Rear trailing arm bushes

hi there

My 90 TD5 has developed a clunk when changing gear or accelerating. Isn't so bad when going down a hill or if you are very (and I mean very) gentle with the clutch. I think it also does it when going over potholes but she is so noisy anyway it is hard to tell!

Have had a look underneath and I suspect that it is the bushes on the rear trailing arms as there seems to be about a 1/4" to 1/2" of play on the bush on the threaded end towards the front of the land lover. Presumably there is meant to be no play on these?

It also seems to have developed a tendency to feel like it is over steering sometimes when going round corners, almost caught me out this morning! I had out this down to having 235/85/16's on standard 5.5" rims but maybe this points to an issue with the trailing arms.

Does anyone disagree with my diagnosis?

Initially thought it was a universal joint but there isn't any vibration and they seem OK. Haven't looked at rear A frame bush yet as Land Rover so dirty underneath so not ruling that out. So will go there next if this much play is normal on trailing arms.

Have changed them before on another Land Rover but couldn't remember how tight the bushes were when I was finished.

They are fecked.
A good tip is to get someone to tighten the wheel nuts with a long power bar or something whilst you observe the bushes.
A sort of tighten/release/tighten/release every second or so motion whilst you look for the unwanted movement.
Wheels on the ground.
A frame ball joint is likely for the knock, the bushes (amongst other things) for the steering issues.

Flossie said:

They are fecked.
A good tip is to get someone to tighten the wheel nuts with a long power bar or something whilst you observe the bushes.
A sort of tighten/release/tighten/release every second or so motion whilst you look for the unwanted movement.
Wheels on the ground.
A frame ball joint is likely for the knock, the bushes (amongst other things) for the steering issues.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Have been outside this avo fiddling about under Landrover. I agree the trailing arm bushes are knackered, there is enough play for me to use a pry bar and lever the back wheels back and forwards.

Propshafts are fine, just a little bit play on spline on rear shaft. Gave them a bit of a grease and seemed to quieten things down a wee bit but knock still happening so definitely not them.

A frame ball joint has the tiniest amount of movement on it when levered with a big pry bar. Landrover front wheels were up on some ramps when I did this so that might make a slight difference. Am going to do the trailing arm bushes and the top rear shock bushes (which are also done though haven't been able to check the shocks themselves) and if it is still clunking the A frame ball joint is next. Use it every day so can't do the whole lot in one go anyway.

I did my A frame last weekend it was clunking a bit when taking up the drive, the bushes were not too bad but the ball joint was knackered I think they have been on there since new 15 years ago.
Took a local engineering company with a 150 ton press to get the bushes out then I wire brushed the arms and painted them. used poly bushes as they are easy to fit put plenty silicon grease on them. Changed the ball joint while I was at it.
It made a huge difference clunking is gone and the whole thing feels better to drive worth the effort.

Well sorry to revive this but I have replaced the a frame ball joint when putting a new tub floor in and while the clunking has improved slightly it is still there if I am not completely sympathetic with my gear changes.

The hinges on the back door are completely knackered so they make a lot of noise which confuses things, but the other day I put half a ton of minerals in the back of the Landrover and when driving up the road the clunking and general racket coming from the rear of the Landrover almost completely disappeared.

Now I have my suspicions about the rear trailing arm bushes (though someone said this shouldn't cause the clunk) and there is some slack on the rear prop shaft but does the fact that the noise goes when there is a lot of weight in the back of the Landrover give anyone a clue as to what the problem is?

I don't particularly want to have to permanently carry a couple of hundred kilos of stuff around in the back to keep the racket down so any thoughts would be appreciated.

Get the back end in the air on stands, on the shass, get a pry bar in there and try to move, shake twist and turn every thing you can see, even the props, might save you a lot of money and knuckle rash. Good luck, happy hunting.

That should help locate the problem, at the same time while you are jacking up the vehicle make sure all the wheels are chocked securely then with no handbrake applied with one back wheel jacked up try turning the wheel back and forward, should tell you if there is excessive backlash in the transmission which would clunk as you go from accelerating to braking,

I'm wondering if your 'slight' play in the pshaft splines is actually not that slight. If you have the pshaft off to investigate it, check the big nut holding the drive flange onto the tbox, I've had that come loose.

boguing said:

I'm wondering if your 'slight' play in the pshaft splines is actually not that slight. If you have the pshaft off to investigate it, check the big nut holding the drive flange onto the tbox, I've had that come loose.

Click to expand...

Don't want to sound depressing but there are so many possible places for backlash which might clunk, Gearbox to transfer box shaft, transfer box dif, prop shafts, axle difs, half shaft splines.
May be a good plan to nail the amount of backlash and then if that is OK look at the suspension.
Maybe I was lucky that I did the A frame bushes and ball joint and things improved a whole lot, I have a re man transfer box I intend to fit when I can, possibly taking a look in the R380 gear box at the same time.

raywin said:

That should help locate the problem, at the same time while you are jacking up the vehicle make sure all the wheels are chocked securely then with no handbrake applied with one back wheel jacked up try turning the wheel back and forward, should tell you if there is excessive backlash in the transmission which would clunk as you go from accelerating to braking,

Click to expand...

Have just done this and you can turn the lifted rear wheel about an 1/8 of a turn. If you have all wheels on the ground, in neutral and hand brake off there is maybe half that slack in the rear propshaft.

I know landrovers by design have quite a lot of slack in the transmission but don't know if what I am seeing is excessive as don't have another Landrover to compare it to.

There is enough loose play on the front bush of the rear trailing arms to stick your pinky in the gap so they are not great either but just don't know if this would contribute to the clunking and general racket going over bumps!

I would say that 1/8 of a turn seems OK considering that you are testing all of the cumulative backlash,in the transmission.
I would be inclined to focus on the bushes, I don't think they are very expensive.
I had my chassis replaced last year and part of my plan was to change the A frame parts and the trailing arm bushes (already done the radius arms) and then have it checked at a 4 wheel alignment center, just to be sure everything is as it should be.

Thought I would revive this as I have now solved the annoying clunk and it may help others.

So before I did anything I would say the clunk was a 10. Clunked every gear change and whenever you let off the throttle and then put the power back on. Landrover also felt like it was oversteering a lot and would go out of line when you let off the throttle. Was basically a complete nightmare to drive and was like sitting in a buscuit tin with someone belting it with a hammer.

First off changed the A frame ball joint. Clunk went to a 9 and handling was still dodgy.

Next changed rear half shafts and drive members. Would have done this before but guy that works for me said they had been changed. They hadn't. Clunk went down to a 4. Now only clunked if gear change was less than perfect and when letting off power and putting it back on.

Next changed rear shocks for new Monroes. Old shocks knackered and one of the shocks had been wearing away at the bottom shock mounting. Clunk went to a 2. Now didn't really clunk at all on gear changes and only clunked when going on and off the throttle.

Next changed bushes for rear trailing arms. Rear bushes not too bad but changed them anyway. front bushes were very worn internally. Clunk went to a 0. Now you can't even get it to clunk if you try. Going on and off throttle does not cause any clunking noise. Most incompetent gear change ever just cause a lurch but no clunk. Landrover is now almost a pleasure to drive and once I sort the rear door hinges and get a rear wheel carrier to get rid of the last of the back end noise it will almost be as good as new. well maybe not quite