Range Rovers Forum banner

Rear Clunking - Everything is tight

7K views 20 replies 7 participants last post by  CapeCod 
#1 ·
A few weeks back I had the rear Ace bar replaced on my 2010 RRS SC, as it was leaking pretty good. Since I got it back I have been getting an intermittent clunking from the rear. There is no rhyme or reason to it, but it tends to happen less over larger bumps and at higher speeds. Which confuses both me and the shop. When I am driving, especially in traffic, and there is even a slight uneven spot, the clunk will present itself. I have brought it back three times, and everything in the back is tight and without play. The noise is hollow in sound and sounds almost like a drum. Has anyone else ever run into this? Any ideas on what should be checked?

The shop that replaced it is very good at what they do, and they specialize only on rovers.
 
#2 ·
Are your rear seatbelts in front of the seat or draped behind? I chased a random hollow sound for a while and realized my seat belts were behind the seat after folding them back up and were lightly tapping the interior panel. Sounded like it was coming from strut area when driving.
 
#3 ·
Good suggestion. I have had that before, so I know exactly what you mean. Unfortunately this is not the same noise. If my window is down, I can hear it outside of the vehicle.
 
#4 ·
Not sure about the disconnectable sway bar, but to remove the regular one I recall the body has to be separated from the frame...that a lot of stuff to move around, perhaps something didn't get tightened up?
 
#5 ·
You are correct, the body does have to be lifted to access it, even with the Ace Bar. They spent hours checking everything yesterday. Every piece was secured and tight. It is quite frustrating.
 
#6 ·
Hey CC,

Is the dealership doing this under the extended warranty coverage you bought a while back? Just wondering...
 
#7 ·
Yes, it was covered. I have been back three times, and they have not charged me for any of the follow-up visits. They seem baffled. Surprisingly after that initial nonsense with that warranty, they have been super easy to deal with oddly enough.

Upon reading on other range rover models with the Ace system, it appears that the Ace Bar can create this problem. In a lot of cases, if they pull the fuse for the Ace System, the noise disappears. I want to try this, but have no idea which fuse goes to that system.
 
#8 ·
Interesting...... Well, we have the same model and year so my fuse boxes are most likely the same as yours unless there is a Canadian version. The only difference that comes to mind is the heated windshield.

What does ACE stand for in terms of the Ace Bar?

As for the coverage, bravo!!!!! I'm glad it is paying off for you. Makes me consider getting one as well.
 
#9 ·
Yea, so the last 10 months the tally is up to $17k in work. $11k of that was covered by the warranty. Warranty cost $3800, so it has paid for itself three times over.

ACE Stands for Active Cornering Enhancement.
 
#10 ·
Mine also makes that clunking sound every so often and seems more prevalent when it's cold outside. I think it's the ace system doing its thing.
Just a wild guess, but I also think the tight new bushings add to it because they resist the twist of the bar.

I also think we become more aware of sounds that should not be there after changing out the bushings.
 
#11 ·
This clunking is LOUD.. This is not normal operation at all. I had someone at a stop light tell me to have my rear suspension checked that something is broken.
 
#13 ·
#14 ·
Not sure if there are sway bar links between end of ace bar and axle - I assume those were replaced ? WEre they new or rebuilt ? We're bushings also replaced ? On conventional system clunking often comes from worn bushings or worn joints in the links. If Cluncking started after ace bar replace - perhaps you have defective unit and need it replaced again ? Others on these forums got clunck from e-park brake - loose springs or something like that inside drum .. Was that removed or adjusted during ace job ?
 
#15 ·
When the rear ACE bar was replaced, the bushings were also replaced. The links did not need replacement, as they were tight and not sloppy.

As a diagnostic measure, I am curious to find the fuse for the ACE system so I can pull it and see if it does away with the clunking. From what I am reading on other forums, pulling the fuse almost always does away with the noise. If it does silence the clunking, I will be stuck to figure out what exactly is causing the clunking within the system.
 
#17 ·
Just wanted to send an update for future people searching the forum. The problem was the stabilizer bar links. They were not worn too badly, but under certain angles/speeds/bumps, they would be noisy. When the truck was lifted everything appeared completely tight. It was discovered after a technician got under the truck while it was on the ground, and a couple guys rocked the truck back and forth.

Happy to report that everything is nice and quiet!
 
#19 ·
Crossed my mind today while out in my RR that what probably happened was that one of the end links were not tightened properly. It happened to me after changing the front bushings. A couple of days later a clunk started that got progressively louder. Since I already had new end links, I jacked up the front wheel to begin repalcing the links. To my surprise the link nut was not tight. Not sure how that happened, but easy to see that it could since you need to lock the knuckle bolt with a Torx bit. The knuckles themselves are in some kind of hard urethane and hard to see that they could make a loud enough sound that another driver would comment on it, but a loose nut does cause a loud metal to metal knock.
I can see how it happens. These guys like myself are using impact guns. When you remove the nut it becomes apparent that the bolt is spinning and needs to be held, but later when buttoning everything up, you use the gun and forget that the bolt needs to be restrained.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top