Front End Knock

[Guest]

I realise that asking about knocking noises etc can be difficult to describe but I thought I would ask for ideas / thoughts.

Having replaced frontend stuff, Lower ball joints, Track rod ends, steering rack gators, roll bar drop links, roll bar mounts, lower arm bushes, drag strut bushes, brake callipers, stainless braded hoses, bearings, all nuts/bolts etcI am getting a smallknock from the front rightwhen going over things like low drain covers, pot holes etc. Seems to be coming from the lower area of the suspension, it can be felt slightly through the steering wheel.Never heard the noise if going over a hump, only seems to happen when the wheel drops. Unsure if this noise was there before I done the work as there was various noises etc coming from the front end. If I had to take a guess I would say that the lower ball joint was at fault but as it is new unlikely although new parts are not infallible. If I need to fit another ball joint it's not a big problem but has anyone any ideas how to isolate where the noise is coming from ( difficult I know ) before I replace things. I have checked the stub axle and steering arms to upright, all nice and tight.

I have checked, and double checked, and triple checked that all bolts are tight etc. The top strut mount seems to be OK as does the shock absorber itself but the noise is definitely coming from the lower area, I know sound etc can travel and mislead.

So has anyone any idea how I can isolate where the noise is coming from without me replacing parts needlessly, I know this is a difficult question to answer but I thought I would ask just in case someone has a method of isolating a noise.

Many thanks for any suggestions / ideas / thoughts.

Don Kennedy

[surreyone]

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Hi Don,

You need to check the nuts of the front Box Cross member. I had the same thing on my car and it turn out to be the Cross Member nuts needed to be tightened up.

Regards

Colin

[Guest]

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surreyone wrote:

Hi Don,

You need to check the nuts of the front Box Cross member. I had the same thing on my car and it turn out to be the Cross Member nuts needed to be tightened up.

Regards

Colin

Hi Colin,

Good sugestion, had not thought to check this area. Will have alook.

Many thanks, Don Kennedy

[Guest]

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surreyone wrote:

Hi Don,

You need to check the nuts of the front Box Cross member. I had the same thing on my car and it turn out to be the Cross Member nuts needed to be tightened up.

Regards

Colin

Just checked, all tight, shame as a good suggestion.

Keep the ideas coming.

Don Kennedy

[stustag]

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Hi Don

Check the mounting where the anti roll bar attaches to the drag strut has not fractured as this is a common fault.

Stuart

[Guest]

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stustag wrote:

Hi Don

Check the mounting where the anti roll bar attaches to the drag strut has not fractured as this is a common fault.

Stuart

Hi Stuart,

Drag strut not fractured but thanks for the suggestion.

Don Kennedy

[Andy Rundell]

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If you'v replace all the lower components and you can't feel any play in them you are really only left with the top mount, shocker or the collar which retains the shocker - the latter can become loose allowing the insert to move. i'd be surpris3ed if you can identify if the noise is coming from top or bottom, clonks and rattles are notorious for 'traveling'

......Andy

[DaveB]

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Hi Don,

May be worth checking the cross member / steering rack bushes, replacing these cured an intermittent knock on my MkII recently.

Dave

[Arbman Al]

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Hi Don

How about a little too much play in the wheel bearings?

Rgds......Al

[stagwingnut]

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check strut inserts ,very often these are not sufficiently tight enough ,sometimes inserts are too short for strut casing and have to be packed out with washer(s) to make up the shortfall in length ,you may have to compress the road spring to feel if it is loose ,good luck Graham

[Guest]

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Hi All,

Many thanks for the ideas and suggestions, gives me something to do at the weekend as her indoorsis away. While I have checked most of the things suggested especially the top mounts and struts I have new steering rack bushes to fit so fitting them and getting a big lever and seeing if I can find anything that moves when it shouldn't.

I know knocks and noise can travel but I still feel it is somewhere around the area of the bottom arm. I will let you know what I find.

Once again may thanks for the replies and your time.

Don Kennedy.

[Guest]

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I always like to give feedback whenever possible. Looks like I may have found the problem, took a bit of finding. With the front of the Stag on axle stands and the wheel removed if I jacked under the lower ball joint as the road spring compressed just as the Stag lifted off the axel stands by about ½ an inch the rod that goes into the main body of the shock absorber vibrated slightly. Once the Stag was about 2 inches off the axel stands the rod slid in smoothly. When the Stag was resting on the axel stands and the suspension lowered the rod ran smoothly. So there was a point just where the shock absorber rod position would be if the Stag was driving that vibrated. I gave the rod a clean with very fine wet and dry ( 1500 grade ) and lubricated although the rod looked OK. The problem is 95% better with only a very slight hint of a knock and only over certain pot holes and even then some would not notice. I am going to leave it and see what happens, maybe the lubrication will get better over time although I have a feeling that the Stag is getting ready to do another raid on my bank account, and if I need to replace the shock absorber I will of course do both sides as well as new upper mounts, gators etc. Hopefully the remaining 5% will get better but if it stays the way it is now I may leave well alone as most “normal” people would not notice it, it’s me being a picky bugger, unless someone has a “magic” cure how to sort it without the need for the Stag to attack my bank account again. Possibly the method I used to find the problem may be of help to others.



Don Kennedy.

[DJT]

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Glad you have solved the problem Don. And good to meet you again on Sunday.

Just as an addition to this thread. My car has been suffering from a mysterious knock from the OSFsuspension. We have a load of speed humps whereI live and this has amplified the problem.

Yesterday I had another look around the front end. I found that the nut on the rear end of the drag strut (the one hidden inside the chassis leg) was loose. Not only that, but whoever fitted the poly bushes fitted the drag strut ones the wrong way around. Removed both drag struts, reassembled with bushes the right way around and torqued everything up again. The knock has now gone.

Dave

[Guest]

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Conformation that the fault was the Right shock absorber. Oh what fun.



Don Kennedy