Knocking noise posible suspension issue?

[z3i]

Well i got the HnR kit. disappointing. the wheel bearings were shot and needed replacing anyway, so paid nearly new money for worn out suspension
the 60mm/60mm lower ride height is spot on. however the handling is not. it bounces around wayy to much! as if the dampers arnt beafy enough and it bounces around on the springs after going over a bump. not impressed. dont buy it. get the b12 which is what i will be doing in a year or so
Taylor

[Jezza-7]

Really?

I thought they would be more solid than that.

[breadman]

You've been really unlucky Taylor. My G40 was a total piece of shit when I bought it too.
The HnR setups were known as one of the best kits available. As you say, the new Bilstein kits are said to be even better. Koni dampers with Eibach springs are another excellent choice so I hear.
I reckon your HnR kit must be knackered, uncontrolled bouncing around sounds like worn dampers. A mate of mine has them fitted to his MK2 Coupe along with polybushes and 185/50/14 tyres, the ride is pretty firm but certainly well controlled.

[z3i]

You've been really unlucky Taylor. My G40 was a total piece of shit when I bought it too.
The HnR setups were known as one of the best kits available. As you say, the new Bilstein kits are said to be even better. Koni dampers with Eibach springs are another excellent choice so I hear.
I reckon your HnR kit must be knackered, uncontrolled bouncing around sounds like worn dampers. A mate of mine has them fitted to his MK2 Coupe along with polybushes and 185/50/14 tyres, the ride is pretty firm but certainly well controlled.

Yeah indeed i have trying to put it right but nearly everything is faulty! oh well you live and learn.
it definitely feels like worn dampers. well its an improvement from what i had on there anyway. will just have to save up for the Bilstein kit as it sounds spot on for the road and the price is pretty decent for what you get. i just wont by second hand this time haha
Taylor

[z3i]

How much did you spend on yours to get it right breadman?
just put some new nylon arb blocks and lateral clamps on as well as nylon outer tca bushes. checked the inner nylon bushes and they are fine
still getting a horrendous knocking noise, is worse now with the uprated parts
all bolts and nuts are tight
the only thing i did notice is if i jack the car up and then lift the wheel up and down theres play in the top mount and it rattles a bit, but was told this is normal on the polo top mount design? i was also told the top mounts were recently changed on the suspension i bought so im not sure. but the play doesnt seem right
if the noise is top mounts im gonna be pissed!! lol got to take everything back out for the third time!!
my wheels scrub out soooo bad on full lock but putting this down to tracking.... or probably a bent chassis leg haha
Taylor

[Jezza-7]

My wheels scrub on full lock and my tracking is good but run 14" wheels.

Depends on what size, et and width you got.

[Yoof]

How much did you spend on yours to get it right breadman?
just put some new nylon arb blocks and lateral clamps on as well as nylon outer tca bushes. checked the inner nylon bushes and they are fine
still getting a horrendous knocking noise, is worse now with the uprated parts
all bolts and nuts are tight
the only thing i did notice is if i jack the car up and then lift the wheel up and down theres play in the top mount and it rattles a bit, but was told this is normal on the polo top mount design? i was also told the top mounts were recently changed on the suspension i bought so im not sure. but the play doesnt seem right
if the noise is top mounts im gonna be pissed!! lol got to take everything back out for the third time!!
my wheels scrub out soooo bad on full lock but putting this down to tracking.... or probably a bent chassis leg haha
Taylor

Have you told Saf the bearings are shot? I'm sure he'll sort you out- might be worth speaking to him?

Sounds like the castle nut isn't tight on your top mount, another utter PITA to find is the shock being loose in the strut- which knocks like a bugger, and everything appears to be tight on the outside.

The H&R kit are well matched springs/dampers if it is very crashy then you might have a leaking damper (fairly sure H&R are oil filled) so have a look for fluid around the shock.

Pete sells new Febi top mounts on here, which aren't expensive 

[z3i]

Thanks for the reply people
I dont mind buying new ones, like you said pete does febi ones for pretty cheap
Its just the effort involved with doing it on my driveway and i was trying to diagnose a knocking noise which i first thought to be top mounts on my old suspension, so when i changed it for suspension with what i thought were good top mounts it led me to believe it was another component. now ive changed everything and the problem still persists its confusing me :S

Thanks for the info on the shock being loose in the strut i never thought of that. but when its jacked up all the movement left, right up and down is coming from the top mount.

When i checked the castle nut it all seemed tight, im going to get one of the castle nut sockets from gsf and double check tomorrow.

Checked the shocks before i put them in and none of them had oil or any signs of leaks. the rears returned at different rates but that was it

Also i have original g40 ra's the 5.5" wide ones

[grungeisdead]

I didn't fit the shocks into the struts in that HnR setup I had, it came on a car I purchased and I swapped them onto the G, so its plausible that they haven't had the ol' 2p trick down the shock tube, or filling with oil around the front shock to take up any movement in the strut tube.

I did have to with my KW's and haven't before with another HnR kit. With all of them I've found the castle nut to get loose over time, me and adam, the roads in manchester are shockingly bad but im sure thats the same story all over the country.

the last time the kit saw the road was our trip round europe, and everything felt right on the car going over bumps etc, we did get uneven tyre wear on both fronts as if the tracking was out, i just dont think my mate at the garage setup the geometry correctly for toe and castor.

ive always ran HnR or KW's on all on my poloes, and have only experienced budget shocks and springs on Karls GT which is a firm and unforgiving rides, I was always happy with the softer more compliant ride that the more expensive setups gave.

as said in previous correspondence,I can buy you a set of new bearings, or top mounts to replace if you want. if you were closer i could fit them too of an evening.

hopefully when your at a show in the future you could ask to jump in a couple of peoples G40's and get a feel for how they handle as a comparative benchmark, as I'm not sure if you've had any old poloes in the past.

hopefully ill get you a beer in too

[z3i]

I didn't fit the shocks into the struts in that HnR setup I had, it came on a car I purchased and I swapped them onto the G, so its plausible that they haven't had the ol' 2p trick down the shock tube, or filling with oil around the front shock to take up any movement in the strut tube.

I did have to with my KW's and haven't before with another HnR kit. With all of them I've found the castle nut to get loose over time, me and adam, the roads in manchester are shockingly bad but im sure thats the same story all over the country.

the last time the kit saw the road was our trip round europe, and everything felt right on the car going over bumps etc, we did get uneven tyre wear on both fronts as if the tracking was out, i just dont think my mate at the garage setup the geometry correctly for toe and castor.

ive always ran HnR or KW's on all on my poloes, and have only experienced budget shocks and springs on Karls GT which is a firm and unforgiving rides, I was always happy with the softer more compliant ride that the more expensive setups gave.

as said in previous correspondence,I can buy you a set of new bearings, or top mounts to replace if you want. if you were closer i could fit them too of an evening.

hopefully when your at a show in the future you could ask to jump in a couple of peoples G40's and get a feel for how they handle as a comparative benchmark, as I'm not sure if you've had any old poloes in the past.

hopefully ill get you a beer in too

Cheers for the reply mate
ok, it might be worth just rebuilding them then, new oil check everything is tight and new top mounts

Thanks for the offer mate, they are only cheap so no worries and same for the bearings, it was more the fact i was just hoping to do a straight suspension swap and not have to worry if you get me?
Besides if i were to pay you for all the advice you've given me, it would probably be equivalent to the price of two top mounts and two bearings haha

And yes! that would be spot on! theres loads of things im unsure off on my car but have nothing to compare it to. it would be good if someone with lots of polo history could drive mine and give me some feedback (probably condemn it lol) and yes this is my first polo and my first car with this crazy ass suspension set up
Thanks for the help mate
Haha ok ill hold you too the beer

[z3i]

Took all the suspension apart today, cleaned it, rebuilt, made sure everything was tight, new gsf top mounts and the noise has stopped
now i can hear all the other horrible noises the car makes haha