Ash J
ClioSport Club Member
Sunflower Ph1 172
Right, hopefully looking for some help with a knocking noise I am getting guys.
It has pretty much been there in some way or another for about 6 months, and nobody seems to have gotten to the bottom of it.
Car went into Rentech back in September of last year, and was told the nearside driveshaft housing was missing one of the three bolts, and the others were really loose, and that was the knocking problem. When I picked it up, knocking was still there. I was asked to bring the car back, and it was found that various bolts on the front end (around the subframe, lower arms etc) were not as tight as they could be, and the engine mount bolts were not quite as tight as they could be. So after having this done, off I drove again, and it was a lot better and the car felt tighter to drive, but there was still a knocking problem.
I spoke to Rentech, and we agreed the next plan of action would be changing the ball joints. So I went back and had these done. Again, car felt tighter than it did before, so it was a benefit having them done, but I still thought I could detect a knocking the same as before, but not quite as loud. Gradually as days/weeks passed, the knocking came back.
This takes me up to a couple of weeks ago, where I booked the car in with Rentech again. I bought a couple of track rod ends, and asked for these to be fitted, along with tracking, and for the knocking to be investigated again. I got the call to pick the car up, and was told the knock was sorted. The steering rack bushes were not as tight as they could be, the gearbox mount bolts were not tight, and the lower arm bolts were not tight, so this was all tightened up. I also had a note on the invoice to say the bushes on lower arms are modified items (powerflex) and that the lower arm bolts were found loose again (these were one of the things that were tightened on an earlier visit).
So I go to drive off, and immediately as I reversed the car up.... knock. It is still there. It seemed to get worse over the next few days too.
So today, I took it to another garage which is really close to my work to have it investigated (means I can leave the car whilst being at work). I get a call later and am told they think they have sorted the knock. I get down to the garage, and am told the following...
Nearside driveshaft housing was very loose. It was missing one of the three bolts altogether! The other two bolts were loose... one was luckily an original bolt, and the other was completely the wrong bolt and when fully tightened would only have had about two teeth being useful (i.e. bolt was nowhere near long enough). I was pretty disappointed with the discovery of incorrect bolts considering this what I was told was the problem at my first visit to Rentech, and they apparently sorted it. And they also found a 16mm socket around the subframe somewhere which they managed to get out with a magnetic rod. They could not really find anything else obvious causing the knock, and said they had taken it for a test drive and the knock was gone.
Picked the car up, took it for a drive, got to the end of the road.... the knock is still there. In fairness they didn't charge me for changing the driveshaft housing bolts to the correct bolts and checking over any other bushes etc for play. But still, they couldn't detect a knock on a test drive... they have asked me to bring it back again this week to have another look over which I will do. And the car did feel better to drive after having this housing tightened so again it obviously needed doing anyway.
But this knock is pretty bloody obvious! And after about 4 different visits to 2 garages over the last 6 months, every time I have been told the knock is sorted, and every time I have detected it immediately after driving away!
It is starting to get me a bit down, so I just wondered if anyone can suggestion what it could be if I try to explain exactly what happens!
Every time I pull away from a standstill, I get the knock. If I am super, super careful and gentle with the pull away, I can sometimes get away without a knock, but I do mean really gentle.
When I come off my driveway, I get the knock. Normally I come off my driveway turning right (not full lock), and where my driveway has a dropped kerb, as I am driving off the driveway heading right, I get the knock just as the front wheels go past the dropped kerb and onto the road (so only a small kerb as it is a dropped one).
There is a little roundabout near where I work which you approach at about 10mph, when I then grab the steering to turn right around the roundabout (fairly sharp I guess as it is a mini roundabout), I get the knock.
I tried a different thing today where I stayed in 2nd gear, then a few times I got on the throttle quite aggressively and harshly then backed off, then do it again, and each stab of the throttle you could hear the knock.
If I am just driving along on uneven/bumpy roads, I do not detect the knocking noise. But every now and then it sometimes does, or maybe more so when I am turning the wheels slightly (either way) whilst going over uneven roads.
If I reverse out of a parking bay right or left, then as I come near to a stand still from going backwards, put it into 1st to drive away.... knock.
My lower arms and anti roll bars are fitted with powerflex bushes.
My dog bone mount has powerflex bushes.
Ball joints have been replaced in last 6 months.
Track rod ends have been replaced in last 2 weeks.
Lowered on Cooksport springs.
Please help me guys! Am very frustrated with this knocking noise!!
Cheers
Ash
It has pretty much been there in some way or another for about 6 months, and nobody seems to have gotten to the bottom of it.
Car went into Rentech back in September of last year, and was told the nearside driveshaft housing was missing one of the three bolts, and the others were really loose, and that was the knocking problem. When I picked it up, knocking was still there. I was asked to bring the car back, and it was found that various bolts on the front end (around the subframe, lower arms etc) were not as tight as they could be, and the engine mount bolts were not quite as tight as they could be. So after having this done, off I drove again, and it was a lot better and the car felt tighter to drive, but there was still a knocking problem.
I spoke to Rentech, and we agreed the next plan of action would be changing the ball joints. So I went back and had these done. Again, car felt tighter than it did before, so it was a benefit having them done, but I still thought I could detect a knocking the same as before, but not quite as loud. Gradually as days/weeks passed, the knocking came back.
This takes me up to a couple of weeks ago, where I booked the car in with Rentech again. I bought a couple of track rod ends, and asked for these to be fitted, along with tracking, and for the knocking to be investigated again. I got the call to pick the car up, and was told the knock was sorted. The steering rack bushes were not as tight as they could be, the gearbox mount bolts were not tight, and the lower arm bolts were not tight, so this was all tightened up. I also had a note on the invoice to say the bushes on lower arms are modified items (powerflex) and that the lower arm bolts were found loose again (these were one of the things that were tightened on an earlier visit).
So I go to drive off, and immediately as I reversed the car up.... knock. It is still there. It seemed to get worse over the next few days too.
So today, I took it to another garage which is really close to my work to have it investigated (means I can leave the car whilst being at work). I get a call later and am told they think they have sorted the knock. I get down to the garage, and am told the following...
Nearside driveshaft housing was very loose. It was missing one of the three bolts altogether! The other two bolts were loose... one was luckily an original bolt, and the other was completely the wrong bolt and when fully tightened would only have had about two teeth being useful (i.e. bolt was nowhere near long enough). I was pretty disappointed with the discovery of incorrect bolts considering this what I was told was the problem at my first visit to Rentech, and they apparently sorted it. And they also found a 16mm socket around the subframe somewhere which they managed to get out with a magnetic rod. They could not really find anything else obvious causing the knock, and said they had taken it for a test drive and the knock was gone.
Picked the car up, took it for a drive, got to the end of the road.... the knock is still there. In fairness they didn't charge me for changing the driveshaft housing bolts to the correct bolts and checking over any other bushes etc for play. But still, they couldn't detect a knock on a test drive... they have asked me to bring it back again this week to have another look over which I will do. And the car did feel better to drive after having this housing tightened so again it obviously needed doing anyway.
But this knock is pretty bloody obvious! And after about 4 different visits to 2 garages over the last 6 months, every time I have been told the knock is sorted, and every time I have detected it immediately after driving away!
It is starting to get me a bit down, so I just wondered if anyone can suggestion what it could be if I try to explain exactly what happens!
Every time I pull away from a standstill, I get the knock. If I am super, super careful and gentle with the pull away, I can sometimes get away without a knock, but I do mean really gentle.
When I come off my driveway, I get the knock. Normally I come off my driveway turning right (not full lock), and where my driveway has a dropped kerb, as I am driving off the driveway heading right, I get the knock just as the front wheels go past the dropped kerb and onto the road (so only a small kerb as it is a dropped one).
There is a little roundabout near where I work which you approach at about 10mph, when I then grab the steering to turn right around the roundabout (fairly sharp I guess as it is a mini roundabout), I get the knock.
I tried a different thing today where I stayed in 2nd gear, then a few times I got on the throttle quite aggressively and harshly then backed off, then do it again, and each stab of the throttle you could hear the knock.
If I am just driving along on uneven/bumpy roads, I do not detect the knocking noise. But every now and then it sometimes does, or maybe more so when I am turning the wheels slightly (either way) whilst going over uneven roads.
If I reverse out of a parking bay right or left, then as I come near to a stand still from going backwards, put it into 1st to drive away.... knock.
My lower arms and anti roll bars are fitted with powerflex bushes.
My dog bone mount has powerflex bushes.
Ball joints have been replaced in last 6 months.
Track rod ends have been replaced in last 2 weeks.
Lowered on Cooksport springs.
Please help me guys! Am very frustrated with this knocking noise!!
Cheers
Ash
