Clunking/Thud noise

[Hyperlite]

Not the brake pads. I had that issue and fixed it. This noise is independent of brake application.

It all started with a squeaking rubber noise while turning at low speeds. Was advised it was bad strut bearings. Decided to buy parts and tackle it myself. Also found a set of lightly used DCC shocks off a Golf R. Figured it was a good time to replace the struts as mine had about 70,000kms on them.

Took it all apart, then re-assembled with new parts, hardware, and everything hand torqued. Creaking noise gone, however it was replaced by a “thud/sproing” when turning at low speeds. Tried silicone spray in multiple spots, didn’t work. Then thought it was the spring skipping on the strut bearing…tore it apart again and put a spring silencer between the spring and bearing. Noise went away for about 2 days, thought I fixed it, elated…noise came back, despair. Just recently replaced stock sway bar endlinks with Neuspeed adjustable ones, didn’t help.

Current setup is Golf R DCC shocks, Eibach prokit springs, Neuspeed endlinks, new oem strut mousts/bearings. I had the Eibach springs installed for over 3 years with no issues/noises before all this started. My best guess now is that the shock is bad, but I can’t even bear the thought of spending thousands on new shocks and not resolving this issue. It’s really too bad, because it’s starting ruin what is an otherwise amazing car.

 

[victorofhavoc]

Jack up the car on just one side and see if you have any play between the spring and top mount.

Check for any marking or etching on springs if they're making contact with anything. Springs should never show wear unless they're progressive, and progressive springs need sleeves to keep them quite.

Your noise sounds spring related to me if you're getting a "sproing". Also check if the endlink is mounted the correct way and not potentially making contact.

 

[CrayonAssassin]

Just want to throw this out there. I had a clunk from the front right of the car only noticable at a low speed when going over bumps and moving off from a stop.

Had my usual shop do all the troubleshooting steps mentioned by previous posters. No dice. Finally decided to swap out engine and trans mounts. Fixed.

Fast forward about a 8 months, same noise came back. Suggested to shop to investigate engine mounts. The took it out to do a visual inspection, and found nothing torn or leaking. Reinstalled. I went for a drive upon collecting the car and instantly found the noise again.

Immediately brought it back and had them swap in another mount they had lying around. While the were working on it. I physically twisted the engine mount and could produce a noticable click/clunk from the mount.

"New" engine mount had no clunk.

Tldr: Might be as simple as engine mount.

 

[scrllock]

When replacing strut parts make sure your mount and spring are oriented properly.

That combined with torquing things down properly should fix all weird noises on fresh OEM parts.

 

[Hyperlite]

Jack up the car on just one side and see if you have any play between the spring and top mount.

Check for any marking or etching on springs if they're making contact with anything. Springs should never show wear unless they're progressive, and progressive springs need sleeves to keep them quite.

Your noise sounds spring related to me if you're getting a "sproing". Also check if the endlink is mounted the correct way and not potentially making contact.

I will check this thanks. My springs did have wear, and I put a sleeve on that part, but maybe I need to sleeve the entire compact progressive section?

 

[Hyperlite]

Just want to throw this out there. I had a clunk from the front right of the car only noticable at a low speed when going over bumps and moving off from a stop.

Had my usual shop do all the troubleshooting steps mentioned by previous posters. No dice. Finally decided to swap out engine and trans mounts. Fixed.

Fast forward about a 8 months, same noise came back. Suggested to shop to investigate engine mounts. The took it out to do a visual inspection, and found nothing torn or leaking. Reinstalled. I went for a drive upon collecting the car and instantly found the noise again.

Immediately brought it back and had them swap in another mount they had lying around. While the were working on it. I physically twisted the engine mount and could produce a noticable click/clunk from the mount.

"New" engine mount had no clunk.

Tldr: Might be as simple as engine mount.

Will look into this thanks! How hard is it to swap engine mounts? Something I can do, or best done by a shop?

 

[Hyperlite]

D

When replacing strut parts make sure your mount and spring are oriented properly.

That combined with torquing things down properly should fix all weird noises on fresh OEM parts.

View attachment 295041

View attachment 295042

Def not this. I was very careful with assembly and hand torquing.

 

[scrllock]

D

Def not this. I was very careful with assembly and hand torquing.

If it's low speed turning, I'd guess your front LCA bushings are the problem.

 

[CrayonAssassin]

Will look into this thanks! How hard is it to swap engine mounts? Something I can do, or best done by a shop?

Depends on how handy you are and whether you have tools on hand. I am/have neither, so I had my shop do it.

Typically people replace both engine and trans mounts at the same time. Engine mount should not be too tough as it's really accessible. Trans mounts you will need to remove the battery.

 

[ZERO815]

The pad noise from poor fitting tabs is typically a very loud metallic clink/clunk when changing directions and braking for the first time in that direction... Then should be silent.

Not for me. The aftermarket pad was able to move up and down. So no noises while braking, only clunking on certain harder impacts.

The backing plate of the OE pads is not bent 90 degree around the pad. My interpretation is the backing plate acts like a spring and keeps the pad from moving up and down. Anyhow clunking went away 100% on my car.

 

[Hyperlite]

My noise is caused by moving the steering wheel, not by going over bumps.

 

[victorofhavoc]

Not for me. The aftermarket pad was able to move up and down. So no noises while braking, only clunking on certain harder impacts.
View attachment 295061
The backing plate of the OE pads is not bent 90 degree around the pad. My interpretation is the backing plate acts like a spring and keeps the pad from moving up and down. Anyhow clunking went away 100% on my car.

The additional backing plate is not a spring. It's a shim to prevent noise. The piston moves forward and keeps pressure on the backing plate at all times in a floating caliper, even when the disc is slightly off thickness variance. In a fixed caliper this causes "pad knock". With additional backing plates you apply lubricant between the pad backing and the extra backing plate and that keeps it quiet. Without it you apply the lube to the piston and pad backing plate.

Typically the rotation of the disc is so fast at even 5 mph that the light pressure the piston constantly applies to the pad would keep the pad from moving up and down during any bumps in the road. If you can imagine the car moving forward, the disc is constantly pressing the pad down, and this force is much greater than any kind of compression bump you'd experience.

Maybe one of your slider pins or carrier bolts was loose? That could potentially cause the clunk. It could even occur if your lug bolts weren't torqued properly or in the correct order where your disc would be slightly off. If it was truly the pads, they'd have to fit very loosely and your disc would have to be pretty warped to allow enough room for the pad to move freely. You'd probably notice your brake is weak at light pressure in this case, as if the first bit of movement does nothing for braking. If all is well and tight, then the brake should be immediately firm on press.

 

[victorofhavoc]

I will check this thanks. My springs did have wear, and I put a sleeve on that part, but maybe I need to sleeve the entire compact progressive section?

Yes, the ENTIRE progressive section needs to have the silencer sleeve on it, and it does have the potential to slip over time.

99% this is your issue given you get "sproing" when turning the wheel and you see spring wear.

 

[Hyperlite]

Just ordered several spring sleeves..fingers crossed this is finally my solution...

 

[ZERO815]

The additional backing plate is not a spring. It's a shim to prevent noise. The piston moves forward and keeps pressure on the backing plate at all times in a floating caliper, even when the disc is slightly off thickness variance. In a fixed caliper this causes "pad knock". With additional backing plates you apply lubricant between the pad backing and the extra backing plate and that keeps it quiet. Without it you apply the lube to the piston and pad backing plate.

Typically the rotation of the disc is so fast at even 5 mph that the light pressure the piston constantly applies to the pad would keep the pad from moving up and down during any bumps in the road. If you can imagine the car moving forward, the disc is constantly pressing the pad down, and this force is much greater than any kind of compression bump you'd experience.

Maybe one of your slider pins or carrier bolts was loose? That could potentially cause the clunk. It could even occur if your lug bolts weren't torqued properly or in the correct order where your disc would be slightly off. If it was truly the pads, they'd have to fit very loosely and your disc would have to be pretty warped to allow enough room for the pad to move freely. You'd probably notice your brake is weak at light pressure in this case, as if the first bit of movement does nothing for braking. If all is well and tight, then the brake should be immediately firm on press.

Brand new brake parts, nothing loose, except for a couple of millimeters vertical play of the brake pads. With the different back plate angle on OE parts the pad can't move vertical any more. That solved my issue on sharp pothole impacts (wheel accelerated up).