Suspension knock only when warm.. I'm stumped

[UjisCaprice]

Hi all.
My caprice has started knocking. I replaced the sway bar bushes and uplinks not long ago to fix one rattle. It was quiet for a couple of weeks and now it has a weird rattle, almost a "cracking" noise when going slow, under 30kmh and only after I have been driving about 20min.. Sounds happens when I'm slowing to turn into a driveway for example or traffic lights and clunks and bangs with the road undulations. It is very loud and has got my baffled. I have never experienced this. I pulled the top caps off the struts to see if the strut bushes have torn but look good... I just want a quiet car

 

[cruelass]

Did you orient the strut tops correctly?. With the "W" pointing towards the engine inline with the sway link mount. If not it makes a horrid noise over bumps believe me. If that's correct i would go back over all that was changed and make sure its tight and put in correctly.

 

[UjisCaprice]

Hi, thanks for the reply but I never took the suspension apart. Just the tower "top" hat in the engine bay to see if the steut top bush was torn. Other than that untouched struts...

 

[Android]

I replaced the Sway Bar links some time ago in my VE (and the sway bar), occasionally the links work loose for some reason - simple case of tightening them up again.

 

[Jackv8]

Did you orient the strut tops correctly?. With the "W" pointing towards the engine inline with the sway link mount. If not it makes a horrid noise over bumps believe me. If that's correct i would go back over all that was changed and make sure its tight and put in correctly.

Hi mate just about to do my struts were is the "W" located and by strut top do you mean the the strut mount and bearings? I've never done them before!
Cheers Jack

Edit: nvm took them off found the "w"

 

[UjisCaprice]

I double checked my sway bar mounts and all good, it deffently only does it after driving for about 10min or so, it's getting so bad, I really don't know what can make this noise only after time.... Weird weird weird.

 

[cruelass]

I double checked my sway bar mounts and all good, it deffently only does it after driving for about 10min or so, it's getting so bad, I really don't know what can make this noise only after time.... Weird weird weird.

I wonder if the sway bar is moving side to side while driving and turning up driveways etc. Maybe check the bar cant move side to side even though you had changed the bushes.

 

[UjisCaprice]

Well, after lots of research my possible problems are
*collapsed strut top bushes
*lower control arms
*loose ball joints
*spring isolators
*engine mounts.

Unfortunately by the looks of things it's time to start throwing money at her :-/ $$$$$

 

[OldDog]

A couple of questions spring to mind, did it make this noise before you replaced the sway bar bushes and uplinks? You say it makes the noise when you're slowing down, are you still using the brakes when it clunks? Just wondering if it might be something in the brakes rather than suspension?
Before replacing all those parts listed in your last post, maybe take each front wheel off, and rest the suspension on stands and get in there with a lever and see what moves around too much? (assuming you don't have access to a hoist that is)

 

[UjisCaprice]

Hi,
It didn't make the noise before the new d bushes but didn't make it straight after either. I just got a few turns out of all the lower ball joints so see how that goes. Will report back. And no I don't have access to a hoist