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Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 10 Jan 2017 17:18
by DanieG
Ever since I bought the Patrol, it had a 'crunch' sound at the left front suspension when I cross i e a speed bump. I had the shocks checked at two different places and both confirmed that the shocks were fine. The lower part of both front coils are wrapped in what looks like a bicycle tube and the left one was loose, so I tied it again with cable ties. However, the sound is still there when you cross a bump. It sounds like a dry joint, but where?

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 10 Jan 2017 17:58
by Peter Connan
Are the bump-stops in good condition?

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 10 Jan 2017 18:05
by DanieG
Perfect. It sounds more like a deep squeek, both up and down. Kreun in Afrikaans.

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 10 Jan 2017 18:13
by Peter Connan
Maybe the bolt holding the axle to the panhard rod is a bit loose? That's on the left, and if it's loose the rubber wil "slide" instead of "flexing".

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 10 Jan 2017 20:51
by Pst JJ
Mine also had a knocking noise and steering felt a bit loose/wobble thought it may be the panhard rod bushes. Took it to the local 4x4 workshop and had it checked out. Turns out there was a couple of suspension bolts that needed tightening.
Noise stopped and steering is :thumbup:

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 11 Jan 2017 09:53
by Michael
You can also have someone "bounce" the front end up and down to try and get it to make the same sound and you can have a look underneath?

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 11 Jan 2017 17:32
by DanieG
Wish I could, but a Patrol does not bounce easily. :biggrin:

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 11 Jan 2017 17:58
by David M
DanieG wrote:Ever since I bought the Patrol, it had a 'crunch' sound at the left front suspension when I cross i e a speed bump. I had the shocks checked at two different places and both confirmed that the shocks were fine. The lower part of both front coils are wrapped in what looks like a bicycle tube and the left one was loose, so I tied it again with cable ties. However, the sound is still there when you cross a bump. It sounds like a dry joint, but where?
That bicycle hose cable tie story does not sound right. Any chance of a picture?

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 12 Jan 2017 17:13
by DanieG
Tube om regter voorveer.jpg
Tube om regter voorveer.jpg (3.99 MiB) Viewed 5579 times

Re: Crunch sound at left front

Posted: 14 Jan 2017 12:13
by NMAD
Hi Danie

That set up is not stock Nissan with that rubber tubing on the lower section of the coil spring and it also looks like you have a rubber trim packer resting on this coil at the bottom.

Is the picture of the drivers side coil?

On a stock 4.8 patrol the bottom of the coil sits directly in the metal coil seat of the axle, there is no rubber trim packer.
On the top of the coil there is a thin +- 5 mm stock rubber trim that is inserted on top of the coil and between the chassis coil recess which must be lined up correctly to seat without any metal to metal contact of the coil/chassis.

Nissan stock front coil is 16 mm diameter, use a veneer to measure to make sure you have the standard coils in place as it looks like you may have OME coils which would them measure 20 mm diameter.

If you have OME coils then you should also have OME shocks due to the extra lift height which would damage the Nissan stock shocks over time

Looks like you have stock nissan suspension.