Suspension Knock

[sii803]

I have had a problem for a while, but havent investigated it yet. I had a kncocking noise when braking comming fron the front. Recently I hit a bump in the road and the problem has got much worse. It is as thought something is loose and knocking back and forward.

Any ideas. I havent driven it in six months as I've been busy building an extention on the house, probably closser to 12 months actually. I have been dreading having a closser look.

[MarkyB]

Have a look at the condition of the suspension bushes, and check that the shock absorber bolts haven't loosened up.

See if you can get it to make the noise by bumping the car up and down or shaking the road wheel.
Then get an assistant to do that while you look and feel the joints.

[mike.perry]

I have knocking noises on my cars which I am still trying to trace.
The only method is to work your way through every component, dampers, steering rack mountings, suspension etc.
The easiest solution is to hire a bulldozer and drive around your neighboughood removing all the road humps!

[Kevin]

If the suspension busheslook past their sell by date replace them with poly bushes as they last far longer, look at the tie rod ones at the front first as they will give you a clue.

[sii803]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I finally got the time to have a look. The rack does have a fair amount of play, also the wheel bearings. However the source of the problem was the nut that hold the radius arm bracket to the lower control arm was missing. On closser inspection I found that the bracket had been shimmed on both sides of the car, by about 0.25". Also on the side of the car without the missing nut, there was no spring washer. Should there be one?


Thanks,
Matt

[Kevin]

Hi Matt any chance of a couple of photo's of the problem area.