bongo front wheel clunk

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Meadow1812

bongo front wheel clunk

Post by Meadow1812 » Mon May 23, 2011 10:37 am

i bought a 1999 facelift 2.5 diesel 4x4 bongo in january and love it apart from clunk noise that comes from drivers side front wheel whenever you drive over an uneven bad piece of road. as was under warranty i asked dealer to check out and he gave it the all clear. it is doing my head in ! can anyone give me any advice on this problem ? regards barry :?:
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mikeonb4c
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by mikeonb4c » Mon May 23, 2011 11:40 am

Meadow1812 wrote:i bought a 1999 facelift 2.5 diesel 4x4 bongo in january and love it apart from clunk noise that comes from drivers side front wheel whenever you drive over an uneven bad piece of road. as was under warranty i asked dealer to check out and he gave it the all clear. it is doing my head in ! can anyone give me any advice on this problem ? regards barry :?:
Sounds like front drop links and/or anti-roll bar bushes could be the problem. Simple fix if so, but I don't like the way the dealer just dismisses it as normal. Where are you based, as there may be an independent Bongo specialist near you that you culd get an independent opinion from.
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by mikexgough » Mon May 23, 2011 12:18 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:
Meadow1812 wrote:i bought a 1999 facelift 2.5 diesel 4x4 bongo in january and love it apart from clunk noise that comes from drivers side front wheel whenever you drive over an uneven bad piece of road. as was under warranty i asked dealer to check out and he gave it the all clear. it is doing my head in ! can anyone give me any advice on this problem ? regards barry :?:
Sounds like front drop links and/or anti-roll bar bushes could be the problem. Simple fix if so, but I don't like the way the dealer just dismisses it as normal. Where are you based, as there may be an independent Bongo specialist near you that you culd get an independent opinion from.
Agree with that Mike.... seen it before where sometimes there looks to be no wear or little play in the links and bushes but when you drive it you pick up on it......if it is them then it's a good opportunity to change all components connected with the roll bar......

I guess if someone local can confirm to Meadow1812 that links/bushes etc is the problem then he/she can take the findings to the dealer and ask if they will change the offending item or if not request that they pay for the work to be done/parts purchase....
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by 321Away » Mon May 23, 2011 1:34 pm

put the car on full lock and which ever side you can get your hand behid the wheel (so offside for left lock, nearside for right), you'll see the drop link bolted to the shock absorber, reach round the back of the drop link and grab it at the top where it bolts and try to wiggle it left and right, if there's any movement then they need replacing, make sure you get the anti roll bar bushes done at the same time, should be all under warranty.
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by helen&tony » Mon May 23, 2011 1:37 pm

Hi
If it's only one side, it's usually lower ball-joint/ wishbone bushes (or droplinks/ anti-rollbar bushes)
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by mikeonb4c » Mon May 23, 2011 2:08 pm

And when they change the anti-roll bar bushes, make sure they put new steel u-brackets on too. Costs peanuts, but the old brackets often give up the ghost when put back on with new bushes (metal fatigue + strain of holding/compressing new bushes).
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by mikexgough » Tue May 24, 2011 7:48 am

321Away wrote:put the car on full lock and which ever side you can get your hand behid the wheel (so offside for left lock, nearside for right), you'll see the drop link bolted to the shock absorber, reach round the back of the drop link and grab it at the top where it bolts and try to wiggle it left and right, if there's any movement then they need replacing, make sure you get the anti roll bar bushes done at the same time, should be all under warranty.
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by bigdaddycain » Tue May 24, 2011 12:13 pm

mikeonb4c wrote:And when they change the anti-roll bar bushes, make sure they put new steel u-brackets on too. Costs peanuts, but the old brackets often give up the ghost when put back on with new bushes (metal fatigue + strain of holding/compressing new bushes).
I was just about to say the same thing Mike! I had the clunks some years ago... new bushes on the ARB didn't cure it... Hairline fracture in the ARB bracket (one of) :shock: A new set of brackets cured the clunk. :D
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by Meadow1812 » Tue May 24, 2011 7:46 pm

i would just like to say a big thankyou to mikeonb4c, mikexgough,321away,helen&tony and bigdaddycain for taking the time to give me information i was needing much appreciated guys regards barry louise and meadow [new bongo converts]. =D> :D
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Re: bongo front wheel clunk

Post by mikeonb4c » Tue May 24, 2011 9:09 pm

Meadow1812 wrote:i would just like to say a big thankyou to mikeonb4c, mikexgough,321away,helen&tony and bigdaddycain for taking the time to give me information i was needing much appreciated guys regards barry louise and meadow [new bongo converts]. =D> :D
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