Clonking noise when braking or slowing down

[Tidmo]

Hi Ive got a 2000 2.5 diesel Bongo with a bit of a problem. Sometimes, not all the time there is a clonk when the brakes are applied this then keeps clonking as the vehicle is slowing down in time with speed of the vehicle, as i say its not all time but seems to be more frequent in town when you are accelerating and braking frequently.
Hope this makes sense!

[wonkanoby]

drop links and the bushes and metal retainers on the anti rool bar are first suspects

[MAZABON]

Hi Tidmo

you may have sorted it by now ? but another possibility - brakes ?

it sounds to me like it may be a problem with the brake calipers/pads/discs

loads of old crud in the calipers can make the brake pads stick, hence when you apply the pedal it suddenly unsticks making the initial clunk

also you may have a slightly warped disc that makes contact with the pad on wheel rotation making the sound continue until it works itself free again ????

it probably just sounds bad as the sound will be amplified through the struts etc.

if you are confident with basic mechanics ( as follows )

i would take the wheels off and have a look, whip out the pads give the calipers a bit of a clean up with a wire brush ( but be careful not to damage the piston rubbers ), also check the chanels that the brake pad lugs move back and forth in for solid crud/rust and check the pistons are moving ok , put a bit of copper ease on the back of the pads and replace

regards

[Tidmo]

Hi Thanks for your replies.
Just spent £60 on bits to sort the anti roll bar bushes,links etc. any ideas whether its a difficult job or not? Also any idea if there is a fact sheet/ diagrams for the job?
Will also give the brakes a good check while im there too.
Thanks!

[wonkanoby]

only possible problem in doing it is undoing the bits

best spray them with releaser well in advance

its said its best to have a load on wheels before final tightening on drop links

otherwise its just reverse of removal

[Tidmo]

Thats great thank you. Fingers crossed it goes okay.

[missfixit70]

From the symptoms, sounds more likely to be brakes to me too.
For the anti roll bar bushes you need both wheels to have full vehicle weight & be balanced ie do it on ramps, not jacked up, good idea to replace the brackets at the same time as the bushes as they have a habit of snapping shortly after replacing if you use the old ones.
The front drop links are easier to put in position with full load on the wheels, but as both ends of the joint are ball joints, it doesnt matter for the final tightening, the rear drop links need to have full & balanced load for removal & fitting.

[Tidmo]

Hi. Thanks for everyones advice. Finally got bits fitted and had the brakes cleaned up while I was there. Touch wood, everything seems to be fine and noise free. Thanks again.

[Tidmo]

Great. Spoke too soon. Ten miles later and it's still making the noise. Any more suggestions or help would be gratefully received. Thanks.

[321Away]

ball joints? suspension top mount? brake caliper not done up tight?

Julian

[missfixit70]

What bits did you get fitted? What did they actually do to the brakes? did they check front & rear pads/callipers/discs aswell as the rear handbrake shoes & drums?

[Tidmo]

Hi. I had the parts fitted that I mentioned previously. I was told the brakes front and rear are fine and needed nothing doing to them. It's a bit annoying spending £140 on parts and labour. We are off to Cornwall in it next week too. Not sure how safe it is. Thanks.

[missfixit70]

Was that anti roll bar bushes brackets & droplinks front & rear? ie total of 4 of each? it's difficult to diagnose what the problem is from a verbal description, any suggestions on here are just that - suggestions not a definite diagnosis. Worth getting your mechanic to go for a drive with you to hear the noise & help find the fault.
It's not something sliding around in the bongo is it?, maybe in the jack compartment, loose battery, loose spare wheel, etc - it wouldn't be the first time.

[Tidmo]

Hi Missfixit, its the front brackets bushes etc that has been changed. Its definitly coming from the front. Checked all other stuff that may be loose but im to anal to have things rolling around! Ill pop it back to the garage on Mon. Cheers.

[teenmal]

Hi Thanks for your replies.
Just spent £60 on bits to sort the anti roll bar bushes,links etc. any ideas whether its a difficult job or not? Also any idea if there is a fact sheet/ diagrams for the job?
Will also give the brakes a good check while im there too.
Thanks!

Hi Tidmo,

What was wrong with the links/bushes etc.

Cheers.