Weird suspension noise up front Syncro. (video)

[MickeTJ]

We just got back to Sweden after a 2 week trip to Corsica.
Everything worked out perfect except for 4 episodes of the "vanagon syndrome" on the autobahn and....
Unfortunately, when going 14 kms off-road down to a campsite suddenly a teeth grinding noise appeared under the bus when we hit a hole.

I stopped immediately, and dove under the bus. Could not find anything out of the ordinary.
we could not turn back so drove carefully down the last 2 kms to the campsite. Checked even further and same conclusion, could not find anything?

When we had to go the same trail back up again I noticed that the noise came from under the driverside seat, but the passengers in the back told me they could feel it, and it was coming from under the floor.

It is a rubbery/metallic/twisting sound. The noise reappeared every time we hit a hole or a bump with the left (driver side).
The noise always comes unless I braked and just crawled over the bump or hole.

Finally we got to a mechanic the lifted the front end up (on the front crossmember). He bent and shaked everything but could not find the source.
We took him for a ride and after that he told us it was the tire hitting the body. I did not belive that explanation, because it worked fine until that bump on the trail. But he told us that it would be no problem driving the last 1800 kms back to Sweden.

I drove carefully al the way home (no more off-roading on corsica unfortunately )

Today I lifted the front of the bus in the bumper to rule out that the subframe had come loose which I had suspected on Corsica (I have bad corrosion on my framerails).
I have checked every bushing but nothing looks out of the ordinary? No visible marks from metal to metal movement?
No oil on the shocks
The only thing is that the distance from the inner CV to subframe is a bit different on one side (driverside = ca 25 mm and on the other side about 10 mm?)

Anyways, now the noise appears everytime I hit a bump either right or left or strait on. If I stand on the front bumper and bounces it does not make the noise but if I jump of from the bumper the noise is there.

I shot a film driving over 2 bumps on my street, maybe someone recognize it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3BLXR4 ... e=youtu.be" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[jes*b]

My money is on upper wishbone bushes. Could be either side depending on how the sound is travelling . Get a few people to rock the van hard when stationary while you crawl underneath. You should be able to hear and feel the culprit if it is.

[syncroandy]

Front radius rod bushes? Wheel will sit too far back if they've worn out, plus you'll get metal to metal contact.

[dcfb77]

Must have just missed each other as I've just gotten back from there as well.

14km hard track to a camp site sounds like Plage de Saleccia or Roccapina. Mind you, could be one of those many "hard to reach" beaches in the south.

There was 3 Syncro's heading out from the same camp site and I was the only one to make it up intact (if you exclude a small crack in exhaust manifold). Some tough tracks in Corsica but very fun. Kept getting overtaken on track by the same fiat Panda 4x4 who we saw on a few camp sites in the south. That guy would floor it the whole way up and down without any issues whatsoever. That thing looked battered!

Hope you get your issue sorted out. I would also suspect wishbone bushes from the sound its making but I'm no pro...

Good luck.

[lsidir]

Kept getting overtaken on track by the same fiat Panda 4x4 who we saw on a few camp sites in the south. That guy would floor it the whole way up and down without any issues whatsoever. That thing looked battered!

Let me tell you that I bought my mother a panda 4x4 and I been driving it the last few days. This little thing is awesome! 1.3 diesel engine with very low consumption, electronic diff locks, drives great on the road, playfull on the sand like a small buggy, only downside is the quality of materials, as it is a fiat, and a cheap one.

lefteris

[MickeTJ]

Haha, yes it was Plage de Saleccia, the guidebook said you need a 4x4 to get there. But they should have said "You need a 4x4 or be french/Italian with a rental car".. I was overtaken by a peugeot 206 with a Avis sticker on it and Italian signs.. quite humbling when I used the whole road to crisscross my way down.

When we where there there was 4 syncros. Us a red hardtop, One zebra colored, one green/white german westfalia hardtop and one British orange multivan.

I would have loved to go exploring more off-road tracks. But when you have about 1800 kms home it puts it in to perspective.

I will definitely check those bushings (both wishbone and radius arm bushings)

[pionte]

I watched your vid... I have almost the exact same noise (2wd) , It started yesterday, I have just had my wheel alignment checked/adjusted and am thinking that the top suspension arm bush may be the culprit, I have read that the nuts can come loose ?? I will have a check tonight.

[dcfb77]

Was this the orange van?

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/277 ... G_8933.jpg

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/277 ... G_8934.JPG

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/277 ... G_8935.JPG

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/277 ... G_8936.JPG

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/277 ... G_8937.JPG

That may well have been me. Also saw the swedish high top. Poor guy overheated massively on the way back up as well as the green italian hardtop Syncro. Found quite a few beaches with similar tracks, new sat nav was handy for pinpointing where the beaches were and would signal tracks as unpaved roads so we knew where to head for a peaceful nice sleep in a nice spot. That and google earth made it so easy to find nice spots. Was told by the locals police dont bother checking the beaches at the end of hard tracks at night if anyones going there soon.

Hope you get your suspension thing sorted.

David.

[lhd]

I had exactly the same sound on my 2wd, changed the wishbone and radius bushes and it went, as I did them both, not sure which it is but I recon the wishbones,they squeak at first then bang.
Rob..

[MickeTJ]

@dcfb77

Haha yes thats the one. Im the Swedish Hi-top that overheated. took about 2,5 hours to get to the top glad we had alot of water with us.
thank you for asking how we got on. you where the only one to ask.
Very nice van you got there. hälsa your wife!

Have tried to pin-point the noise but today. It did not appear when we jumped on the front bumper so I cant feel my way (had two people jump). I might aswell change the top wishbone bushings to some poly bushes. The radius arm bushings I was told to use rubber to not loose some flex.

(have any of you guys tried the burley upper control arms? Is it a better option to change to these instead of buying new poly bushings? not that far away in price?
http://burleysmotorsports.com/index.php ... ucts_id=15" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[lhd]

I would go with original bushes, poly bushes are great for an all road vehicle but the give in the original rubber is easier on components,especially when off road. Poly bushes are by nature stiffer and all that stress has to go somewhere,and it will be the expensive bits.....
I have just picked up a totally original 2wd with 61,000 on the clock and the drive is astounding. I never would believe a van of this age could be so nice to drive......
Keep it original and they should last another 25 years, I will be amazed if any of this poly stuff will last that long.
Ps. I couldn't replicate that sound on mine unless I went over a really harsh speed ramp at my work, which was to keep you at 5mph.
Rob.

[jes*b]

I have just picked up a totally original 2wd with 61,000 on the clock and the drive is astounding. I never would believe a van of this age could be so nice to drive......

Share the love Rob .....details details