Hi,

Regarding the sound of a balljoint / track rod end on the way out - I've done some searching but didn't manage to find an answer that might explain the noise that's coming from the front left wheel area.

I've never had any problems with suspension or that area so don't really have much of an idea of what noise / knocking is from what.

I found the following threads relating to balljoints.

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthrea...ight=balljoint

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthrea...ight=balljoint

What I am really wondering is if anyone may confirm for me what the noise may be caused by. It sounds like as if theres a wheel nut slightly loose or similar (but they are tight). It has been happening now for a small while but is progressively getting louder and not as soft (if that makes any sense).

I have found info from the above threads but would like to be more convinced of the cause of the noise before buying balljoints etc. & from the above thread it looks like they can be a bit difficult to change.

Any info or advice is greatly appreciated.

Regards

Johny.

 

Ball joint/track rod may give a 'crack' when you turn full lock and back, try that with the car at a standstill and the motor running. You may be able to feel play in the wheel, if you jack one up and try to move it by holding top and bottom of the wheel. Can you be more specific on the noise, when it occurs, what it sounds like etc.

 

Am wondering now if this is what I'm experiencing...........

On full lock (and only it seems on full lock) as soon as the car starts to move, either forwards or reverse, get a "clunk" from n/s front and a jolt as if I've driven over a stone or similar.

 

Hi Bryno,

Thanks for the suggestions - I'll have a check after work as I havent checked it at fullock.

Regards

Johny.

 

Got some time in the daylight early this morning & tried the following:

- full lock & back with car running & no noise - definetely not the noise I've been hearing.

- jacked the car up on the passenger side (where noise is coming from) & tried for play in the wheel (moving it by holding top and bottom of the wheel) but nothing.

- had a look behind the wheel & can't see anything showing signs of bad wear or damaged.

The noise sounds like metal knocking against metal but slightly muffled or if deadened a bit. It happens as you're driving along the road & with an uneven road I hear it. It's easier heard rolling along in neutral and at a slow speed as the wheel seems to have more time for each little bump etc.

I had a look behind the wheel & can see the balljoint (doesn't look bad or worn), can see the wishbone, steering arm to wheel, the anti-roll bar (going from one side to the other with a small bit tying it to the wishbone and can see the drive shaft.

Not sure where is the track rod end is - if anyone can help describe it?

I had the wheel off and noticed there was play in the brake disc so I tightened the wheel back on tight without unnecessary force but not that either.

Extremely confused - if anyone has any thoguhts or ideas on what it might be - I know it's hard to diagnose a problem from a description of a sound but if you may have any ideas or thoughts please offer them up...

Thanks.

Johny.

 

Dogus - I've been getting the same as you lately, hopefully it's nowt serious...

 

This might be a daft suggestion, but are you sure it's not an exhaust heat shield thats rattling?

 

Track rod end is the joint on the end of the steering arms, close to the inner rim of the wheel. Very hard to nail it without hearing the noise, but also check wheel bearings, does the noise get worse or better when you turn? is it worse over rough ground - shock? see any damp around the struts?

 

Unfortunately it's not the heat shield - it's more of a knocking than rattling sounds a lot more of substantial knocking noise. Like as if you had two hollow pipes / bars and lightly banging them together.

It's heard over bumps - but not any louder with speed or size or frequency of the bumps.

It's easily noticable when driving along in town and you let it freewheel.

Thanks for the suggestions - I know it's a bit much to figure out from a few posts what the sound is but I'll have another look around at the inner rim of the wheel and struts & see if I can see more.

 

i had this on a primera. small bumps at low speed would cause a knock. in this case it was the "drop links" that connect the antirollbar. not sure of the setup on the impreza but guess their is a similar joint.

 

Dogus, Messiah. I get the same except it comes from the drivers side. I think this is different from jmca's problem and I think it points to a driveshaft cv joint.

jmca - it is quite difficult to detect ball joint wear when the weight is off the wheel. Jack the car up so that the wheel is just off the ground, then put a tyre level under the wheel and level it up and down whilst looking at the joint. Much easier to do on a ramp. Similar for trackrod end, leave the weight on the wheel and watch the joint while someone moves the steering wheel.

Graham

 

I have a similar thing on the N/S front when the car is warm and slowly turning (like when parking) on plenty of lock it feels like the wheel is oval!! And sometimes it feels when reversing on lock that it is almost dragging the wheel. But don’t have any real noticeable noises.

Any ideas

 

Could be a bush for the anti-roll bar mounts/droplinks that's popped out. This was quite common on P1s, and some ended up having "lugs" spot welded on the anti-roll bar to keep the bush in place.

Symptom was a metallic clicking noise at low speed on uneven surfaces.

 

Agree graham - it does sound more like the CV joint, but mine noise is slightly different - I only get the clunk once. I've been told that it could be the hub becomming slightly loose - and it just needs tightened with a 32mm socket.

 

Hi

May sound silly but I had a similar problem, It had been getting progressively worse over the past few weeks, every time i went over a bump at low speed it would knock. I tried checking all the above, still no luck.... I tried looking at/checking the top shock mounts (3 bolts under bonnet) to see if these had moved or were loose...nowt!!!

Sorry to rabble on but in the end it turned out to be the bolt at the top of the shock shaft. In the middle of the shock mount under the bonnet there is a circular rubber cover. I pulled the centre of it out which revealed the bolt which holds the shock/spring all together. I managed to get 1 full turn out of this before it went tight!!!!!!!....Sorted!!

If you haven't already found the problem yet it may be worth checking this.

Hope it all gets sorted for you, if there's one thing that winds me up it's knocks and rattles on such a lovely car!!!!

Regards

 

Cheers Gonza - it's worth checking out. Can you remember what size socket you used?

 

Hi,

It was an elbowed spanner (if thats the word) It was 14 or 15mm if i remember rightly. The trick is the middle of the shaft has an allen key hole to hold the shaft tight. I'd say that was 5 or 6mm. Sorry if the sizes aren't definate, it was a while ago now!!! But haven't had the noise since.

Hope this helps and happy hunting

Cheers