So, I have the Megan Racing Euro 2 coil overs. They have been essentially trouble free for the 5 years that they have been on the car. They work great. However, over the last few weeks, there has been a metallic clunk coming from the front left corner.

I have checked the top pillow ball with both the top nut and hex key as this is an area that can come loose from time to time. According to the Megan Racing web site, this is not a design flaw but a flaw in the makeup of the MacPherson strut design. (certainly the jury is out on that one ) Anyway, it all seems nice and tight, but the clunk is still there.

All other suspension bits also seem to be all tight and snug.


It happens when there is a big bump and little bumps when the corner is even momentarily unweighted. It seems that the damper system is moving up or down before the damper actually dampens.

Any other ideas where this clunk is coming from?

 

I would; jack the car up, remove the wheel, loosen the three strut tower nuts so that the entire coilver drops down. I would then reach up into the area and see if there is any vertical play. I don't know how the bearing is held/secured to the plate but I know of other brands of camber plates coming apart.

 

these come apart as well. What you suggest was the next step in my "diagnostic" process. Looks like I will be taking the R53 for a while... oh well... first world problems.

 

On occasion mine used to do with as well with ST XTA's. I literally replaced every suspension component trying to find the culprit with no luck. Finally one day I grabbed the wheel and rocked in back and forth rather hard, and finally heard the clunk again plain as day...and it came from a worn out motor mount. I replaced the upper mount with a TSW mount and poly'd the lower mount solid and haven't heard the noise since.

 

That has crossed my mind as well... I do have a blown upper mount that I just haven't gotten around to fixing yet. I have the Vibratechnic's. The car needs other work as well and since the lower bolt to the upper mount is a lot bit glued down by the hydraulic fluid from the upper mount I think that I will be taking to the shop to get the valve cover gasket replaced as well as the motor mount installed. I will be going with a better lower mount as well. I kind of suspected that as it kind of sounds like there is something hanging in the engine bay that just swings and knocks on something.

 

Did you figure this one out? And does it feel loose? I notice that you don't have poly CABs in your sig. I'm not sure bad CABs would make that sound but sounds and feelings I've found to be very subjective when trying to describe an issue.

 

I am waiting on another part for the car before I tackle this one. I fear that the car will be out of commission for while. I do have poly's on the control arms, the shop I take it to seems to only carry the poly's and replaced them when I was having my Midlands/Rover tranny rebuilt. I have adjusted the front damper a bit with the 5mm hex key nut for the pillow ball bearings but there hasn't been much if any real change. I may have to let the shop dig into this one. Since I have the competition Vibra-Tech upper motor mount, I have ordered the comp lower mount. The old house I have needs most of my attention right now and with the sive like nature of my valve cover gasket and probably needing a poly bushing for the tranny mount, this may just end up at the shop. None of this stuff is hard to do, but it is time consuming for me to do.

 

So the clunk was the coilovers - have since put the factory springy bits back on. You know, if you leave your suspension along without a load on the springs they tend to try to un-spring themselves? Or it seems that way. The car sits a good 2 inches higher than it did with the stock suspension on before. The right rear on the coil overs was completely shot. Makes a squishing sound not unlike that one stepping in mud. The other 3 didn't make this sound but are not in great shape.