Author Topic: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider  (Read 264 times)

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Offline Paul Greenway

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Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« on: April 24, 2025, 08:00:43 PM »
Hi all,

I have recently noticed a clunking sound or what sounds like a latch snapping to, coming from what seems like behind the rear seats or the boot area on my Spider. I've had everything out of the boot and cannot find anything obvious. It sounds more nearside and I have had the exhaust and suspension checked out  with the exhaust being adjusted and new bracket fitted but to no avail. The sound can only be heard when running over road imperfections such as potholes, bumps and ironwork but drives super smooth on good road surfaces. My mechanic friend says that it's not suspension related and the car is safe to drive. Anyone have any ideas? All advice appreciated, thanks.

Paul.
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE

Offline Nigel

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2025, 09:41:15 PM »
Hi Paul,
I've had a similar issue at the front right of my HPE in which I get a loudish click
intermittently. Seems to be coming from the speaker/storage pocket area.
I've been all over the subframe, suspension and drive line with no success.
I now think that it's a spot weld or two which have separated somewhere.
Consider putting a small victim in the boot to feel and listen.

Nigel
1984 2.0 Carb HPE [ex Aus] Grigio Finanza.
2007 Mazda 6 2.3 [current daily, highly recommended]
The past:
1980 2.0 HPE White in South Africa [hope it survives!]
1976 1.6 Coupe Lancia Blu [PFG 76R] [probably deceased]
oh,and an Uno Turbo 1997 also in SA [stolen,never recovered]

Offline peteracs

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2025, 10:18:19 PM »
Hi Paul

Have you checked the rear brake bias valve mechanism?

Peter
Beta Spyder S2 pre F/L 1600
Beta HPE S2 pre F/L 1600

Offline Neil-yaj396

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2025, 07:45:30 AM »
My Coupe does what I suspect is exactly the same thing but only intermittently. I've just put it down to a 'dry' rear spring.

Offline SanRemo78

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2025, 08:14:57 AM »
Put the body on axle stands and check the suspension.

Start with the state of the rear subframe, check it's securely bolted down and look closely at the bushes for the transverse arms.
Grab each wheel at 12/6 o'clock and then 3/9 o'clock and rock them to check for movement. If there is any look more closely at the transverse bushes when underneath the car with someone else moving the wheel.
Check the outer bush on the hub carrier to anti roll bar joint.
Inspect the springs for cracks and the spring seating rubbers in case they're collapsed and you're getting metal to metal contact. Check the state of the top mounts too, not just the securing nuts but has the rubber perished?
Have a look at the state of the bushes in the brake compensator linkage to ARB. I'd look at the ones in the bracket bolted to the ARB and the ones in the actuator arm, Mark sells these, mine were AWOL. Finally have a look at the brake compensator itself, is the piston free or seized? If it's seized you may be hearing the actuator arm knocking against it on compression. Potentially, a road test with the compensator disconnected from the ARB over a pothole known to cause the noise will give you a good idea if that's the culprit. But be aware that your rear brakes may be more effective than before. Take it easy!

As with anything underbody related please make sure the car is properly supported before you go underneath it with a fall back support like a couple of carefully placed spare wheels. Take extra care if you're dismantling shock absorbers. Springs can be lethal.
Hawk HF3000 - Square Arch Stratos Replica - owned since 1988.
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Offline Paul Greenway

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2025, 05:50:20 PM »

Thanks for the advice guys, it's much appreciated. It turns out that it is suspension related as we found out over the weekend at the LMC GNW. The clunking/snapping sound was replaced by a crashing sound when traversing a particularly deep pothole. The result is negative camber on the LHS rear wheel. Neil Priestman had a look at it and thinks that a bush (or bushes) may have collapsed causing this. I've nursed the car home but it now needs some attention and I'm not the man to sort. Can anyone advise what bushes these are likely to be or do I just purchase a full set of rear bushes from Betaboyz and renew both sides to all areas? Thanks in advance,

Paul
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE

Offline HFStuart

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2025, 06:01:52 PM »
The rear tie rod bushes I'd suspect - there are four each side. That's quite a lot or negative camber though so I'd be checking the strut and hub carefully.

NB Why is your brake light  / reflector lens in upside down?  I've not seen that before!

« Last Edit: April 27, 2025, 06:04:08 PM by HFStuart »

Offline SanRemo78

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2025, 08:01:43 PM »
I'm hoping that's a lot of distortion in the picture but its showing really dangerous camber. Jack it up, axle stands and pull the wheel off. It's going to be the transverse arm bushes 99% and they're not a difficult job IF the bolts through the rear hub carrier and rear strut are not seized. Once you've identified what's failed you can start treating it with penetrating fluids (a 50:50 mixture of Automatic Tranmission Fluid and Acetone/Nail Varnish Remover will work too, maybe even better) but take your time letting it soak in. You'll probably need to do all the bushes on the arms (8 off) and it's fairly easy with a vice and sockets to push them out/replace them.

However, if the transverse arms have failed due to rust and snapped or are bent then replacement is the only solution.

Guy
Hawk HF3000 - Square Arch Stratos Replica - owned since 1988.
Skoda Superb Scout 2021. Believed 1of 1 in the UK!
Fiat Panda 100HP and now -
A Lancia Beta Coupe 1981 2 Litre

Offline peteracs

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2025, 09:51:11 PM »
NB Why is your brake light  / reflector lens in upside down?  I've not seen that before!

That looks really odd, looks like someone rebuilt the rear lens and put it in upside down?

Paul, is the other side the same?

Peter
Beta Spyder S2 pre F/L 1600
Beta HPE S2 pre F/L 1600

Offline Paul Greenway

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2025, 10:06:13 PM »
I'm hoping that's a lot of distortion in the picture but its showing really dangerous camber. Jack it up, axle stands and pull the wheel off. It's going to be the transverse arm bushes 99% and they're not a difficult job IF the bolts through the rear hub carrier and rear strut are not seized. Once you've identified what's failed you can start treating it with penetrating fluids (a 50:50 mixture of Automatic Tranmission Fluid and Acetone/Nail Varnish Remover will work too, maybe even better) but take your time letting it soak in. You'll probably need to do all the bushes on the arms (8 off) and it's fairly easy with a vice and sockets to push them out/replace them.

However, if the transverse arms have failed due to rust and snapped or are bent then replacement is the only solution.

Guy

Hi Guy & Stuart, it's not as severe as it looks in the second photo, the first photo is probably more reflective of the actual situation. I'll get a trusted garage to sort, but could do with knowing exactly what bushes to purchase, is it the rear transverse pressed arm PU bush set or adjustable arm set? And what about the PU rear Anti roll bar sway set too? sorry my knowledge is not the best. Thanks for all the advice.
Paul
« Last Edit: April 28, 2025, 07:51:31 AM by peteracs »
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE

Offline peteracs

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2025, 08:11:04 AM »
Hi Paul

You will need to get underneath and see what type of transverse arms you actually have as two types were used.

Peter
Beta Spyder S2 pre F/L 1600
Beta HPE S2 pre F/L 1600

Offline HFStuart

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2025, 08:50:22 AM »
"is it the rear transverse pressed arm PU bush set or adjustable arm set?"

Could be either  - as said you or your garage will need to check.

Offline Paul Greenway

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2025, 08:59:26 AM »
NB Why is your brake light  / reflector lens in upside down?  I've not seen that before!

That looks really odd, looks like someone rebuilt the rear lens and put it in upside down?

Paul, is the other side the same?

Peter


I'd never noticed that either, nor has anyone else. It's not been changed in my ownership- the car was restored 2006-08, perhaps it was done then. The other side is the correct way up. Very strange.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2025, 10:31:14 AM by peteracs »
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE

Offline Neil-yaj396

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #13 on: April 28, 2025, 09:26:13 AM »


However, if the transverse arms have failed due to rust and snapped or are bent then replacement is the only solution.

Guy

I had a crawl under the car on Saturday. All four link arms are solid with only surface rust, hence me thinking that it must be the bushes, though non are loose to the point where I could induce any movement with the car on the ground. The locating bolts on the bottom of the struts look proper rusted in, but Paul isn't DIYing so I'm sure his garage will shift them.

Paul - I think you need to change all 8 bushes on the link/transverse arms ie all 4 at both ends. As Guy says the garage should check the whole N/S/R strut while the are at it.

Offline Paul Greenway

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #14 on: April 28, 2025, 06:04:07 PM »


However, if the transverse arms have failed due to rust and snapped or are bent then replacement is the only solution.

Guy

I had a crawl under the car on Saturday. All four link arms are solid with only surface rust, hence me thinking that it must be the bushes, though non are loose to the point where I could induce any movement with the car on the ground. The locating bolts on the bottom of the struts look proper rusted in, but Paul isn't DIYing so I'm sure his garage will shift them.

Paul - I think you need to change all 8 bushes on the link/transverse arms ie all 4 at both ends. As Guy says the garage should check the whole N/S/R strut while the are at it.
Thanks Neil & everyone else for their comments, Neil you couldn't deduce the type of transverse arms (pressed or adjustable arm?) from when you viewed could you? I don't want to order the wrong parts so I think to be sure I'll take it to Howard at Alitalia for peace of mind rather than trust a non Lancia specialist even though they are good with other classics.
Paul
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE

Offline Neil-yaj396

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #15 on: April 29, 2025, 07:59:04 AM »


However, if the transverse arms have failed due to rust and snapped or are bent then replacement is the only solution.

Guy

I had a crawl under the car on Saturday. All four link arms are solid with only surface rust, hence me thinking that it must be the bushes, though non are loose to the point where I could induce any movement with the car on the ground. The locating bolts on the bottom of the struts look proper rusted in, but Paul isn't DIYing so I'm sure his garage will shift them.

Paul - I think you need to change all 8 bushes on the link/transverse arms ie all 4 at both ends. As Guy says the garage should check the whole N/S/R strut while the are at it.
Thanks Neil & everyone else for their comments, Neil you couldn't deduce the type of transverse arms (pressed or adjustable arm?) from when you viewed could you? I don't want to order the wrong parts so I think to be sure I'll take it to Howard at Alitalia for peace of mind rather than trust a non Lancia specialist even though they are good with other classics.
Paul

As per your photo they look like the adjustable arms to me, my car has the pressed ones and yours don't look the same. Others will no doubt confirm.

Offline peteracs

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #16 on: April 29, 2025, 02:09:55 PM »
The rear is the adjustable round one. The front looks to be the pressed one though hard to see in the photo. You would need to check both sides

Peter
Beta Spyder S2 pre F/L 1600
Beta HPE S2 pre F/L 1600

Offline Paul Greenway

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #17 on: April 29, 2025, 09:18:25 PM »
This is the underside of the car at the rear. Photo taken last week when exhaust adjusted as that's what we thought was causing the initial noise. Can you tell from this the type of transverse arms, cheers.
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE

Offline Nigel

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #18 on: April 29, 2025, 09:34:28 PM »
Hi Paul,
You've got the rear tubular adjustables and the front pressed steel fixed length arms.

That's the fairly standard set up for Betas after around 78/9.

Nigel
1984 2.0 Carb HPE [ex Aus] Grigio Finanza.
2007 Mazda 6 2.3 [current daily, highly recommended]
The past:
1980 2.0 HPE White in South Africa [hope it survives!]
1976 1.6 Coupe Lancia Blu [PFG 76R] [probably deceased]
oh,and an Uno Turbo 1997 also in SA [stolen,never recovered]

Offline Paul Greenway

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Re: Clunking Sound from rear of Spider
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2025, 07:20:20 AM »
Hi Paul,
You've got the rear tubular adjustables and the front pressed steel fixed length arms.

That's the fairly standard set up for Betas after around 78/9.

Nigel
Thanks Nigel
1980 Beta S2 FL Spider 2000

Previous 1983 Beta Volumex HPE