Hi,

I have an interesting issue that has been happening for several years (mechanics failed to diagnose) on my '97 Disco.

When it rains, i hear/feel a slight clunk when first depressing the brake pedal, and again when accelerating from a stop. It happens consistently when it rains; never in dry weather. Brake pads and calipers are fine according to two different local mechanics.

I haven't torn them apart myself for lack of time and I am assuming that my mechanics would be more than happy to fix it (they like $$) if they could actually determine the cause. The vehicle is driven locally a couple miles per day, so I don't worry about safety.

Any idea what the issue might be?

Cheers!

 

You dont worry about safety because you only drive a few miles a day?
Thats like saying you dont worry about radiation while mowing the lawn at Chernobyl.

Open the hood, find the fuse box on the fender, remove the 30A ABS pump fuse.
Next time it rains see if it still happens.

 

I'm willing to bet it is a bad bushing on your radius arm.'

The water is probably providing lubrication and allowing it to move. Eventually It'll do it when dry, it may also do it when you take sharp turns either left of right or any instance which the vehicles weight shifts, left right/ front back.

 

I guess I set myself up for that one.

Spike: 1 Me: 0

When I lift of the pedal at a stop nothing happens. It is only when I begin to accelerate does the noise happen. Doesn't actually feel like it is the brakes (which two rover-experienced mechanics have said are fine as far as they can tell). It also feels like it is coming from the driver's side, so I tend to think it may be the radius arm bushing as Spencerfitch suggested. I doubt it has ever been replaced.

I will try Spike's suggestion to rule that out.

If it turns out to be the radius arm bushing, is that something I could conceivably replace in an afternoon? Easy, moderate, advanced repair?

Thanks!

 

Have you had the suspension inspected?
Most shops will do that for free.
I never thought of a radius arm issue, you said brakes so I focused on brakes.
So Spence may be onto something.
Keep us posted.

 

Yes op, please keep us posted as this sounds like one of the only remaining issues I have on the disco I just bought and would love to know what I'm looking to fix or how much its going to run me. Thanks.

 

THIS

PLUS THIS

REALLY REALLY Makes me think its your front bushing.

Mine is and was the drivers side also.

If its a consistent thing you can go under the truck to the drivers front radius arm and check the bolts. you will probably find that one or both feels loose with a ratchet and socket. [Don't remember the size but pretty big, probably a 26mm] You can tighten that one up a little and then drive it in the rain, you will notice it will go away, BUT most likely will come back soon.

If its loose its loose the bushing is probably shot in the first place.
TOOK ME FOREVER TO FIND MINE. I had the same issue as you, I could feel the clunk through the floor and when I accelerated and braked or turned hard left or right. I knew it couldn't be the brakes and I took the tire off multiple times to check the hub and the brakes.

AS FOR REPLACING. You can find them very cheap [about 2$ on amazon, wether its correct fit or not I can't say.] Best bet is to go with a rover shop [roverparts.com]

I recently however learned they need to be pressed in or out. Im not sure if this is a "press" job you can do with some shop tools [or a hammer] but Ill let you know when I do mine.

 

I'll check the radius arm bolts this weekend. We might get some showers up here in the Seattle area, so I may be able to test it as well. If not, the rainy season isn't far off.

I have had the suspension inspected, which led me to replace all four shocks. The shop said they found several bushings that appeared worn/tired and that having them replaced in the near future was a good idea.

The quote to replace springs and bushings was $2000!

I don't think I have the right tools or experience to do suspension work myself, so I have been talking to another "Rovers only" shop in Seattle about getting the work done this fall, when I have had enough time to justify to my wife that spending more money on "my" car is a good thing.

Btw, I asked my local "Rovers + anything else" shop to give me a quote to replace both oil cooler lines and the serpentine belt. They quoted me $600!!, which included a 50% markup on the same parts I can order from Rovers North. WTF! Grrrrr!

This set me off on a quest to start doing all the work myself with the exception of the big jobs like suspension and such.

Anyway, thanks for all the tips on the clunk. I look forward to hearing how Spence's replacement goes, and I will update this thread when I have more news.

 

The suspension and bushings are not that hard to do and if you really think you need a spring compressor (and it can be done without it) you can rent one. Don't sell yourself short. Look around on the forum and keep reading up on it. You can do it. Only thing in your way is yourself.

 

For six hundred I could probably fly out there and do it for you. The Serp belt is really simple if you get the right one. I did mine recently, the worst part was trying to route it along the bottom, much simpler if you have a second person to assist from above, it can be done in ten minutes.

I had to replace one of the transmission cooling lines going to the little round cooling coil in front of the grill, less than an hour.

I put new shocks and springs on all around in one good afternoon with the help of one friend that sold me the rear Old Man EMU 2 inch plus heavy duty springs for $100. We moved the old rears to the front of the Disco, and I bought the ProComp Shocks from Rovers North on their 4 shock set price.

I still have the original bushings. I have read not to use the DIY Poly bushings, that they don't hold up well enough under the Disco's load off-road. But a hydraulic press is all you really need to do it right. They have them at Harbor Freight CHEAP.

So that $2600 price is steep. Definitely learn to do as much as you can yourself. It is very gratifying. Much more so than giving your money away................................