Loud knock on transition to braking, 2005 DB9
Loud knock on transition to braking, 2005 DB9
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Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Thursday 26th December 2013
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Hello folks.

I've had a 2005 DB9 for about a month now. Lovely thing. While not much quicker than my old 4.2 XKR (which was modified), it does what it does in a much more engrossing way, and I'm so glad I changed marque rather than going for the newer 5.0 Jaguar.

It drives beautifully (though the ride is much harder than I'd expected), but I get an occasional loud knock as I begin applying the brakes, particularly switching from hard throttle to hard braking at speed, but only occasionally. It's a loud knock that really goes through the car - like a lump hammer hitting the floorpan. First time I heard it I thought I must have driven over a sharp-edged pothole.

I'm guessing there must be a major suspension bush that is allowing play, or a transmission mount. The sound seems to transmit evenly through the floorpan, but I'd say it has to be rear.

Are there any known issues that lead to this symptom?

Genie Chaser

103 posts

175 months

Thursday 26th December 2013
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Sounds like it maybe a rear lower suspension arm broken, trip to dealer & check.

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Thanks Genie. I'm yet to get her up on a ramp to have a sniff around underneath, hopefully things will become clearer when I do. I'm sure Eurocarparts will have DB9 suspension arms on the shelf for less than fifty quid . . .

Genie Chaser

103 posts

175 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Just next to the moon dust I recon !!

MaverickV12

1,086 posts

168 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Beardog - extremely hard to diagnoise a knock from a forum, but do you think its transmission or engine or suspension?

(you did mean to make us all laugh about Europarts - yes)

smile

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
Hi Maverick, I know, just wondered if there might be a common reason for a loud under-car knock when applying the brakes hard. As for engine/transmission/suspension, I'm far from mechanically inept (my business is in the performance side of the motor trade) but I have no experience of these cars. It's certainly nothing like transmission shunt, it's an alarmingly loud (the reference of hammer on the floorpan was not exaggerated) thump under the car, sounds central or rear but very hard to tell.

And yes, definitely not serious about Eurocarparts - not until I can see if Halfords might include free fitting.

MaverickV12

1,086 posts

168 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
Noises are notoriously hard to locate unless you know what it is ..... (obvioulsy)

If you're in the motor trade, this should be no problem for you, do not fear the Aston, its a glorified kit car, full of high tech parts, but a kit car none the less.

Not wishing to scare you, but if its not suspension and it occures on the hard change from acceleration to braking, then I wonder if the Torque Tube is the source of your noise, inside is this .....



Forgot what its called... I'm sure you'll tell me. But is this not supposed to ease the transition from engagement/acceleration/deceleration.....

If its broken will this not clunk like a hammer?

frown

DB9VolanteDriver

2,660 posts

206 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
How about this?

FSA 123
Rear Sub Frame Fixings – Torque Relaxation
VIN Range: A00044 to A01197

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Friday 27th December 2013
quotequote all
It's nothing like any transmission shunt I've experienced before, which would be revealed as throttle is applied/released, it occurs (only occasionally) when the brake pedal is pressed hard and may be a major load bearing mount shifting in a damaged bush, or as suggested above potentially possibly a broken suspension component.

I'm sure more to do with the shift of loads through the suspension as loads change rather than the drivetrain itself. I'll get the car up on a ramp in a few days but just wondered if it might ring a bell with anybody as a known issue.

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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DB9VD - thank you, that's the sort of thing that would make sense. Can't find anything on Google or PH but will delve into the workshop manual when my disc arrives.

Rollcage

11,345 posts

222 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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Could be the pads moving in the calipers if it happens when you brake.

divetheworld

2,565 posts

165 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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...or a front control arm bush. Hard to spot visually as it needs weight transfer to cause it.

Jon39

14,938 posts

173 months

Friday 27th December 2013
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MaverickV12 said:


Forgot what its called... I'm sure you'll tell me.
Hi Maverick.

Very funny - you know more about these matters than most of us. smile

When you previously showed this photograph, I was puzzled why the pressure plate is so rusty. Did it become rusty whilst installed (why), or after removal, but before photographing?

Jon.

8Tech

2,212 posts

228 months

Saturday 28th December 2013
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Where on the car does the noise come from? Front, middle or rear?

8Tech

2,212 posts

228 months

Saturday 28th December 2013
quotequote all
MaverickV12 said:
Forgot what its called... I'm sure you'll tell me. But is this not supposed to ease the transition from engagement/acceleration/deceleration.....



frown
Thats the drive damper, operates similarly to the friction plate of a clutch.

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Sunday 29th December 2013
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Hi 8Tech, if I was in the car up on a ramp and somebody hit the middle of the floorpan with a hammer under the passenger seat, that would replicate what I hear - it's very loud, but because the shock goes through the body of the car, I can only guess at central/rear but it could be anywhere. Rear subframe mount suggestion above makes sense, as does fractured suspension arm - should be able to get it up on a ramp early next week and have a poke around. It's nothing like transmission backlash or brake pads, and louder than any kind of suspension knock I've encountered before.

Genie Chaser

103 posts

175 months

Sunday 29th December 2013
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There have been instances where the rear lower arm splits around the outer
bush allowing the arm to shunt back & forth under acceleration / braking. May not be that, but worth checking.

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Monday 6th January 2014
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Hi Genie, I'd missed your post but we found it was exactly that! Lower rear swingarm outer bush sliding under load, also has a detectable effect on tracking/wheel alignment which I started to notice (can't believe I hadn't done so before).

Wishbone assemblies are (surprisingly) reasonably priced and easy to swap over.

divetheworld

2,565 posts

165 months

Monday 6th January 2014
quotequote all
Beardog said:
Hi Genie, I'd missed your post but we found it was exactly that! Lower rear swingarm outer bush sliding under load, also has a detectable effect on tracking/wheel alignment which I started to notice (can't believe I hadn't done so before).

Wishbone assemblies are (surprisingly) reasonably priced and easy to swap over.
Ooo! I was close. I said front bush. Glad you found it.

Beardog

Original Poster:

44 posts

155 months

Wednesday 15th January 2014
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For anybody with a similar problem, this is what you may find:



By the way, the left and low right pictures are 'good wishbone', the top right is 'bad wishbone'.




Edited by Beardog on Wednesday 15th January 21:28