scenarios I was thinking the worst because of the feeling under my feet. Now that I have checked the best I could and well enough for myself on the underside of the old w204 I pretty confidently know it's not drive line related so I'm breathing better haha.
03-11-2018, 01:43 AM
#4
Super Member
Thanks for the response, I was narrowing it down but couldn't say for sure. I think I actually read where you mentioned that in another thread. Gave me the idea to re-grease the new links I put on and ensure torque as good as I could.
Did you feel it when it knocked under your feet, I think that is the part that worried me the most. Reading about the driveshaft flex discs and certain 4matic u joint scenarios I was thinking the worst because of the feeling under my feet. Now that I have checked the best I could and well enough for myself on the underside of the old w204 I pretty confidently know it's not drive line related so I'm breathing better haha.
Did you feel it when it knocked under your feet, I think that is the part that worried me the most. Reading about the driveshaft flex discs and certain 4matic u joint scenarios I was thinking the worst because of the feeling under my feet. Now that I have checked the best I could and well enough for myself on the underside of the old w204 I pretty confidently know it's not drive line related so I'm breathing better haha.
It does sound like a sway bar issue you seem to have, try prying on the sway bar itself and check the bushings not just the links.
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catmandoob (03-15-2018)
03-15-2018, 06:46 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Wham Bam Thank You Sir!!
It was the links for sure. Got my Febi in because I couldn't seem to find lemforder for the 4Matic. They don't appear to be different from the RWD but I didn't want to chance it. Got them on and all is normal and feels a bit tighter and cleaner in cornering again.
Good lesson learned though once again for myself, never worth it to save a buck. Of course I guess in a couple weeks it will tell the full story for sure as even the Ultra-Power felt good and was making no noise for a couple weeks. Odd thing is it felt like they were binding under my feet which is why I kept veering away from thinking it was them especially since they were new. They were tight as well when I went to remove them, not sure if I was just unlucky with them this time or what.
Do appreciate the input and reinforcing it was the links Itwar ( not sure how to short form that haha), I was close to diving down a bunny hole.
It was the links for sure. Got my Febi in because I couldn't seem to find lemforder for the 4Matic. They don't appear to be different from the RWD but I didn't want to chance it. Got them on and all is normal and feels a bit tighter and cleaner in cornering again.
Good lesson learned though once again for myself, never worth it to save a buck. Of course I guess in a couple weeks it will tell the full story for sure as even the Ultra-Power felt good and was making no noise for a couple weeks. Odd thing is it felt like they were binding under my feet which is why I kept veering away from thinking it was them especially since they were new. They were tight as well when I went to remove them, not sure if I was just unlucky with them this time or what.
Do appreciate the input and reinforcing it was the links Itwar ( not sure how to short form that haha), I was close to diving down a bunny hole.
03-15-2018, 07:39 PM
#6
Super Member
Wham Bam Thank You Sir!!
It was the links for sure. Got my Febi in because I couldn't seem to find lemforder for the 4Matic. They don't appear to be different from the RWD but I didn't want to chance it. Got them on and all is normal and feels a bit tighter and cleaner in cornering again.
Good lesson learned though once again for myself, never worth it to save a buck. Of course I guess in a couple weeks it will tell the full story for sure as even the Ultra-Power felt good and was making no noise for a couple weeks. Odd thing is it felt like they were binding under my feet which is why I kept veering away from thinking it was them especially since they were new. They were tight as well when I went to remove them, not sure if I was just unlucky with them this time or what.
Do appreciate the input and reinforcing it was the links Itwar ( not sure how to short form that haha), I was close to diving down a bunny hole.
It was the links for sure. Got my Febi in because I couldn't seem to find lemforder for the 4Matic. They don't appear to be different from the RWD but I didn't want to chance it. Got them on and all is normal and feels a bit tighter and cleaner in cornering again.
Good lesson learned though once again for myself, never worth it to save a buck. Of course I guess in a couple weeks it will tell the full story for sure as even the Ultra-Power felt good and was making no noise for a couple weeks. Odd thing is it felt like they were binding under my feet which is why I kept veering away from thinking it was them especially since they were new. They were tight as well when I went to remove them, not sure if I was just unlucky with them this time or what.
Do appreciate the input and reinforcing it was the links Itwar ( not sure how to short form that haha), I was close to diving down a bunny hole.
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gio325i (06-08-2018)
