Random clanking noises.

[m25roundabout]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can give me a few pointers. I have just joined the Forum. I bought a 1998 Ford Transit lwb Hightop a couple of weeks ago. I have since driven it 550 miles to Switzerland. The first half of the journey was great. The second half, worrying muffled banging seemed to be coming from the front of the vehicle. Since then the muffled bangings have turned into random clanking banging. The engine seems fine but dammed if I can work out where the bangings are coming from. They seem to happen yes when the vehicle bounces, but not always. Similarly they can happen randomly when just driving on a smooth surface. Any ideas would be very welcome. Thank you very much.

[dumper]

Jack it up and check it for broken springs wheel bearings ball joints brake calliper loose and also body corrosion around the strut top mounting

[m25roundabout]

Many thanks dumper. Do you literally mean jack up each front wheel individually and have a good look at the parts you mention?
I am not a mechanic but have tools and am practical. Many thanks for your reply and help.

[m25roundabout]

Mr.dumper, joy upon joy, I think you have helped me solve the problem! I jacked the front up and looked at the springs etc and then noticed a bit of electrical equipment hanging from its wires. Now this made some sense to me, as the noise was random and I thought it might be something swinging and hitting something. I bolted it back on, have driven around, and hey presto, knocking noise no longer. Thank you kind sir. It just proves the point that a willingness to help can quite often indirectly cure things!

[dumper]

Jack it up in the middle of engine cross member so both wheels are in the air then you can pull it from lock to lock and have a good feel around for any play or rumbling wheel bearings no problem mate everyone on the forum are here to help each other

[m25roundabout]

Damn, clanking come back again! I will do as you say and jack it up from the middle. Thanks.

[m25roundabout]

Finally found out that random clanking is a worn spring. It sometimes shifts out of alignment, hence the clanking. When it shifts back in alignment clanking stops, sometimes for a thousand miles....but then it starts up again. Expensive to fix but not dangerous....so it will be left to randomly clank for the foreseeable!

[Jim Archer]

Spring is a cheap fix, only needs a bit of muscle to lever the wishbone down far enough to disengage the spring from it's lower seat and pull it free.

Jim

[m25roundabout]

Interesting, thanks Jim. I got the impression though that I might have to replace the wishbone too.

[bambi mk 1]

Interesting, thanks Jim. I got the impression though that I might have to replace the wishbone too.

If you dont change it soon you may have to change the tyre or worse still the van

[m25roundabout]

Many thanks for your reply. Out of curiosity, as I am not a mechanic, how could the clanky spring go on to effect the tyre so badly?

[Altransit]

Many thanks for your reply. Out of curiosity, as I am not a mechanic, how could the clanky spring go on to effect the tyre so badly?

When it finally breaks and the front of the van ends up sitting on the tyre

[m25roundabout]

Gotcha. Thanks.