Hello,
I have a 98 SPI x Japan which has just decided to clunk from the front end when I go over some reasonable uneven roads or decent bumps, I have tightened up all nuts under the front/ steering rack/ engine mounts/ sub frame and disconnected the front shocks and still the noise continues to baffle me.
The car is fitted with 1.5 lower control arms and adjustable steady bars, The car was parked one day and all was fine , next morning the car was the noise was there.

I have another problem which is, as I was tightening up the lower nuts on the drivers side the bolts holding the bottom engine steady support was stripped and some silicone with thread coming out with the bolt ( not good) and now there is oil seeping out. I hope it is just from the loosened bottom half of the cover and and not coming from inside the box. Looks like someone had a problem before and did a rough job with it.

Any Ideas.
Thanks

Sounds like it is the steering rack bush. Is there any play in the tie rods - rack end?

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1971 Clubman GT - Jet Red
1980 Mini 1000 - Bold As Brass
1967 Riley Elf - Red/White
2002 MINI Cooper - BRG/White
2005 MINI Cooper - BRG/White
2022 MINI Cooper SE - BRG/White

Ball joint movement?

Hi willy,
I checked the wheels for movement and all is ok, I spoke to 2 mechanics and both mentioned the steering rack it's only about 18 months old so assumed it would be ok, One from mini and moke world informed me that the aftermarket one's are not as good as the origional ones.
Funny thing it's not making the noise any longer, go figure.
I'll pull the boots off the rack and give it another good grease.

Thanks for the reply.
Darryl

Check out if it's grease or oil in the rack, I can't remember.
Recall seeing other threads about squiring lubricant in using a syringe, so not grease ??
The rack check on the inner end should be made with the weight on the wheels.
Grab the bar and try to push it up and down or front to rear, there shouldn't be any movement.

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'98 Mpi Sportspack + 7 port alloy head

Ok will do,
One of the mechanics mentioned oil in the rack also, 90 grade I think.
Thanks MiniBob.

Check to see if the bumps stops are in place. Might sound funny but I have seen it before. The top arm knocks on the subframe.

_________________
The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

Ok I will do it tomorrow,
Thanks

we had a late rover in here ages ago which had seen a few mechanics &
panel beater/spray painters etc try to find the source of a knock in the front over bumpy roads

we found the problem in about half an hour

:-0

it turned out to be the windscreen washer bottle had come adrift from it`s lower mounting rubber & was bumping on the inner mudguard panel

easy-peasy

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

Thats a good point miniman.....that would work for the radiator overflow bottle too as its mounted on top of the shock absorber bracket in the mudguard.

Hello to all who replied and read my tale of woe.

I have just solved the noise problem.

Took the front wheels off last weekend and was about to replace the bump stops which like they were about cut in half, and just over 2 years old when I noticed the knuckle joint was lifting out of the top arm and the cup was missing at the bottom with shiny metal showing.
Drivers side was the same, perished rubbers and flat bottomed knuckles.

Now I didn't check these as they are just over 2 years old and thinking that it would not be the problem as they were nearly new, well almost.

Two new spare knuckles fitted with 2 new bump stops and all is well no front end noise.
Sent an e-mail to mini sport UK with pictures and waiting for a reply.

Not true,
Now I have a high pitch squeal coming from the newly fitted water pump just fitted, not the new fan belt as I started the car with the fan belt off and no noise, New fan belt tensioner pulley fitted and tested with the noise and replaced with the old one, still noise.
Air conditioner pump not engaged no noise.

Altenator was fine before fitting new water pump so not suspect.

So I have come to the final conclusion it is the water pump, and I am attempting to obtain another one from Mini Sport UK, I'll see what happens.

It seems to me that nothing is made like it used to be and nothing lasts very long.

End of story , so far.

Thanks

Darryl.