Clunking now on braking..!

[Smokey5159]

Guys,

I have an ongoing saga with this clunk I've previously mentioned - but now it has taken a new turn.
I have just come back from a trip in the Vic Alps with my caravan, (I had previously tightened all the bolts under the car I could see - as did the Suspension shop???) and can report that the clunking seemed to go away after travelling with the van behind for a day or so.
The only thing is - one day on our latest trip I unhitched my van and took a 4WD track up a fairly steep mountain (no issues at all on the way up in 4WD low range) and had a rest stop at the top before coming down. It was level ground where we had a coffee break, and I backed the car around to proceed back down the track. As I touched the foot brake going forward (only just after moving off) the car slowed ok, but then there was this BIG clunk immediately after the break was applied - the car stopped just as you would expect, but it was accompanied by a thud sounding clunk, as if something was moving (giving way) after breaking. I couldn't tell if it was front or back, and it happened at least 2 or 3 times when I tested it. We had no other way of exiting this mountain, so I set out with a mind to use the low gearing to get us down with minimal usage of the brake. After 2 or 3 of these clunking occasions as I mentioned - and travelling down maybe 150 metres, the clunking ceased when I applied the brakes, and it didn't happen at all again when we travelled on the flat or with the van on the home trip.

I also must add - that the clunking I've previously mentioned in the posts has seemed to have disappeared (it's also a lot warmer now) - that's what I noted on my first drive into work this morning (minus caravan) anyways...

Regards,
Smokey

[coughy]

sounds like you need to get the brakes looked at
it might be the caliper moving or slide pins worn or something similar
i would go to a good mech and tell them that and that you need to have all of the braking system fully inspected
as the caravan and the hill place a lot more strees on the braking system and that is why it is only there in those situations
get it looked at sooner rather then later m8
doesnt sound good

edit could even be the tail shaft uni front or back
how many km's on the car??

[Smokey5159]

Hi there coughy,

thanks for the reply...
Yeah, not convinced it's the brakes - they're ok. Never happened before towing the van either. I have a suspicion that the noise is linked to the same noise (clunking) I've been getting for a while now. I reckon the steep climb caused an already loose suspension bolt (Ball joint etc) to move, and when it came time to go down, the braking and downward movement caused or exaggerated the movement back into place. I was thinking someone may point out a joint associated with the suspension that reacts when the brakes are applied. I guess all the weight would have been on the rear (suspension) of the car going up, and then transferred to the front going down - then if there was anything that was going to give in the suspension, (front or back) it would have been the most critical to move then when the brakes were applied.
I think anything loose in the brakes wouldn't have rectified itself (as it has) and I had no problems with the brakes at any other time I was away. Actually I did a smaller climb (not as high - just as steep) a few days before, and I had no such brake induced clunking...
Perhaps I have worn ball joints, or bushes or some such thing, I just would have thought the Suspension mob should have picked it up...
Regards...

[mattz]

Have a good look at your shock absorbers bushes. They are quite common to wear and pretty easy to change yourself too.
Also have a look on the side of the transfer case (passenger side) there is another bush between the transfer case and the chassis called a roll stop bush.

It sounds like suspension to me rather than brakes.

[Smokey5159]

Hi Mattz,

Thanks buddy - sounds interesting...

The clunking has been worse during winter (cold weather) and seems to reduce when it's hotter. That sounds like contraction and expansion of joints - could explain a bit, as it was quite cold (Vic alps) going up the track. The "Roll stop bush" - would that get affected by braking..?

[ML2008]

Try looking at your towbar at the ball connector piece and see if the tightening screw piece has not come loose meaning every time you turn or break it goes clunk in its housing

I had this happen after I had a recent trip with the caravan, I know it sounds stupid but check it anyway.