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Clunking sound in rear of car

njkymk7GTI

Ready to race!
Location
Virginia/DC
I installed my lowering springs back in October. Everything was great, and then after a few months I started hearing a clunking sound. It almost sounds like the springs are knocking on something. Only happens at maybe 30 MPH and under and even if I am barely moving and turn left or right it happens. It is pretty loud and VERY annoying. My only idea is that the top of the springs aren't lined up perfectly with the cuppler they go into and are rubbing/bouncing/scraping in there. ANY IDEAS?!
 

Davey Jones

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
Check all your bolts to make sure they are tight and didn't back out. I had a similar noise from my rear after my spring install and it was the sway bar end links not fully tightened. Could be anything, but worth checking out before you start taking it apart again
 

njkymk7GTI

Ready to race!
Location
Virginia/DC
That could deff. be what it is, and what someone else said as well when I described it in person. Can I tighten those just by lying on the ground under it with no jack? Or do I have to get up under there a little bit?
 

Davey Jones

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
That could deff. be what it is, and what someone else said as well when I described it in person. Can I tighten those just by lying on the ground under it with no jack? Or do I have to get up under there a little bit?

You should jack it up off the ground to take the tension off them first.
 

njkymk7GTI

Ready to race!
Location
Virginia/DC
It might be the rather well known problem with Golf Mk7 rear suspension which is well discussed, see for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bvS3g2vXFI


Thank you for this video! If this is really it, which the noise is very similar, I am more then annoyed. How does something like that happen?!
I appreciate the help!
 

BxGTI

Go Kart Champion
Location
Bronx,NY
Start with the obvious since you installed a part that didn't come from the factory check that first, as mentioned above, check your bolts.some bolts could be stretched bolts therefore not designed to be reused so chances of backing out are greater ( not saying that that's the case) since I was being lazy a changed every bolt that I removed on my VWR spring install that way I did not have to guess
 

SnailPower

Autocross Newbie
Location
North NJ
Car(s)
2017 GTI MT, PP, LP
Sounds like I'm experiencing this now. Been for the past couple weeks. Been waiting on warmer/non rainy weather to get under and have a look. Looks like this weekend will be a no go with rain also. It appeared to develop after I ran over some hard snow backing out of the driveway one morning. Thinking it knocked something look under the car. Everything I could visually see or touch appear tight including exhaust.
 

AdamSheikh

Autocross Champion
Location
FLL
Car(s)
15 GTI | 24 RS 3

SnailPower

Autocross Newbie
Location
North NJ
Car(s)
2017 GTI MT, PP, LP
My original rear shock mounts started to clunk after a while. I replaced them with 034 which solved the problem. Might be worth a shot if you reused your original mounts.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/vw-street-density-shock-mount-034-motorsport-034-601-3005

Thanks man. I'll keep this in mind if I can't find anything loose once I get under there.

Is there any way to know for sure that it is this? Can I yank on a part or something to determine it's bad? I'm not all that experienced with suspension aspects.
 

SnailPower

Autocross Newbie
Location
North NJ
Car(s)
2017 GTI MT, PP, LP
Thanks man. I'll keep this in mind if I can't find anything loose once I get under there.

Is there any way to know for sure that it is this? Can I yank on a part or something to determine it's bad? I'm not all that experienced with suspension aspects.

So I picked up the 034 shock mounts and installed them this past weekend. I initially thought the sound went away, but it came back relative quick after a short drive around town. Thus, I'm ruling out them as having been the issue (though weird that it appeared to go away briefly). I'm not all that upset because they were about 100 bucks, I had to swap my winters to summers so wheels had to come off and overall, I can feel the rear has a more firm feel to it.

That said, I'm not sure what else to look at. At times, I'm almost thinking it's inside the hatch rather than outside. Almost like the hatch door, but when I press on the door, it's not moving around or shifting. I heard about hatch bump stops? Mine appear in tact and relatively the same length as one another. I'm not sure if they can be tweaked in anyway, but they look fine otherwise. Any other suspension parts I can review? It's only occurring on the passenger rear side which appears to be a common area reported by others when the clunk occurs.
 

AdamSheikh

Autocross Champion
Location
FLL
Car(s)
15 GTI | 24 RS 3
So I picked up the 034 shock mounts and installed them this past weekend. I initially thought the sound went away, but it came back relative quick after a short drive around town. Thus, I'm ruling out them as having been the issue (though weird that it appeared to go away briefly). I'm not all that upset because they were about 100 bucks, I had to swap my winters to summers so wheels had to come off and overall, I can feel the rear has a more firm feel to it.

That said, I'm not sure what else to look at. At times, I'm almost thinking it's inside the hatch rather than outside. Almost like the hatch door, but when I press on the door, it's not moving around or shifting. I heard about hatch bump stops? Mine appear in tact and relatively the same length as one another. I'm not sure if they can be tweaked in anyway, but they look fine otherwise. Any other suspension parts I can review? It's only occurring on the passenger rear side which appears to be a common area reported by others when the clunk occurs.
Damn, sorry you're still chasing this thing. The hatch bump stops are adjustable - there's a small Allen head in the center of the bump stop that you loosen, then you can slide the stop in our out as needed before tightening the Allen back down.

I think it was mentioned above, but did you double check and/or replace your sway bar end links?

One other thing I can think of - I believe some lowering springs have sleeves on the coils to prevent rubbing/contact. Is it possible this could be your issue? See these: https://www.ecstuning.com/b-034moto...YQeot_VUIig3T3d1Mzge6W9CNVlzXl2hoC8MMQAvD_BwE
 

AdamSheikh

Autocross Champion
Location
FLL
Car(s)
15 GTI | 24 RS 3
Also, meant to ask if you reused your front strut mounts and bearings - these cars eat these when lowered, so it's always recommended to replace with new when removing/reinstalling. Not sure why I didn't ask above lol.
 
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