Front ARB Mounting Bracket Bushes, how to replace

[blaze_away]

Well, I am on the trail of a really annoying clackety sound, I think that is somewhere at the front half of the car. Only occurs when chassis is twisted lightly ie slow speed on rough'ish terrain.

Have replaced all (Front & Rear) the ARB drop links with standard units (had Rose jointed versions, rears were new last year fronts were a little worn/rusty)..........anyway clackety is still there.

So next job, replace the Front ARB mounting bracket bushes.

Looks like its Bonnet Off, Radiator out, replace bushes and refit Rad and Bonnet.

Am I right or is there an alternative way ?

[Jonny cobra]

I didn't remove my bonnet or rad its easy enough to do . Don't forget to lube up the bushes they slip on ok ..


JC

[Discopotatoes]

blaze_away said:

Well, I am on the trail of a really annoying clackety sound, I think that is somewhere at the front half of the car. Only occurs when chassis is twisted lightly ie slow speed on rough'ish terrain.

Have replaced all (Front & Rear) the ARB drop links with standard units (had Rose jointed versions, rears were new last year fronts were a little worn/rusty)..........anyway clackety is still there.

So next job, replace the Front ARB mounting bracket bushes.

Looks like its Bonnet Off, Radiator out, replace bushes and refit Rad and Bonnet.

Am I right or is there an alternative way ?

I would check the bushes first, I doubt they would cause that clackety sound you describe,the solid bar is surrounded by a fair bit of rubber so unless they are completely shot I can't see it being those.( and you don't have to remove anything to get to the bush mounts)
More likely culprit would be shock or wish bone bushes

[blaze_away]

Discopotatoes said:

I would check the bushes first, I doubt they would cause that clackety sound you describe,the solid bar is surrounded by a fair bit of rubber so unless they are completely shot I can't see it being those.( and you don't have to remove anything to get to the bush mounts)
More likely culprit would be shock or wish bone bushes

Thank for the reply, good points.....bushes do look ok, got new anyway so might as well fit them.
I know my car has had some mods done to it but not sure what they all are, for starters theres an oil cooler right in front of the bushes making the job non-standard. cant get a spanner or socket on the nuts.

Then the front top wishbones are made of tubular steel with adjustment for everything on them, there is evidence of a millimetre of movement on the top nearside rear bush.....I'll start there.

[s p a c e m a n]

Noise on chassis flex? Just an idea..

Find yourself a steep ramp that you can go up with one wheel, I used to use a very high sloping kerb around the back of a petrol station to have a look underneath my car on 'test drives'. It was about a meter high at the top and I never did make it all the way up there, the cars always used to make strange creaking noises with only 3 wheels on the floor.

[blaze_away]

s p a c e m a n said:

Noise on chassis flex? Just an idea..

Find yourself a steep ramp that you can go up with one wheel, I used to use a very high sloping kerb around the back of a petrol station to have a look underneath my car on 'test drives'. It was about a meter high at the top and I never did make it all the way up there, the cars always used to make strange creaking noises with only 3 wheels on the floor.

I can get it to do it by jacking the nearside front wheel up, but locating the origin of the noise is seemingly impossible.....just can't get a fix on where its coming from

[s p a c e m a n]

Get a stethoscope and put it on the likely suspects whilst a mate jacks the car up and down then?

[blaze_away]

s p a c e m a n said:

Get a stethoscope and put it on the likely suspects whilst a mate jacks the car up and down then?

I'll do that very thing, cheers, just looked on the net and there are loads of 'digital' stethoscopes, might be worth getting one of those.

[s p a c e m a n]

Woah, they look cool, they do iphone ones too

Just get a mechanics one off of ebay with a long probe on the end so that you can reach right in without getting your head stuck, they're only a fiver.