Dacia Duster. Knocking front suspension, what to do

Noise, squeaking and knocking in the front suspension of the Dacia Duster does not always indicate a critical malfunction. However, it all depends on the mileage and spare parts that were previously installed. More precisely, on their quality and the qualifications of the craftsman who installed them. How to check the suspension of Dacia Duster itself and calculate the source of the knock, we understand right now.

Dacia Duster suspension diagnostics. When and what to check first

Problems with the suspension in the new Dacia Duster start about 30-40 thousand km mileage. Like problems, knocking, squeaks, extra noises. It is true that some of these symptoms may turn out to be completely unrelated to the suspension.

For example, a well-known common problem of the new Dusters is a knocking noise on the right side. Muffled knocks are very reminiscent of the signals of wear of the strut bearing or ball bearing. Actually, such sounds can be produced by a half-empty tank of a windshield washer, when it drums on the metal of a body on a bump.

Drivers are often misled by the unscrewed exhaust pipe heat shield. It makes a very fuzzy sound, its source can’t be identified immediately, but it makes you nervous. To remove the annoying knock, it is enough to tighten the heat shield and the knock will disappear. Also the glove compartment or its cover may rustle and creak on the right side. You should pay attention to them too.

As for front suspension, it is good to check ball joints, stabilizer struts and shock absorber strut support bearings after 30 thousand mileage. It does not mean they should be urgently replaced, but there were precedents when ball joints or stabilizer struts fell apart already at 35-40 thousand mileage.

How to check the front suspension quickly and easily

It is not necessary to go to the diagnostics to check the front suspension. Especially if the car is fresh or has already undergone suspension repair, at least partial. Now let’s check the condition of the most replaceable parts and make sure everything is all right with the car. Or we will buy parts, but we will already know exactly which ones.

Checking upper shock absorber strut bearings of Dacia Duster

Let’s start with the upper supports, because you don’t even have to go under the car and take any tools to check them. Just open the hood and find the upper supports. Put one hand on the support and the body cup, and rock the car with the other hand.

The slightest knocking in this area will tell you that it is time to change the shock absorber supports. They have sagged and will definitely produce a muffled knocking noise on the bumps. If the wear is more serious, it can affect both drivability and rubber life.

Checking the rear shock absorber supports

Here follow the same pattern, only to access the shock absorber cups you will need to remove the side trim of the luggage compartment. At the same time check the functionality of the shock absorbers themselves. Rock the car several times and release sharply.

The body should not continue to sway, it can make a maximum of one nod. If the car continues to sway and does not lock in the top position of the shock absorbers immediately, the shock absorbers probably need to be replaced or repaired.

How to check Dacia Duster stabilizer bushings

Here too it is simple, but you will need a helper. The stabilizer bar is attached to the subframe via a bushing. The bushing can be seen by turning the steering wheel all the way to the bushing. There should be no play anywhere, neither movement of the stabilizer bar relative to the bushing, nor movement of the bushing relative to the subframe.

Ask an assistant to rock the car from side to side and look closely at the behavior of the bushing. As a rule, the bushing is dead by 35-38 thousand miles, or even earlier. The malfunction is also manifested by muffled knocks on small irregularities and driving over speed bumps.

How to check the condition of Dacia Duster shock absorbers

To further check the suspension of the Renault Duster car is better to raise either on a jack, or on the elevator, if such a possibility.

A visual inspection of the shock absorbers will help determine:

1. Presence of fluid leakage. The leak is visible to the naked eye and indicates wear of either the seals or the shock absorber rod.
2. Condition of the dust caps. Cracks, tears, and scuffs on the dust caps are not acceptable, as water, dust, and sand will quickly kill the rod and seals.

Now let’s look at the front suspension spring.

Condition of the spring

Pay attention to the position of the spring in the rack – the ends of the spring should be installed in the rack locks, and the plastic cover of the last coils of the spring should not be damaged.

Condition of steering tie rod ends and ball joints

This is easy to find out by rocking the wheel horizontally. If the tie rod tip has play in relation to the knuckle, it must be replaced. If there is no play, pay attention to the condition of the tip guard and ball bearing.

An additional check of the ball joint can be made by jerking the lever up and down. If the slightest play is noticeable, the ball joint is scrapped. Also check the condition of the dust cover of the ball joint. It should also be free of cracks and cuts.

Check the inner end of the steering link rod

To do this, pull back the inner dust cover and try to move the rod horizontally in the area of the steering rack. Strong play will be noticeable at once, but it should not be confused with the allowable small play of the steering rack.

Checking the hub bearing of Dacia Duster

Check the condition of the hub bearing of Duster by wobbling the wheel in a horizontal plane. A good backlash will be noticed immediately, but to make sure of the bearing wear, look at the wheel from the inside. If when swinging the wheel in the vertical plane, the hub will move relative to the C.V. joint, the bearing needs to be replaced.

Checking the axle bushes

Naturally, a worn axel bushes can also produce a muffled knocking sound. Check it with the car unloaded. Place the mounting spade or a powerful screwdriver in the subframe and arm, and swing the tool to assess the play. A small backlash of a axel bushes is a norm, especially when a lever comes back to its place after applying effort. 

However, if you see obvious damage to the rubber part of the axel bushes (tears, cuts, splitting rubber and cracks), the axel bushes will have to be replaced.

An indirect sign of arm axel bushes wear will be a sideways drift when braking at about 60-70 km/h. Apart from that, normal camber and convergence are out of the question.

Looking at the condition of the sway bar links of the Dacia Duster

The sway bar link is attached with one ball pin to the sway bar and the other to the shock absorber bar. This is where we will check the wear of the ball pins.

It is sufficient to jiggle the sway bar link to the right and left or the sway bar by hand. Sway bar movement is unavoidable, but it should not be accompanied by a sharp knock or backlash.

Checking the rear shock absorber struts, stabilizer bushings and sway bars links on the Dacia Duster 4×4 is done in the same way. Also pay attention to the CV joint, brake pads and the degree of wear of the brake discs.