[Mk2] [Generic] Suspension noises

[VICFR2]

Help please as I’ve run out of ideas. Have a Rev1 Mk2 Paul and have had various knocks and rattles from the rear end which have disappeared one by one as I’ve replaced worn components as listed below but there’s one left which I cannot trace. The second list below is all the things I’ve checked. The knock sounds like metal on metal similar to say the exhaust hitting the cross-member hard, it’s a loud 2-3 cracks when I set off after the cars been standing but then is quite, get it on corners, the left side knocks on left hand corners and on the right side on right handers and on sunken manhole covers/drains covers otherwise its quite. You would think it would be obvious and easy to find but no

1. Things changed:
Bottom balls joints
Drop links (SBITS)
All suspension bushes with PU ones (SBITS)
Std struts replaced with std ones two years ago (no wear)

2. Things checked
Tightness of:
All suspension mounting bolts
Cross-member bolts
Wheel nuts
Wheel hub nuts
Engine/gear-box mounting bolts
Exhaust system
Location of strut springs
All brake bolts
Condition of:
Removed struts and checked ok
Top mounting rubbers and location on strut rod
Brake pads changed recently
Drive shafts - n/s has slight play when pulled in and out
The Tie rods have what appear to be metal swivel joins each end. Although . . they swivel freely there appears to be no play. Are they known to wear and are . they available separately from Mr T or only as a complete arm?

Thanks for any advice
Vic

[VICFR2]

I found the knocking eventually, very definitely in the category of time consuming frustrating obscure fault finding so just to pass it on as it may be of use to others. The rear strut inserts were replaced 3 years ago but decided to take them off to investigate. At first the struts appeared to have no wear or movement at all, removed the top mounts and springs and again the large nut holding the inserts in seem ok until I use the very large stilsons(used on commercial steam pipe work). Hey presto they were not fully tight allowing the inserts to move slightly inside the strut body under heavy suspension loads. When I had originally changed the inserts I had fully tightened them with the stilsons but had not used thread locking compound and such is the load upon they eventually loosen. Fully tightened them again and this time using the locking fluid, all noises gone, feels like a different car.

[BenF]

Good bit of detective work that

I'm going to check the same on my Mk1 as it also has a front end rattle that I've not been able to trace.