Clunking noise from Hotpoint TDC 60 Condensing dryer?

Recently, in the past few months (the dryer is about 10 years old), when it has finished drying and just spins a couple of times in either direction every few minutes, I get really bad clunking noises as though there's change stuck in the baffles. I had a look through the inspection hatch, but nothing there.

I then took the lid of and found what looks like it may be an earthing strip reaching part way over the drum. I can see a score line around the metal strip clamping the drum together, but also that of the strip is making quite thick contact with a bolt, on the otherside of the drum (i.e. inside) is a round disk attached, it also makes contact with a bowed section of this metal band.

I initially just bent this earthing 'arm' up a little so it wouldn't make a noise, it then looking at the design, it seems it's probably deliberate to earth any static away, so bent it back but just a little less than before?

Is there away to twist this back so it doesn't clunk, or have I got the wrong end of the stick? It seems an awfully cumbersome way to prevent static build-up, it's also rather noisy!

Also, I have notice over the years that the drying performance is not as good as it used to be. I often need to run clothes twice on the auto-cycle - I regularly remove the lint and clean the condensing unit.

Many thanks

Richard