VT - HSV (series 1) - Suspension 'fun'.... knocking/metal on metal noise

[adept]

Ive had a knock in the front end of my XU8 since i brought it, so i ended up replacing the leaky power steering rack - and that didnt fix the knock, so this weekend i got around to doing the bushings in the front end.

this consisted of getting two superpro/fullcrum kits to replace the bushings on the zbar's/radius rods and the front strut bar to chassis bushing (original fat hydrolic mofo's).

installation of the front strut bushing was a piece of cake with the instructions provided - however the zbar bushing kit, didnt have any instructions - so i took to using the haynes manual i have and common sense - as in, what comes off, generally has to go back on, and this is where it got interesting.

on a sidenote the haines manual i have - doesnt have very clear pictures, or any good diagrams for suspension.. the gregories books always used to have really good actual diagrams of this kinda stuff (the one for my VR does anyway).

one of the zbar bushings just popped out with minimal effort, but the other side - was tighter than 'you know what'... so it took some finesse to coax that sucker out.

when replacing the bushing, everything was compared to the original setup - which was ' Nut > rubber bushing > inner tube > rubber bushing > metal bushing > other side of zbar.

i thought this was a bit strange, because on my vr (and other older holdens ive worked on) there is always a set of metal bushings on either side to 'cup' the bushings ' Nut > metal bushing > rubber bushing > inner tube > rubber bushing > metal bushing > other size of zbar ... but in this case, there was only ever one on the front side of the bushing.

with the front end re-assembled, and the car having been cautiously roadtested - all seemed ok, so i took it out a bit further away from home, and then loaded up the front end pulling a u-turn - this was followed by a loud bang....

luckily there was a cut-away on the road for me to pull into, and i was able to get it jacked up - once i did, it was obvious the front z bar bushing has sheered itself completely off of one side, so it was now time to call a local towey to get the car home and put it up on stands.

following an assessment of any damage (which is nothing major - best that i can see), and having another VT HSV on hand, i looked at the setup on that - there was one washer, either side of the bushing on the z-bar - cupping it (unlike mine, where there was only ever the one metal bushing on the front).

so, i took the zbar apart and inspected the metal bushings - which happen to be two totally different sizes... so at best guess 'someone' has been under the front end of this car before, and messed up the assembly (throwing washers/metal bushings away and mix matching them) and it was just lucky the stock bushings were so badly seized in place, that they didnt get ripped out like the ones i put in, otherwise my car would probably be a write off, and id be in a morgue.

ive now been to the wreckers and sourced some replacement metal bushings (as well as a new nolathane kit for the zbars) and everything seems all good but i still have my original problem (a bad knocking noise in the left hand side - when doing right hand turns) and whenever i get the steering fully locked left or right - theres a 'metal on metal' noise, like two washers knocking against each other...

ill be chucking it up on a hoist tomorrow night and i have a mechanic i can lean on as needed but does anyone have any ideas/experience as to what could be causing this knocking, or the 'metal on metal' noise on full lock?...

 

[johnno010684]

sway bar link pins? could also be inner control arm bushes. mate these cars are getting on now, probly best to replace the whole lot of bushes, as i did and found nearly all of them had failed.

 

[adept]

sway bar link pins? could also be inner control arm bushes. mate these cars are getting on now, probly best to replace the whole lot of bushes, as i did and found nearly all of them had failed.

yeah the linkages were my next thing to replace... as with the control arm bushes - is it better/bang for buck etc to just get heavy duty swaybars with the new bushings and junk these ? (its not hard for me to get the control arms off - but it may be an endeavor to replace the bushings myself)

 

[Tsunamix]

If your wheel alignment is out the sway bar can move to one side in its bushes, and knock against the control arm on rebound. Fix is to get a wheel alignment

 

[johnno010684]

yeah the linkages were my next thing to replace... as with the control arm bushes - is it better/bang for buck etc to just get heavy duty swaybars with the new bushings and junk these ? (its not hard for me to get the control arms off - but it may be an endeavor to replace the bushings myself)

that might cost you a bit, you have to crush the metal tube on the old bush with a cold chisel and hammer and them bash it out. nolathane ones are two piece so they were easy to install. i know putting stock rubber ones back in you have to take the control arm to pedders or somewhere to get them pressed in.

your sway bars should be fine, i dont see the point in upgrading to heavy duty ones unless you are doing track work, sway bar bushes may be ok aswell.

 

[nitrowarrior]

One front end I pulled apart I found the knocking was purely a loose nut on top of the strut, There are two nuts in there, if the inner one has come loose it with make a hell of a racket, I pulled mine aparts thinking I was up for new mount rubber and bearing, turned out being just the inner nut had worked loose.