Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
Air bag / Shock top movement
Does anyone know if the very top of the shock tower (in yellow below) is designed to move? Or is it supposed to be rigid?
Click image to enlarge
16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
27th Sep 2009 5:52 am
Wex
Member Since: 16 Apr 2007
Location: Knackeragua
Posts: 5173
As regards laeral movement, it's supposed to be rigid.The airbag is held on to the turret by three 15 mm nuts.There will be som but very little up down movement a the shock compresses on the rubber doughnut/bushing under the top plate that you can see in your photo.The top nut (Nyloc ,22 mm from memory) tightens down on the plate which in turn tightens down on the doughnut , under that are some plastic bushes and one or two rubber rings which sit/slide over the shaft of the shock.I'd be surprised if the top nut is loose as they area to move even with tools.
Have alook in my gallery wher theres a pdf/how to on changing out the shocks , you can see how it fits together.
Have you had any changeover on the airbag or shock ? Wht sort of movement are you seeing ?
27th Sep 2009 12:15 pm
jjvd21
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
Discowex, thanks for the reply. I've had a chattering / clank coming from the right rear suspension for 1.5 years. 2 seperate dealers have acknowledged the noise but cannot identify the part causing the noise. It is driving me insane, it makes noise in the cabin. I have been capturing video of the right rear suspension in order to identify the chatter / clank myself. I took video of the shock tower top yesterday and it moves. See video here:
Let me know what you think, thanks!!!!!! 16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
27th Sep 2009 4:50 pm
10forcash
Member Since: 09 Jun 2005
Location: Ubique
Posts: 16534
There is supposed to be movement there, any shock / damper needs to move on it's mounting points to prevent it being damaged / causing damage under extreme loads, take a look at any other vehicle with independent suspension and you'll see the same set-up of force washers, buffers etc. as DW says, there should only be up-and-down movement, side to side movement indicates a defect
27th Sep 2009 6:08 pm
AndrewS Tarquin of the Desert
Member Since: 06 May 2005
Location: Y...... because I can
Posts: 10438
My car has started to make a noise similar to that on the video. I now know where to look In the Beginning there was nothing, which exploded.
27th Sep 2009 6:14 pm
jjvd21
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
discowex, 10forcash, thank you for the replies. When I took the video of the shock tower, I thought that maybe this is where the noise was coming from. Now I know it's supposed to move like this.
AndrewS, where? 16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
27th Sep 2009 6:28 pm
Wex
Member Since: 16 Apr 2007
Location: Knackeragua
Posts: 5173
Seeing as you have a video setup , try filming the arb clamp & bushes on both sides.
Lower Control Arms are also a possibility.I'll be changing the fronts on mine myself in the next few weeks.
I've close on 250 thou klms on my own car and with the exception of the impending control arm change vitually every piece of the suspension has been changed , some more than once.
Good luck and hope you find the problem
27th Sep 2009 6:43 pm
jjvd21
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
discowex, are you referring to the arb linkage? I found this about 6 months ago, filmed mine and it's not the reason for the noise, but interesting nonetheless: 16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
27th Sep 2009 8:05 pm
Wex
Member Since: 16 Apr 2007
Location: Knackeragua
Posts: 5173
Nope not the linkage but the u-shaped clamps that hug the main anti roll bar to the chassis
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
Yeah, I filmed those and they aren't the culprit. I've got the shims too! I'm on the verge of insanity with this noise.16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
27th Sep 2009 9:04 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26702
Its not something as silly as the brake pads rattling is it? Does it go away when you brake?
27th Sep 2009 10:44 pm
jjvd21
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
Gareth, I've had the brake pads replaced in the past 6 months and the noise unfortunately didn't change. It's something between the shock and the hub I believe.
Does anyone have a detailed drawing of the D3's right rear suspension? Maybe a body off shot in detail perhaps?
I've pretty much shot video of everything I can without taking the wheel off. The noise is directly tied to uneven ground, crack in the pavement, or pot hole. I can actually coast at 30 mph hit a small patch of uneven pavemetn and rattle rattle rattle. It must be tied to the suspension somehow.16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
28th Sep 2009 12:24 am
caverD3
Member Since: 03 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
Has the dealer checked the body mounts?
Some earlier models had cracked front body mounts.
I had some noise from mine but the mounts were OK. Dealer just tightened the bolts and the noise went.“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.
28th Sep 2009 1:45 am
jjvd21
Member Since: 16 Jul 2007
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1070
caverD3, the dealer has not checked the body mounts. I have an early '05 so I will check these. How are they tightened? Can this be done by me or is it dealer only? Thanks for the idea!16 D4 Landmark
05 D3 HSE V8
THE original D4 spotter
28th Sep 2009 1:51 am
caverD3
Member Since: 03 Jul 2006
Location: Oberon, NSW
Posts: 6922
Check for cracks first. Look at the front ones by taking the grill off.
Not sure how they are tightened, have alook underneath. There may be a specific torque setting though.“There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely gamesâ€
Ernest Hemmingway
D4 3.0 Active Diff, Adaptive Lights, High Beam Assist, Surround Cameras, Privacy Glass.
D3 2.7:Adaptive Headlights,Electronic Rear Diff,ARB Bar,Blaupunkt Speakers,JVC Powered Subwoofer,Removable Snorkel,Mitch Hitch,Pioneer After Market Head Unit,Steering Wheel Control Adaptor,Remote Adjustable Supension Rod System, Taxside Dual Battery System.
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to move even with tools.
AndrewS, where? 
