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"Clonking noise"

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Location
Sweden
#1
Im starting by saying "Hello" because this is my first post. I bought a used 14 Fiesta St in november last year. It had some modifications done, open air intake, exhaust including cat and back from Ferrita in sweden, mapped with those modifactions.

I didnt notice when I drove it before buying but soon after I realized I there are some noises from the front of the car. This in slow speed over bumps.

The car was due for service in Mars and I turned it in to a Ford dealer. Telling them there is this "clonk" sometimes in low speed. I hear it everytime I drive over a lowered curb into parking. They found something, not sure the whats the english word is, I think its link stabilisier. They replaced it and the car felt a lot better. More feeling in the steering and it centers better. But the noises are still there. It's almost only in low speeds going over bumps.

Sorry for the bad explanation, It's one thing to type in english another to talk about technical things.

After reading a lot about this car I know many suggest to change the engine/motor mounts. Are they so bad that it could be reason I hear these noises over low speed bumps?
 


Last edited:

SteveS

1000 Post Club
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#2
Välkommen.

The stabilizer link is what attaches the stabilizer bar (anti-sway bar) to the suspension. If yours had been missing or broken, the car would certainly handle flatter in corners, as that's the function of the stabilizer bar. The stabilizer link is #14 in this diagram.

I would not suspect the motor mounts as the cause of a low speed clonk going over a speed bump. You'll usually notice worn or broken motor mounts under hard acceleration as the engine twists forward and back under torque load. However you can see many places in the front suspension diagram which could be the source of noises. The clamps that hold the stabilizer to the frame could be loose or need new bushings. You could need new strut bushings or there could be something loose in the bolts that hold the strut, the control arm, or spindle. Your car is old enough that suspension parts and bushings might just be worn out and need to be replaced. Has the suspension been modified in any way? Are the wheels loose when you shake them (symptom of worn wheel bearings). Have the steering parts been checked? (tie rod ends, rack)
 


OP
Jbnn
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Location
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Thread Starter #3
Just to add I think they maybe changed what they found and didnt bother to see if that was all that was wrong.The bad thing about buying a used car I never drove new, I dont know how it all is supposed to feel and sound
 


OP
Jbnn
Messages
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Sweden
Thread Starter #4
Thank you for the reply. I havent been able to lift the car myself yet. I think I maybe put to much trust in the dealer to just check what was needed. The suspension is stock, the only thing he did before was installing a bar on the top suspension mounts and in the boot.

Side note I bought new goodyear summer tires which I think are awesome. After switch to low profile summer tires the noises got even more frequent, not a surprise because they are much stiffer.
 


SteveS

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#5
There are no clunking noises in the front suspension when it's new. If it were mine, I'd take it back to the dealer who did the work and tell them they didn't fix the problem. The alternative would be to find someone who specializes in suspension work and have them look at it. The problem with that is if it's like many of the "tuners" that are out there, they will try to sell you a bunch of "uprated" and lowering parts that you might not really want, rather than just diagnose the problem and replace worn out parts or tighten things that have worked loose.
 


PunkST

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#6
The clunk could be coming from the strut top hats and bearings ( number 9 and 8) its often overlooked and they do eventually wear out. Had it happen regularly on my old ford focus.
 




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