Clunk when Towing

Francis
Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
edited March 2018 in Caravans #1

 Hi All

We have a 2018 model Lunar Cosmos caravan so far so good no issues. However when towing we seem to get a loud clunking sound now and again it seems to be coming from the caravan as we have ruled it out coming from the car. There is nothing rolling around the boot etc. I have checked the towbar on the car no obvious problems with it also I have checked the A-Frame on the van again no obvious problems. Gas bottles all secure in front locker. I was wondering if it could be the wind getting in the front locker and trying to lift the lid.

 

Has anyone any suggestions

 

Thanks

«1

Comments

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2018 #2

    Does it  happen at any particular time......when braking or going over a rough bit of road for example?

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #3

    Hi

    Not when braking but just driving but only if there is say a gust of wind etc if on a flat straight road with no wind it doesn't seem to happen. When hitched up I have tried pushing down on the hitch and also the back of the car but no noise it is only when driving

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2018 #4

    Is it just a noise, or is there any feeling of something "knocking" against the car?

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #5

    Hi

    No just a noise really no movement from car on instability or anything like that just a sort of bang/clunk it is quite loud and annoying lol

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,663 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2018 #6

    Hmm......we had something similar noisewise,  but it felt like the van was hitting against the towball.  Turned out to be a defective, almost new, hitch damper on the van.

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #7

    Thanks for the reply KJ. I will have a look at that but as I say we aren't getting any pushing etc everything seems normal when it happens no movement etc. I am thinking it could be the wind getting in the front locker door as it sounds like the door trying to lift but all locks etc are on secure so not sure. Its a bit of a mystery at the moment.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2018 #8

    is there plenty of clearance between the tyre and wheel arch on the van?

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #9

    Hi

    Yes no issues there and also jockey wheel is up tight and not hitting anything. We don't carry anything in the gas locker except the gas bottles but as I say they are all secure no movement etc.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited March 2018 #10

    We had similar on our last car when towing I checked  the tow bar to see if it as a bit loose but could not replicate it, but took it back to tow bar fitters,who re tightened the bolts on tow bar and the noise stopped,undecided

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2018 #11

    Is it a detachable towball? my Witter clunked on undulating roads, not dangerous but annoying from inside the car. Eventually changed to a fixed and silence.

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2018 #12

    this might sound a bit stupid but is your towball a 2" one and not a 50mm one so doesn't match the tow hitch. just a thought.  

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #13

    Thanks for the reply. I will have  a look at the tow ball size although I don't think that will be the issue but worth a look. Just a bit worried we got a brand new van and so far (Touch Wood) no issues so hope this isn't going to be one lol

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited March 2018 #14
    The user and all related content has been Deleted User
  • DSB
    DSB Club Member Posts: 5,666 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2018 #15

    What car do you have Francis.  If it is a Discovery 3, I was told there was an issue with the detachable tow ball.  I've got a Disco 3 and we had a non-detachable put on instead.

    David

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #16

    Hi

    Its a Volvo V70 with a fixed towbar I got the bar fitted about 4 months ago

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2018 #17

    Are there still any 2" towballs still in existence? I'd have thought they'd all have been scrapped by now. And would a 50.8mm ball physically fit into a 50mm hitch?

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2018 #18

    that made me think. got it the wrong way round, sorry all. the misses always said size matters and that I always get it wrong. o well, some mothers do av'em.

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #19

    We are planning on going away again at the weekend. I am going to empty the front locker and see if we still get the noise. At least that would be one thing ruled out. Today I went out and pushed the hitch in all working ok and coming back out so looks like the damper is ok.

  • NevChap
    NevChap Forum Participant Posts: 180
    100 Comments
    edited March 2018 #20

    Probably not but worth doing anyway....make sure your towball is clean and grease free and also your hitch. Clean both with a degreaseing spray, brake cleaner or similar. If you have any dirt or grease your outfit will make a clunking sound but it won't be heard when running on a flat road at speed but will clunk when going slow and manouvreing.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2018 #21

    Pushing the hitch in should be really difficult. 

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited March 2018 #22

    didn't think possible to push hitch in by hand. if you can do that then you may have found the problem.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited March 2018 #23

    It is possible to push in by hand but is not easy and moves slowly with sustained pressure

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2018 #24

    Hi

    The damper seems to have been ruled out now I have checked and looked online and everything works as it should. When we had the van hitched up at the weekend I bounce the car up and down a few times and the same with the hitch when attached and no noise so it only happens when moving. As said we plan on going away again at the weekend so I will assess it again empty locker etc. Hopefully get to the bottom of it.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2018 #25

    Perhaps the problem is closer to home. Have you tried Fixodent? wink

    Seriously, My hitch used to groan and creak at low speeds. Never was any problem though.

  • Hakinbush
    Hakinbush Forum Participant Posts: 286
    edited March 2018 #26

    I had this problem once more so when pulling away from standing start it turned out that the van breaks needed adjusting and it was allowing to much travel on the hitch and so clunking when it reached its full travel..H

  • lagerorwine
    lagerorwine Forum Participant Posts: 310
    edited March 2018 #27

    If the towbar was fitted in the last few months, I would go back to the fitters, and ask for the bolts to be checked again

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2018 #28

    Just thought I would update this thread. After almost a year of having the van we have finally found the source of the noise. Recently it has been getting louder and louder and happening constantly so the car was due its annual service last week so got them to check all the suspension and towbar ect came back with no problems. So yesterday morning we took the van out and drove it up and down our local bypass and the noise was there. Car was empty so we stopped in a layby and emptied everything from the van in to the car and drove again noise still there. Our car is an estate so folded all the seats down and had someone lie in the back and we traced the noise to the back door of the car bang bang bang. Stopped again and realised that the number plate on the boot door was slightly loose. Took the plate off and towed for a few miles and guess what no noise. It never happened when not towing so I think the wind has been coming over the car hitting the caravan and then hitting off the back door pushing the number plate against the lid making the loud noise. I can't believe it was something so simple lol. Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited October 2018 #29

    Thanks for the amusing update. It made me smile and I bet you are relieved to get to the bottom of it. laughing

  • Francis
    Francis Club Member Posts: 2,021 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2018 #30

    So happy to have found the problem we had ran through every other possibility things rolling around gas locker, things rolling around the boot, suspension ect. I have been under the caravan checking chassis ect and had the car hitched on bouncing the van up and down couldn't get this noise to happen. The boot door on the Volvo estates have a large hollow bit so the noise was very loud when the plate was hitting it. So glad to have found it but feel a bit silly that something so simple had evaded me for almost a year cool

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited October 2018 #31

    Glad you've found the cause of the noise. And a no cost fix too. 👍

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