Creaking & clunking from the front suspension

[skyscooter]

Good afternoon guys,

I need some guidance please?
I put my wife's car (2006 Peugeot 206 CC 1.6 16v) in for an MoT, when I collected it the mechanic told me that one of CV joints boot (don't know which one, never thought to ask) clamp was missing so he fitted a new clamp and that one of the ball joint boots was spit (he super glued this so I didn't need a new lower suspension arm).

The following day I drove her car and there's a loud creaking and clunking noise from the front somewhere on changing gear and also on uneven road surfaces, it seems to be from the driver's side, and I'm positive it wasn't there before the MoT test.

Can anyone suggest where to start looking for common defects? I don't know the Peugeot very well but am quite familiar with a lot of other makes.

I was going to just by the lower suspension arm but don't want to replace it and find the noise is still there.

I know these people go into all the suspension joints with a big pry bar to test the bearings & bushings and am concerned that he might have broken or dislodged something, especially with the ball joint boot torn.

My experience of ball joint boots is that they don't usually split unless they've been interfered with (i.e. ball joint splitter) is it likely that the pry bar has damaged the ball joint (hence the spilt boot, Perhaps just me being paranoid?) or is there a known phenomenon with the Peugeot 206 where some kind of natural wear appears in this form?

Thanks guys.

Robbie.

[Capncol]

Very unlikely the MOT tester damaged anything. The pry bar is not used in or around any ball joints. It is only used to lift the wheel (used under the tyre) to check for movement in the suspension joints whilst the car is raised on the jacking beam.
I would look at the anti roll bar mounts including the verticle links. Also check engine and gearbox mounts.

[skyscooter]

Thanks Capncol,

I had a look around last night and couldn't find anything loose, I let it down again and drove it and the noise had gone away, maybe I scared it off ;0)

[gazza82]

Ball joints can split just due to the age of the car ... the rubber goes hard and can't take the movement.

Also the 206 should have a metal cover over the balljoint, but most are lost when the arm is changed (as the lazy mechanics can't be bothered to put them back in most cases). This means the cover is more susceptible to damage.


Once split, the grease escapes and dirt/grit gets in ... and slowly the balljoint wears.

Having had a balljoint pop out the arm on a 206, make sure they is absolutely no play. They are not the easiest to swap out either ... especially getting the balljoint back in the hub assembly.

[skyscooter]

I found the culprit, it was the catalytic converter bracket had broken. I used a TV aerial bracket to fix it by bending the U-bolt to shape, drilling 2 holes in the bracket and clamped the exhaust and bracket together. The noise has gone now but very strangely the car is much better to drive, it handles better on bends and bumps, I assume because the weight of the exhaust isn't swinging around underneath the car any more?

[Capncol]

Thanks for feeding back, not sure about the improved handling though.