Officially running out of smiles this evening.

Car has done just shy of 150,000 miles and was on original shocks, with handling to match. The control arm bushes were also suspect, so today I have fitted new Meyle HD Control Arms and Bushes, BWI Shocks and Kilen springs to the front. All to OE spec, everything went together as it should. Strut top mounts set to 8deg. etc, and everything has been torqued up per the workshop manual. I also took the opportunity to replace the driveshafts while everything was apart, save a job further down the line.

On taking the car for a test drive, there is a continual knocking from both sides on uneven roads that sounds (from the inside of the car) like a loose stabiliser link bar or anti roll bar bush. I've double checked that the stabiliser link bars are correctly torqued and that there's no obvious play. Just to be 100% certain I loosened and then re-torqued the rear Control Arm / ARB Bush bolts while the car was sat on its wheels (suspension under load). Loosened all 4, then gave the car a good bounce to let everything settle and any incorrect loading work itself out, then tightened rearmost bolt first, then front (for rear bush). All to 175Nm per the spec. One thought did cross my mind; that I was only tightening/torquing the bolt and not the nut that sits above the ARB bush clamp, mainly as I don't have a 21mm crowsfoot to be able to get a torque wrench on the nuts, but I figured if the bolt is torqued correctly and I can't turn the nut any further with a ring spanner, it *should* be ok (?? Question mark ??)

I cannot replicate the knocking by pulling, pushing or bouncing any component - but as soon as I drive off on an uneven road there it is. I've checked the springs are correctly seated, the end of the springs are snug into the recess in the lower cup, sat square on the anti-squeak pad. If I grab the spring and give it a bit of a pull there is a suggestion of a small amount of movement on the upper pad that sits between the spring and the bearing, but given the load it is under there is naff-all I can see I can do that would make any difference. The spring is central to the shock, and the feeling of movement is more likely to be a combination of the spring itself and the natural "give" in the pad than the two components actually moving separately to each other, so I'm discount that for now.

At my wits end and very open to suggestions!!! Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Strut top mounts is my guess as it's all that's original
I replaced a broken spring on my old fl2 and had a knocking afterwards that I put down to the strut top bearing
I guess they don't like being taken apart

Did you change the stabiliser links and check the rubber bushes on the bar it's self by taking the bar off

pinhead wrote:

Strut top mounts is my guess as it's all that's original
I replaced a broken spring on my old fl2 and had a knocking afterwards that I put down to the strut top bearing
I guess they don't like being taken apart

I Like Chips wrote:

Did you change the stabiliser links and check the rubber bushes on the bar it's self by taking the bar off

No, and I'm beginning to think that's my issue. If the bush on the bar was cracked or worn and I've released the tension on the mount, then the bush is going to be fubar. Good shout!

I'll order up a new set of stabiliser links, new ARB bushes and another set of ARB clamp nuts and just live with the clonking until next weekend  Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

NoDo$h wrote:

pinhead wrote:

Strut top mounts is my guess as it's all that's original
I replaced a broken spring on my old fl2 and had a knocking afterwards that I put down to the strut top bearing
I guess they don't like being taken apart

I built up complete new units with new strut top bearings - not an original part re-used so I'm discounting that for the moment - although it's possible the new bearings have a problem I'll come back to them if all else fails.

I'll update next weekend when the new bushes are fitted

Thanks for your help, both  Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

When I changed my stabiliser links the top ball joints had seized solid. Never realised until they came off.

Stabiliser arm bushes and links replaced, and both sides still knocking like mad.

I can only assume I have done something wrong in the assembly and alignment of the struts, and most likely the strut top bearing assembly. It's possible the spring isn't 100% seated correctly at the top end, but from working my fingers around the top mount, and checking the bottom mount, it seems spot-on on both sides.

I'm wondering if a quick squirt of silicone lube where the spring meets the top spring pad (sits between spring and bearing) may help establish if this is where the problem is before I spend another day stripping the whole bloody lot down all over again. Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Solved it! Or rather, my dear wife did. Albeit indirectly. She knows I've been over everything with a torque wrench and was giving me a hand bouncing the car while we tried to figure out where the movement was. She asked "you've not missed out any washers, have you? It feels like it's only a couple of mm of play that causing the knock"

Now I know there are no washers anywhere in assemblies I've replaced, but it got me thinking about the top mounts again. I popped the scuttle cover off and checked the 3 mounting bolts (LR008026) by slacking them off and re-torquing to 30Nm per spec, then checked the strut top nut (LR000055) using an "open" 18mm socket, ratchet wrench and a 6mm Hex. It was fully torqued down.

I left the (bright yellow) 6mm Hex in while I scratched my head and gave the car another bounce. Sure enough there was still the knock and play..... and out of the corner of my eye I saw the yellow hex key bobbing up and down.

I popped the nut (supplied with the BWI shock absorber) off and peered down through the keyhole in the strut turret. The thread on the shock shaft stops about 1.5mm *above* the strut top mount, so there was no way the nut could snug down on the top of the strut top mount.

So off I went to dismantle the original, worn shocks to compare and would you believe, the OE nut has a recess/shoulder of about 1.5mm that allows you to snug the nut down over that small unthreaded section.

I fitted the old nuts to the top of the shocks and all knocking has now gone.

Pic shows the original nut with the recess (left) and the new, flat nut that came with the shocks (right).

If you decide to replace your front shocks, make sure you order a couple of genuine LR nuts (LR000055) and throw the ones that come with the shocks in the bin - you'll save yourself a LOT of grief.

Click image to enlarge

Excellent news^^!
I replaced all four shocks with Billy's and I also reused the LR mount nuts. Now, of course, new nuts would have been better but after a comparison with the two, the LR originals have been holding up for two years since Re and Re.

Rear subframe, arms and shocks are next month  Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.

Great thread, thanks for publishing right through to the conclusion. Very very helpful. MY11 SD4 SE Auto

Well done wifey of course she still gets to cook tea but as a reward load the dishwasher for her it’s the right thing to do.

Ah, now I was happy to cook her dinner that evening, but loading the dishwasher tends to lead to lots of tutting as I put things "in the wrong way"



Into the dishwasher.....

 Current driveway contents:
2021 V60 Cross Country B5
2009 FL2 dog bus and shooting wagon

On Order: 2023 Fisker Ocean Ultra - deposit paid.