Pajero Owners Club of South Africa

Anyone have an idea what this might be?

Thanks

Probably a CV or a bush.

I never use full lock on any car. It just puts too much strain on the components and power steering pump IMHO.

I have the same problem on my 2001 3.5V6. I have replaced ball joints, bearings, tie rods and still not happy. It clunks when I turn and reverse, and also moving forward. I also had the cv's checked and re-greased. Also took vehicle to testing station and they do not know. I am starting to think shocks. Mine has 140000km on the clock and as far as I know (I am second owner) the shocks have not been replaced since new.

I'm not sure if this is of any help, but I found that clacking noises at full lock normally comes from the CV joints. The roller balls inside the CV drives the axle always from the same point in a grooved path when the steering is in straight forward position. So after many kilos it starts wearing out the particular preasure spot where the ball sits most of the time. That leaves a tiny dent in the path of the ball when the steering is cranked at full lock. The clonk comes from the ball going through the dent whilst loaded with torque. I have in the past "fixed" the problem by merely swopping left CV to right and right to the left so as to reverse the load on both CV's. That gives you a smooth forward motion when cranked and moves the problem to when you reverse. It is quite a cunning way of saving a few bob for new CV's if you are prepared to live with the problem when reversing, which is not to bad if you know where it comes from.
It may just be that yours have undergone the same treatment. To check properly the CV has to be stripped and washed out free of any grease completely. Just for what its worth..................

I agree although a cv will make a cluck cluck cluck sound while moving. A single cluck will rather point to a control arm /shock/trailing arm/anti roll bar bush.

I had my cv's opened and checked for marks but they were fine. Can a shock absorber make a clunck noise? Mine cluncks mostly when turning. How long do shocks last on a 4x4? I have only done 140000km, but my vehicle is a 2001 and I think the shocks are still standard. Which are better, oil shocks or gas shocks?

Check the 4 bolts holding the no.2 crossmember to the front diff assembly. They should be torqued to about 140NM. Mine made the same noise and it is now gone. Jack up the vehicle, remove the front wheel, remove 1 bolt at a time. Lightly grease the smooth section of the bolt, put back and torque the nut to 140NM. Now do the other bolt, then the left side. problem solved!