Escort front suspension

My 98 Escort has a slightly clunky sound coming from the front suspension.

It only happens if one wheel hits a bump and not both at the same time. I suspect the anti roll bar bushes - I took the front wheels off today and had a look at them - I also had a good prod about the suspension, using a bar to check for movement.

The anti roll bar bushes, although quite soft, seemed fine, no cracks or gaps - I couldn't fine any movement in the other suspension parts at all.

All I did was spray some WD40 on the anti roll bushes to see if that helped.

So, is this clunking one of those things, or should I check something else?

Reply to
TDh270
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Why the hell would spraying WD40 onto something thats supposed to hold something rigid help?

Reply to
Conor Turton

Eh - suspension is not meant to be rigid?

Lubricating a suspension bush, which is actually a moving part, the anti roll bar rotates withing the bush!

I don't see the problem - anyway, WD40 is hardly going to do any hard is it.

Reply to
TDh270

If the bushes are made from plastic, maybe not. OTOH, if they are rubber based, spraying them with WD40 isn't a good idea. Oil and rubber is not a good mix. I accept that WD40 contains little oil, but you did ask. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

Err the bushes are - thats why modders/race teams replace the stock rubber ones with solid ones. If you've got play in any of the bushes they're knackered.

And? Its not going to stop the knocking is it? It'd stop a squeak for about 10 seconds but not a knock.

Oil breaks down rubber bushes...

Reply to
Conor Turton

Check the anti roll bar vertical links as well. They went on mine and made a horrible sound till I changed them. Put your fingers on one and bounce the front of the car (make sure you don't trap a finger in the process). You'll be able to feel if it's them that are worn...

HTH,

Iain

Reply to
Iain McLaren

No play - but they seem soft, but then I don't know what the originals are like.

OK, I'll have to accept that - but what happens to engine oil seals?

Reply to
TDh270

Oh well, its done now - but if they're worn or soft, I didn't think I could do any harm by putting a bit of WD40 on them?

Reply to
TDh270

From WD40

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What surfaces or materials are OK to use WD-40 on? WD-40 can be used on just about everything. It is safe for metal, rubber, wood and plastic. WD-40 can be applied to painted metal surfaces without harming the paint. Polycarbonate and clear polystyrene plastic are among the few surfaces on which to avoid using a petroleum-based product like WD-40.

Reply to
TDh270

The message from TDh270 contains these words:

Different rubber. Some rubbers are not capable of standing up to oil - some are.

For example, I once had an exhaust snap on a Mini 'cos the leaking rockerbox gasket dribbled oil over the top engine mount rubber, which allowed the engine to move too much so the downpipe snapped off.

Reply to
Guy King

The message from TDh270 contains these words:

Latex?

Reply to
Guy King

I've often used WD40 to try to track down suspension noises in the past. It's never caused me a problem. IMHO, anything under the front of a car ought to be pretty much unaffected by anything petroleum-based. I have also used old brake fluid for a similar purpose on a number of occasions, again with no ill effects.

Tracking down these noises can be difficult. I was on holiday in Yorkshire once when my Escort developed a noise that I was sure was a CV joint on the way out. It had the classic tap-tap-tap when cornering and accelerating. The only puzzle was that the noise was intermittent. A local garage spent half an hour trying to find it without success. The only fault they could find was a small bit of play in a bottom ball joint. With my agreement they poked a tiny hole in the rubber and sprayed some grease in. The noise went away instantly, and was still not there when I changed the lower arm 1,000 miles later.

Let the group know how you get on.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Very solid to the feel.

There is more than one type of rubber compound.

Reply to
Conor

No but if you've got a knock on them, it won't make any difference.

Reply to
Conor

Cheers Chris - I haven't needed to use the car much since I did the WD40, I'm hopeful it'll do something.

Even if it doesn't - it will make me feel better.

Reply to
TDh270

No, maybe not.

The idea was to make sure the turning force on the anti roll bars wasn't being impeded by the bush.

I read about this solution online somewhere - maybe it wont work, but it was chaep and worth a shot IMO

Reply to
TDh270

The idea of an antiroll bar is that it resists turning forces. In fact its supposed to apply an opposing turning force of its own, tring to force the lower arm downwards.

Reply to
Conor

Except that no engine oil seals are made of rubber. They're made of Nitrile, or similar plastics, which are impervious to oil. Mike.

Reply to
Mike G

The message from "Mike G" contains these words:

Yes, sorry, I was using a sloppy generic term to describe things with a rubbery texture.

Reply to
Guy King

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