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Thread: Loud clunk when stopping and moving forward why?

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    97 540i6/850R Turbo

    Loud clunk when stopping and moving forward why?

    I been hearing this noise that sounds exactly like a ball joint popping out when I reverse,then when I go forward,it pops back in.
    If I brake hard and fast it will pop out/in also.

    If my tires are turned,its more pronounced.And happens almost always when I turn the wheel and reverse"pop" then forward and it pops again!
    But when I put it up,all the joints are strong and look good.

    I put new thrusts arms and bushings recently and tie rod ends and everything besides struts and that lower arm.
    The only thing left that I can think is that lower arm and its ball joint.
    Or
    Something in the strut up top.I KNOW MY STRUT IS SHOT.
    Or maybe the sub frame bolts but I doubt it.

    Any suggestions on a way to manipulate the joints so I can pinpoint the problem? Any special e39 procedure to test these joints?

    Yes I have the shimmmy too but IM not even gonna go there.....
    1997 540i/6
    Glacier Green

  2. #2
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    potato
    Hmm - have you checked your flex disc ie guibo? Over time they start to shred apart and develop play on the drive shaft, so it can cause both that clunking sound you are noting as well as vibrations at speed.

  3. #3
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    E39 hamster/ruberbandPWR
    Sway bars?
    Definitely the front strut mounts too!

    Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by supark View Post
    Hmm - have you checked your flex disc ie guibo? Over time they start to shred apart and develop play on the drive shaft, so it can cause both that clunking sound you are noting as well as vibrations at speed.
    Good call on Guibo or maybe shaft universal joint.

  5. #5
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    sounds like Ujoint

    if so, you can expect to replace the drive shaft.

  6. #6
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    I have exactly the same problem, but it comes from the rear suspension.
    Last edited by BMW 528; 01-12-2011 at 08:45 PM.

    BMW 528i Automatic - Premium and Winter Package - Avital Remote Starter - XM Satellite Radio - e60 wheels - LPG

  7. #7
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    The driveshaft and its family are good.

    100% Isolated into the right front suspension.
    Brake hard and it pops.

    Sway bar bushings would be more of a turning clunk/pop
    no?

    If I can just make my mind up about what struts to get,I can pull it apart and see if the strut mount is shot,and get a good look at the rest of the joints while they arent under load.

    Since I have a 97 Im reluctant to order stock replacement struts.
    They have the same part number for my car "6speed" and the auto.
    And I know the auto sits alot higher than my car and is mooshy too.
    1997 540i/6
    Glacier Green

  8. #8
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    I think the issue is in your trunk.

    nothing mechanical, but after a while, Dead Hookers tend to lose there rigor mortis and there heels can generally make the above described noise when they hit the ABS plastic along the lip of the trunk.

    just my .02

  9. #9
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    Bumping this old thread because I have the same issue. Just changed every component in my front suspension so I don't know where to start. It's coming from the driver's side. Pops loud when I brake hard, and then pops again but not as loud when I start moving forward. Any ideas?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by charlesb2003
    Bumping this old thread because I have the same issue. Just changed every component in my front suspension so I don't know where to start. It's coming from the driver's side. Pops loud when I brake hard, and then pops again but not as loud when I start moving forward. Any ideas?
    You changed EVERY single front suspension component? Maybe it's something with your steering system. Do you have a 540?

  11. #11
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    Did you change your strut mounts?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by IR M5 View Post
    You changed EVERY single front suspension component? Maybe it's something with your steering system. Do you have a 540?
    I changed the strut mounts, struts, springs, spring pads, bump stops, dust boots, control arms, tie rods, thrust arms, wheel bearings, brake rotors and pads. I reused the old upper spring perches, steering knuckles, and brake calipers. I did not change the swaybar bushings, could this be it? It's a 528i.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by charlesb2003 View Post
    I changed the strut mounts, struts, springs, spring pads, bump stops, dust boots, control arms, tie rods, thrust arms, wheel bearings, brake rotors and pads. I reused the old upper spring perches, steering knuckles, and brake calipers. I did not change the swaybar bushings, could this be it? It's a 528i.
    I suspect the sway bar links.
    #6:
    http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?...57&hg=31&fg=10


    Check the rubber dust covers at each end of the links, and see if they are cracked or torn, which is very typical, especially when the car is lowered...

    My front sway bar links are bad.
    However, since I am at least 2" lower than the OEM sport height, it would be pointless to install new OEM links, because they would just fail in a short time.
    I plan on investing in the Mason Engineering adjustable links that have NO rubber dust covers, and do not wear out like the OEM links.
    Link:
    http://www.masonengineering.net/Subp...W_Products.htm


    Or, perhaps if Graham ever figures out how to make the custom links from off the shelf hardware, I would do that instead...
    Graham's thread:
    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1661923

    Thanks!
    Jason
    Last edited by Jason5driver; 04-18-2012 at 01:56 PM.

    Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by charlesb2003 View Post
    Bumping this old thread because I have the same issue. Just changed every component in my front suspension so I don't know where to start. It's coming from the driver's side. Pops loud when I brake hard, and then pops again but not as loud when I start moving forward. Any ideas?
    Don't waste any more money. Check your drive shaft, possibly universal joint, and Giubo.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jason5driver View Post
    I suspect the sway bar links.
    #6:
    http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=DM63&mospid=47585&btnr=31_0257& hg=31&fg=10


    Check the rubber dust covers at each end of the links, and see if they are cracked or torn, which is very typical, especially when the car is lowered...

    My front sway bar links are bad.
    However, since I am at least 2" lower than the OEM sport height, it would be pointless to install new OEM links, because they would just fail in a short time.
    I plan on investing in the Mason Engineering adjustable links that have NO rubber dust covers, and do not wear out like the OEM links.
    Link:
    http://www.masonengineering.net/Subpages/Other_BMW_Products.htm


    Or, perhaps if Graham ever figures out how to make the custom links from off the shelf hardware, I would do that instead...
    Graham's thread:
    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1661923

    Thanks!
    Jason

    Sorry, I forgot to list the sway bar links as parts that I changed. I did change those. It's just the bushings that I didn't change, part # 2 in the above diagram.

    I just jacked my car up to check if I forgot to torque the bolts on them, they were damn tight, but I noticed something odd... there was a bit of aluminum dust on the sway bar just above where it passes over the control arm... You can barely see it here:



    I'm wondering, now that I'm lowered on Vogtland sport springs, and I kept my OEM non-sport swaybar, if the sway bar is hitting the control arm when I brake and getting stuck on that little nub that sticks up from the control arm, and then when I start moving again it pops back off. This would explain the noise and the marks on the sway bar.

    Here's another pic of their relationship to each other with the full weight of the car on the ground:



    You can see the scuff there again, and note how close the sway bar is to the control arm. Now, in Graham's thread he said that you need to lengthen the sway bar endlinks if you lower the car in front, but wouldn't that make my problem worse?

    If my endlinks were much longer, it seems like the sway bar would be resting on the control arms. Unless I'm looking at this wrong.

    Thanks for the help!

  16. #16
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    02 525i (rip), 07 328i
    Im having the same problem when I brake and start to come to a complete stop my car thuds when coming into first gear. But if I put it into sport mode you don't feel the thud as much when stopping. Also the harder you stop the harder the thud.

    Anyone know whats up?

  17. #17
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    Replace your sway bar bushings if they've never been changed.

    If your sway bar bushings have elongated enough inside their bore, then possibly that could allow the bar to move forward enough when braking to contact the tension strut.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by fabby318 View Post
    Replace your sway bar bushings if they've never been changed.

    If your sway bar bushings have elongated enough inside their bore, then possibly that could allow the bar to move forward enough when braking to contact the tension strut.
    Will do. They look pretty elongated... I will report back with the results. If this doesnt work i guess I'll be ordering those adjustable sway bar endlinks.

    Thanks everyone for the advice!

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by 16valex View Post
    Don't waste any more money. Check your drive shaft, possibly universal joint, and Giubo.
    +1.
    I would look at that too, however, I think it has something to do with the front sway bar, and/or sway bar links...
    Especially after looking at your pictures...

    Quote Originally Posted by fabby318 View Post
    Replace your sway bar bushings if they've never been changed.

    If your sway bar bushings have elongated enough inside their bore, then possibly that could allow the bar to move forward enough when braking to contact the tension strut.
    +1.
    I also would suspect that your front sway bar is out of whack, and not the best to use since you now have a sport suspension.
    I would upgrade to the OEM sport sway bars or the Eibach sway bars...
    Check out Champaign777's thread about installing the OEM sport sway bars.
    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...1645284&page=3

    Thanks!
    Jason
    Last edited by Jason5driver; 04-19-2012 at 06:02 PM.

    Looking for an E39 belly pan , passenger front inner fender liner …

  20. #20
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    I figured out my problem today!

    After reading the good advice on this thread, I checked my swaybar, endlinks, and bushings. Turns out the swaybar wasn't actually hitting anything, it just looked like it in those pics. Also it didn't look to be abnormally bent in any way, so I installed new from the dealership sway bar bushings. I decided to see if that would stop the noise, and then if it didn't I was going to get some adjustable endlinks.

    Also while I had the wheels off I put some permatex disc brake quiet on the backs of my front brake pads and greased the ends of the pads where they slide in the calipers. This was to fix a persistant rattle while driving that went away with brake pressure.

    With the sway bar bushings installed, the front does feel a bit tighter and at first the clunk was gone! But then after a couple of hard stops, it came back. I was scratching my head at this point, so I parked and looked at everything I had done and I noticed that the passenger side looked normal but on the driver's side the brake pad had moved a bit. I could tell because the disc brake quiet stuff had smeared a bit.

    So it's not the swaybar at all! It's my Akebono Euro pads not quite fitting right and sliding backwards when I brake and forwards when I accelerate. I wonder why it's just on the driver's side tho... I can see about a 3-4mm gap between the T-shaped end of the pad and the caliper, almost like it's just too short. The passenger side seems to fit snug.

    Glad I changed the swaybar bushings anyhow because the front feels that much tighter now, like a new car.
    Last edited by charlesb2003; 05-02-2012 at 01:17 AM.

  21. #21
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    I can't help you with your brake pad mounting problem but I can vouch for the Akebono Euros being great brake pads. Installed them and bedded them in myself on my E34 and no problems whatsoever.

    Oh, I just re-read your last post. Try bending the clips out more so they fit more snugly in the caliper bore.
    Last edited by dantheman67; 05-02-2012 at 02:18 AM.

  22. #22
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    slow e39
    Check your thrust arm bushing. Mine had this issue and the noise went away after I replace both thrust arms. Pretty common weak point for E39 I say

    edit: reading owns me :p
    Last edited by kura; 05-02-2012 at 02:30 AM.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by kura
    Check your thrust arm bushing. Mine had this issue and the noise went away after I replace both thrust arms
    My thrust arms clunked on braking, but not on accel.

    Edit: I see you ninja edited your post

  24. #24
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    I have a similar problem when braking and going over bumps. I can tap the brake pedal rapidly and it'll happen almost every time. I'm pretty sure it's a bushing somewhere.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by c0lin46and2 View Post
    I have a similar problem when braking and going over bumps. I can tap the brake pedal rapidly and it'll happen almost every time. I'm pretty sure it's a bushing somewhere.
    Check the thrust arms and control arms. Sounds to me like your ball joints are shot.

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