Forgot to mention, my bolt backed out slightly from the cast alunimium arm and it sheered off when I was traveling at 80 mph on a busy highway. The shock bottom hit the pavement and sparks shot out the front of the car. Managed to save the oversteer.

So, replace yours ASAP.

 

Did you have any luck with a fix. I have the same noise. I think it sounds like the strut mount or the spring rubbing the spring sleeve. I bought some gasket material that Mini puts on the newer models for strut mount noises. I plan to put them on tomorrow. Will let you know.

 

I think he is replacing his aluminum trailing arm.

 

I actually went with a longer bolt and nut fix for that stripped trailing arm for now. I replaced my sway bar back to stock and the sound is still there. Lightning, please keep us updated if that solution works on your end.

 

Did you have to drill through the trailing arm?

 

No. The original bolt stripped through a lot of the threading in the arm. I had a coarse threaded m14x2.0 bolt and nut lying around and it went in with little hassle. I read that the R53 has a bolt/nut to hold the OEM suspension and is probably better than using the self-tapping screw as seen in the R56.

 

Resolved the issue today. My brother suggested tightening the top strut mount and low and behold after tightening it with the impact wrench and putting it back on the car, clunk is GONE. Planning to still buy a grade 10 bolt and nut though for that stripped trailing arm hole for the lower strut mount though. The one right now is only grade 8.

 

Ah this is frustrating. The sound came back but it's on the driver's side rear now. This side's top strut nut is clearly tight (same amount of threads as the other side). I also have to note that one the sound came before i stripped one of the sway bar mounting holes .

 

I have a clunk coming from the rear of my car now, only suspension mod is the Alta 22mm RSB, trying to figure out what it is. I'll check the struts top nut tomorrow - thanks for the idea!

 

Nitentom,

What is the latest on your clunker?

Did you get that "going faster" book I recommended yet. I could not put it down when I got mine four years ago.

 

The book came in but been too busy to take it out of the box. I've been driving with the sound. Luckily it is difficult to hear the sound or it is absent when on the freeway.

 

Took me about 6 months to get rid of my front clunk. And I swapped camber plates from IE to Vorshlag before that disappeared.

Tell me what you think of the book. You seem to have enough track days to appreciate it.

 

I found my clunk in the rear drivers side to be the end link. It was tight to the touch/ pull but with a stethoscope I pin pointed it to the link bar where the adjustment locking nuts were. Replaced them (not happy with the alta links) with some sealed WMW links and it no longer knocks. Stethoscope is worth the investment

 

I bought a stethoscope too. How did you locate the noise? Did you pull harder or did you have to get more creative while using the stethoscope?

 

You are at least the 5th person I know who has or will get rid of those Alta clunkers.

 

Found that by shaking the car laterally by the roof rack I could consistantly reproduce the sound. Had someone shake the car as I stuck the stethoscope around underneath the noisy side. After about a minute I had it nailed down to the end link, assuming it was a loose bearing. Ordered new ones from Way, installed them without tightening the locking nuts for height adjustment. After lowering the car and "shake testing" it again, noise was still there but on both sides. Tightened the locking bolts and voila, no more knock.

My reccomendation
Check the locking nuts well. My Alta set seemed very tight and fine all along and the rods were pretty rusted so adjustment/tightening was not an option.

Used a old stethoscope that is just like this one:
With the stethoscope and someone either shaking or "bouncing" the car just focus and poke it around. If you are anywhere close to the source it should be pretty easy to find it. My issue sounded like a knock inside the car but was a pretty sharp pinging through the stethoscope.





I have a love/hate with Alta. I did originally really like their products and customer support. Lately however their quality seems down and desire to produce well made parts seems out the window. Problems so far with them:

1. My end links rusted horribly after only a few months and made a knock because of it.
2. CAI mount cracked (I assume under heat) while at the dragon this year.
3. Control arms soon may have the same issue as the endlinks
4. Sway bar lost nearly all of the red coating after a few months and just looks really horrible and rusted right now. Performs well though.

Thus, all their parts are gradually coming off my MINI and being replaced with either NM or something very similar when needed.

Not to mention the whole "we don't see a demand for the N18 engine Accessport" thing. That just made me lose all hope in the company.

But, to each their own.

 

I have a hate/hate relationship with ALTA. I will never buy any of their products again.

 

My endlinks are still stock. Do you think they're still the culprit?

 

Yeah, some people have had some bad experiences with them on a lot of levels. I think they have nice looking products and for fair weather track-specific vehicles they likely perform well. They just seems to not work out for me, my salty winters, and a daily driver.

Well, I'm thinking two things for you specifically.

1. You are lowered with TSWs and likely your sway bars are unbalanced because you are still on stock endlinks. Because of this, you are not getting the true benefits of your sway bar.

I went with these and really love them. Super solid compared to altas, nice thick and strong adjustable sections, and are sealed to handle the weather in New England much better than the exposed bearing kind (Alta/NM).

2. Because you don't have adjustable links now it is almost impossible as my problem was with the adjustable section with the Alta links. This being said, check them anyways with a stethoscope because it could be the bearings knocking.

My process of thinking was to do all of the steps I could think would solve the issue, starting with the lowest cost first and working my way up (price wise). Do this with a friend as sometimes a fresh set of ears can really pinpoint issues. For me, it was by girlfriends father who has a huge garage and tons of knowledge on cars. He suggested the stethoscope and pinpointed the possible issues with me. Huge help.

My process was:

1. Check/tighten top shock bolt (was fine, marked with a sharpie and checked a week later, no change)
2. Replace or Grease Alta Swaybar bushings (Greased them after getting bushing size wrong )
3. Test with stethoscope everywhere
4. Replace endlinks

Sure, this could end up costing a lot fo money but you are gradually doing things that prevent issues down the line so I could justify it. I only ending up spending about $40 before figuring out it was the endlinks. So not too bad.

 

Yelks, Alta for the track. God forbid. You don't put junk on a track car.. I think most of the NE track buddies would faint on that thought except for s-driver who hears nothing but clunks in his race car.

You guys are lucky not to get skinned on NAM. If you said any bad about Alta a few years ago, you would have been bashed by the defenders of alta and the alta head honcho. And they will make NAM take off your post to make it disappear.

 

Well, getting back to nintentom, stock end links can clunk but it is more rare I thought you checked them already, early in this thread.

I would just jack the car up, take off one side of the rear rims/tires, get a whole bunch of phone books, put them under the rotors, lower the car onto the phone books. Apply the gand brake and put on wheel chocks. If you have a really "big" bother or two, have him/them jump up and down at the open door and try to replicate the noise. Repeat on the othe side.

Caution, do not put your head under the car when "big" brother is jumping. A scope would be useful. Maybe you can borrow or rent one from advance auto or auto zone.

 

Rather than having some Yeti-humanoid wrenching on your open door, risking damage to the door/hinge area (especially if you have stiff springs), wouldn't it be safer to put the rear up on jackstands, remove wheel, unbolt the strut, and move the suspension assembly up and down by hand?

 

I thought he tried that already in his previous searches for the klunk. You have to have both sides of the back jacked up otherwise there is tension on the suspension from the sway bar.

Don't jump on the open door. The open door sill in the passenger compartment.

 

I think keep the wheels on and trying this is the safest bet. Our clearance even with springs is still enough to safely reach under the car and use a stethoscope. There is waaayyyy too much to risk getting hurt by putting your car, wheeless, on books. The knock may be annoying but killing yourself or someone is not worth anything. Find someone to help you do it safely with the car fully on the ground it on a proper lift.

And yeah either use the door sill, roof rack, or rear hatch area to move the car around. Never use anything on a hinge as you'll be just asking for trouble.

 

I know the op has tried lots if things already. Lets see what he comes up with and whether he can find his clunk.