Rattle/knock from rear suspension
Discussion
Hi All,
I would like to get to the bottom of an annoying little rattle that is coming from the rear suspension. I can only describe it as a cross between a rattle and a knock and occurs when the rear wheels go over a bump or into a hollow or both. I have tried it without the anti roll bar in place to eliminate that with no success. I should state that I completed a full body off restoration a few months ago, new polybushes all round, inc the diff, new wheel bearings etc. It made this noise before I took it off the road and its still the same now. I also know that there is nothing loose in the boot area.
I suspected the shockers, Protech, so I had them serviced while I was doing the chassis work. absolutely no difference. I have recently fitted new spherical joints to all the shocks as a precaution, quite a cheap job as they are only about £8 each but that didn't help either. (bit peeved that they weren't replaced when they were serviced!!).
I am running out of ideas now, I still suspect the shocks, could it be noisy valves or the internals have play in them??
Has anybody got a pair of standard rear Chim/Griff shocks that I could borrow to try out for a small fee, I'm in north Essex but wouldn't mind travelling a bit.
Driveshafts, cv joints??
Looking forward to your replies peeps.
Andy
I would like to get to the bottom of an annoying little rattle that is coming from the rear suspension. I can only describe it as a cross between a rattle and a knock and occurs when the rear wheels go over a bump or into a hollow or both. I have tried it without the anti roll bar in place to eliminate that with no success. I should state that I completed a full body off restoration a few months ago, new polybushes all round, inc the diff, new wheel bearings etc. It made this noise before I took it off the road and its still the same now. I also know that there is nothing loose in the boot area.
I suspected the shockers, Protech, so I had them serviced while I was doing the chassis work. absolutely no difference. I have recently fitted new spherical joints to all the shocks as a precaution, quite a cheap job as they are only about £8 each but that didn't help either. (bit peeved that they weren't replaced when they were serviced!!).
I am running out of ideas now, I still suspect the shocks, could it be noisy valves or the internals have play in them??
Has anybody got a pair of standard rear Chim/Griff shocks that I could borrow to try out for a small fee, I'm in north Essex but wouldn't mind travelling a bit.
Driveshafts, cv joints??
Looking forward to your replies peeps.
Andy
The fact you say rattle.. could it be from inside your tank?
another one that had me going for ages although I'd say it was more of a 'crack' sound... was the tank agains the bulkhead... It was pulled back against it, but would give a 'crack' when I went over a pot hole.... I basicaly pulled the tank forward, inserted some cloth and re-fit.... It was quite a loude metalic noise for what it turned out to be
another one that had me going for ages although I'd say it was more of a 'crack' sound... was the tank agains the bulkhead... It was pulled back against it, but would give a 'crack' when I went over a pot hole.... I basicaly pulled the tank forward, inserted some cloth and re-fit.... It was quite a loude metalic noise for what it turned out to be
I would expect the tone of the rattle/knock to change with a full or empty tank and its definitely related to suspension movement, you can almost hear a knock as the wheel moves up then another knock as it returns, not loud just an annoying sound you can only really hear with the roof on.
I've mostly had the roof off so I cant hear it but yesterday it rained a bit.....
I've mostly had the roof off so I cant hear it but yesterday it rained a bit.....
The drop links can make that noise.
The original Triumph TR6 type design are very short lived, the vulcanised rubber becomes separated from the outer ball socket.
The threaded stub axle is then free to articulate well beyond it's design limits, this effectively renders the roll bar inoperative as it fails to transfer the load across the axle line.
All they do is make a noise!
Dreadful things, they were rubbish on a TR6 and have no place on a 150mph TVR in my opinion.
The Leven rose jointed ones are excellent quality, but they are quite pricey.
I think GasMonkey has all the measurements & spec to make some up at reasonable cost?
In my experience "Clack, Clack...Rattle, Rattle" over uneven surfaces is nearly always the drop links.
Remove & check em
The original Triumph TR6 type design are very short lived, the vulcanised rubber becomes separated from the outer ball socket.
The threaded stub axle is then free to articulate well beyond it's design limits, this effectively renders the roll bar inoperative as it fails to transfer the load across the axle line.
All they do is make a noise!
Dreadful things, they were rubbish on a TR6 and have no place on a 150mph TVR in my opinion.
The Leven rose jointed ones are excellent quality, but they are quite pricey.
I think GasMonkey has all the measurements & spec to make some up at reasonable cost?
In my experience "Clack, Clack...Rattle, Rattle" over uneven surfaces is nearly always the drop links.
Remove & check em
ChimpOnGas said:
The drop links can make that noise.
The original Triumph TR6 type design are very short lived, the vulcanised rubber becomes separated from the outer ball socket.
The threaded stub axle is then free to articulate well beyond it's design limits, this effectively renders the roll bar inoperative as it fails to transfer the load across the axle line.
All they do is make a noise!
Dreadful things, they were rubbish on a TR6 and have no place on a 150mph TVR in my opinion.
The Leven rose jointed ones are excellent quality, but they are quite pricey.
I think GasMonkey has all the measurements & spec to make some up at reasonable cost?
In my experience "Clack, Clack...Rattle, Rattle" over uneven surfaces is nearly always the drop links.
Remove & check em
I took the anti roll bar and Steve heath rose jointed drop links off altogether, made no difference.The original Triumph TR6 type design are very short lived, the vulcanised rubber becomes separated from the outer ball socket.
The threaded stub axle is then free to articulate well beyond it's design limits, this effectively renders the roll bar inoperative as it fails to transfer the load across the axle line.
All they do is make a noise!
Dreadful things, they were rubbish on a TR6 and have no place on a 150mph TVR in my opinion.
The Leven rose jointed ones are excellent quality, but they are quite pricey.
I think GasMonkey has all the measurements & spec to make some up at reasonable cost?
In my experience "Clack, Clack...Rattle, Rattle" over uneven surfaces is nearly always the drop links.
Remove & check em
Else said:
I took the anti roll bar and Steve heath rose jointed drop links off altogether, made no difference.
Hmmmm 
I must admit I have the Leven links, and I do still get the noise very occasionally if I drive on rough ground at slow speed.
I even replaced the ARB bushes and the crack prone wishbone ARB plates for god measure, and on uneven surfaces it's still there.
If it's not drop link related I'd be very interested to know exactly what it is.
Good luck with it, & do let us all know what you discover Else
Check the preload on the springs...
Jack the back up and if the springs come off the seat that is probably your problem. Just because there is still pressure against the seat when jacked up doesn't guarantee that the spring can expand quickly enough as the wheel drops at speed, the acid test is to jam some strips under the spring seat (make at least 2 halves of a washer out of shim steel) and see if they stay in place whilst driving around.
Jack the back up and if the springs come off the seat that is probably your problem. Just because there is still pressure against the seat when jacked up doesn't guarantee that the spring can expand quickly enough as the wheel drops at speed, the acid test is to jam some strips under the spring seat (make at least 2 halves of a washer out of shim steel) and see if they stay in place whilst driving around.
spend said:
Check the preload on the springs...
Jack the back up and if the springs come off the seat that is probably your problem. Just because there is still pressure against the seat when jacked up doesn't guarantee that the spring can expand quickly enough as the wheel drops at speed, the acid test is to jam some strips under the spring seat (make at least 2 halves of a washer out of shim steel) and see if they stay in place whilst driving around.
+1 ...............especially if "someone" fitted 8-inch spring, where 10-inch are "usually" specced 8-))Jack the back up and if the springs come off the seat that is probably your problem. Just because there is still pressure against the seat when jacked up doesn't guarantee that the spring can expand quickly enough as the wheel drops at speed, the acid test is to jam some strips under the spring seat (make at least 2 halves of a washer out of shim steel) and see if they stay in place whilst driving around.
8-inch do fit, you sometimes get what spend referred to!
spend said:
Check the preload on the springs...
Jack the back up and if the springs come off the seat that is probably your problem. Just because there is still pressure against the seat when jacked up doesn't guarantee that the spring can expand quickly enough as the wheel drops at speed, the acid test is to jam some strips under the spring seat (make at least 2 halves of a washer out of shim steel) and see if they stay in place whilst driving around.
Thanks for the suggestion but I very much doubt that is happening. The spring platform has to be wound down the body at least an inch to take out the preload if I remember correctly. I don't run the car low either so there is a decent amount of preload anyway. The shocks and springs were originally specced and supplied by Jools when he was TCS so I know the shock length and spring length are correct. Both front and rear are a higher poundage spring but I cant remember how much off the top of my head.Jack the back up and if the springs come off the seat that is probably your problem. Just because there is still pressure against the seat when jacked up doesn't guarantee that the spring can expand quickly enough as the wheel drops at speed, the acid test is to jam some strips under the spring seat (make at least 2 halves of a washer out of shim steel) and see if they stay in place whilst driving around.
Also there is a definite knock under compression as well as rebound.
Another clue is I get a bit of tramping when I induce a little bit of wheel spin in the wet, can get quite violent so I don't do it if I can help it.
I need to make up a kind of rig to fit the shocker in with a long lever on it so I can compress and uncompress it to simulate the suspension movement to see if there is any strange noises, got any ideas?
QBee said:
Billy No Clue here.......on any other car you might suspect the exhaust was banging on something. I
must admit I have an annoying squeak fom my nearside rear suspension at low speed over bumps. Still not worked out what it is.....
Nope, checked that lol.must admit I have an annoying squeak fom my nearside rear suspension at low speed over bumps. Still not worked out what it is.....
Just out of interest, is your car on the standard shocks and springs?
Is your suspension quiet over a ripply surface, sort of bumpy but not extreme?
Still worth a look at the tank against the bulkhead... I had all my rear arms off.. ARB's shocks etc etc exactly what you are doing as I was convinced something that sounded like 'that' could only ever be the joints / springs... only takes 5 mins.. un-do the tank, pull it forward and drop something down the back.. mine was sort of sticking to the GRP and would give the double click / crack per bump..
Else said:
Anybody live in or near Halstead in Essex that would be willing to take me for a quick spin so I can see if "they all do that Sir".
Mine is not on the standard suspension, it has Gaz Nickels on the rear. I am at aclient at Abington, south of Cambridge, tomorrow with the Chimaera, as it is going to the rolling road late tomorrow afternoon and thence to my TVR guy for an exhaust swap. So about 30 mies north of Halstead. We coud meet up either very early morning (before 8.00) or at lunchtime if that works better for you, if there is any point with me not beingl on Bilstens?
Else said:
Anybody live in or near Halstead in Essex that would be willing to take me for a quick spin so I can see if "they all do that Sir".
Seeby lives in North Weald and has a lovely early Chimaera, about 1994 or 5 I think. Worth pinging him an email. Harrytsg is also in your area and is very knowledgable. Again worth pinging an email. Use search to find them - it actually works for tat.QBee said:
Seeby lives in North Weald and has a lovely early Chimaera, about 1994 or 5 I think. Worth pinging him an email. Harrytsg is also in your area and is very knowledgable. Again worth pinging an email. Use search to find them - it actually works for tat.
Hi, tried emailing harrytsg from here but it wont send, would you mind sending me his email address pleaseQBee said:
Mine is not on the standard suspension, it has Gaz Nickels on the rear.
I am at aclient at Abington, south of Cambridge, tomorrow with the Chimaera, as it is going to the rolling road late tomorrow afternoon and thence to my TVR guy for an exhaust swap. So about 30 mies north of Halstead. We coud meet up either very early morning (before 8.00) or at lunchtime if that works better for you, if there is any point with me not beingl on Bilstens?
Thanks for the offer but I am working all day from about 7.30. I am at aclient at Abington, south of Cambridge, tomorrow with the Chimaera, as it is going to the rolling road late tomorrow afternoon and thence to my TVR guy for an exhaust swap. So about 30 mies north of Halstead. We coud meet up either very early morning (before 8.00) or at lunchtime if that works better for you, if there is any point with me not beingl on Bilstens?
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