[theblackyone]

Hello,

I have an BMW e92 320D 2007 (177 hp version, rear wheel drive, automatic).
Last summer I've hit a pothole with the left side of the car (probabbly the front wheel) and after that I have a strange clunk while braking.

The clunk explanation (low speed, under 20km / h):
Car is stopped -> drive forward -> press brake -> at first brake pedal hit, strange sound is coming out from the left front part of the car
Car is stopped -> do reverse-> press brake -> at first brake pedal hit, strange sound is coming out from the left front part of the car

The clunk is gone after the brake got first hit.

Things to consider:
I've replaced
- front suspension (struts + coils + guidance part that allows the steering of the struts)
- front arms (all of them)
- front sway links
- steering links (those bushing that links the steering rack with the wheel)
- reconditioned the steering rack
- replaced brakes (disks + pads)
- engine mount bushing
- gearbox mount bushing


Things not replaced:
- sway bar + sway bar bushing
- steering rack
- steering rack column


Does any of you encountered this issue? I cannot tell exactly where the noise is coming from and I honestly don't know what part exactly to change anymore.

Workshop experience: I went to 4 workshops and one of them was the BMW dealership. Non of them was able to determine from where the noise is coming from and what part is defective.

Thanks in advance.

[theblackyone]

Got to mention that only 1 out of 4 workshops didn't charged me for debugging this issue because they couldn't find it.

The other 3, one by one said that:
- you got to replace arms. Done, replaced, clunk is still there. (cost ~500 euros)
- you got to fix the steering rack, we can do it for you. Done, clunk still there, but I got no refund for paying for fixing something that was already working (cost ~300 euros)
- front coil is bent + also this is brake pads sound. Got them replaced, fixed, cleaned, etc, clunk is still there (cost ~1600 euros for brakes + front suspension)
- "The car is fine, doesn't have any clunk", charging me ~50 euros for basically telling me that my hearing is bad

All the replaced parts are OEM.

However, I'm done paying from 50-100 euros or more at workshops for debugging and in the end to hear that "The car doesn't have anything wrong" .. so now I'm afraid that I'm going to replace the steering rack (which is not cheap) and then the clunk will still be there.

[Jaronbwall]

Dumb question; do you know for sure it's coming from the front end? You focused a lot of time and $$$ on one area. Maybe the same side REAR suspension took a hit as well and broke something or loosed up. Last year I changed my wife's car front struts because we thought they were bad. We had a clunk sound driving over small bumps. Really annoying. Ordered new ones and as I'm swapping them I notice a loose sway bar end link. I've already changed one side... long story short nothing was really "broken" or worn out! My dumb a** never checked the sway bar connections! Had I done that it would have fixed the clunk sound and saved me 8hr worth of time (I'm not mechanic). Consider looking in other areas if you haven't already. Good luck.

[TGTIW]

A lot of times you can get a clunk when the brake pad shifts in the caliper, upon pressing the brakes for the first time when going from forward to reverse, and vice-versa. This wouldn't explain why the noise would appear after hitting a pothole, and is more common with aftermarket pads.

[theblackyone]

Originally Posted by TGTIW

A lot of times you can get a clunk when the brake pad shifts in the caliper, upon pressing the brakes for the first time when going from forward to reverse, and vice-versa. This wouldn't explain why the noise would appear after hitting a pothole, and is more common with aftermarket pads.

The noise was not there before the pothole and the pads and disks are OEM

[theblackyone]

Originally Posted by Jaronbwall

Dumb question; do you know for sure it's coming from the front end? You focused a lot of time and $$$ on one area. Maybe the same side REAR suspension took a hit as well and broke something or loosed up. Last year I changed my wife's car front struts because we thought they were bad. We had a clunk sound driving over small bumps. Really annoying. Ordered new ones and as I'm swapping them I notice a loose sway bar end link. I've already changed one side... long story short nothing was really "broken" or worn out! My dumb a** never checked the sway bar connections! Had I done that it would have fixed the clunk sound and saved me 8hr worth of time (I'm not mechanic). Consider looking in other areas if you haven't already. Good luck.

The 4 workshops checked also the rear side of the car (via hand by pushing or via car checking stand) Nothing seems to be bad in there.
I tried to do an alignement on the rear recently and they told me the bolts are worn out so I have to replace the whole arms so it can have the alignement done on the rear also. Will do that soon.

Anyway, when you hit the brakes, it feels like the front wheel stays and the whole car is still going. Also the clunk can be felt in the steering wheel or in the brake pedal. So it makes me thinking it is something from the front end.

Also nothing is coming from the brakes as also the calipers were dismontled and checked.

[Jaronbwall]

Interesting. A bad alignment doesn't cause a clunking sound but it's important to have done anyways. The brake pad sound you described is common but you ruled that out. I'm stumped on this one.

[335i54n]

double check the parts and install, not sure how a shop with an alignment rack cant find the issue. slow speed brake judder is normally tension bushing

https://www.amazon.com/Mueller-Kueps.../dp/B00H2WFHN4

[Jaronbwall]

You could jack up the corner you suspect is causing the noise. Then cautiously "drop" the corresponding tire onto a block of wood. You'll be outside the car and beside the suspension. Maybe you hear the sound in new place, maybe you don't, but it's an idea I'd use to pinpoint clunking.

[vester86]

is it possible that the guide pin bushes on your car have worn out? then the "sliding part" of the caliper is somewhat loose and can make a clunck noise when braking or reversing

[theblackyone]

Originally Posted by vester86

is it possible that the guide pin bushes on your car have worn out? then the "sliding part" of the caliper is somewhat loose and can make a clunck noise when braking or reversing

I have checked and clean those when I replaced the disks and pads. They look fine and also the caliper is not shakable by hand. But, yea, thanks, will try to replace those as well