huge knocking noise?!!?

chrissyb103

chrissyb103
Nov 15, 2006
98
0
near london
Hi any help would be much appreciated!

The car is for sale so i need to get rid of this banging asap! i have already spent over 200 quid replacing anti roll bar bushes, droplinks and lower arm bushes (wishbone) because they where all knackered and it was due an MOT!

now these have all been replaced i thought the knocking would have gone, however it is not! it is just as much there, each time a few bushes are replaced the knocking noise gets less rattly and more of a dead sounding knocking....

anyone else had the same problems, or anyone got any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

Chris
 

st10587

i only brake for cake!!!!
Oct 4, 2007
3,669
0
Hindhead
i have knocking from the front, they change the antiroll bar links which cured it for a while now its back.

might be top moutns
 

chrissyb103

chrissyb103
Nov 15, 2006
98
0
near london
Hi yeh cheers mate

I forgot to mention that the left top mount where the knocking seems to be coming from has also been replaced!!!

its got worse, but seems to have hit a peak now, it only happens over bumps, but is substantial....

I know its nothing major, but im doing all i can obv to fix it at any expense as i need the car sold :mad:

god its annoying!!
 
Nov 25, 2007
1,892
0
Derby
could it be engine mounts, snapped spring or in my case my intercooler pipe knockin on the sump if it a tdi that is other than that i dont no sorry.
 

g8rvn

Active Member
Apr 7, 2008
154
0
Tamworth, Staffs
Is it the anti roll bar bushes or the actual roll bar thats been replaced?
I know they updated these at some point to metal ones but on the anti roll bar there are plastic collars built onto it that keep it in place left to right, over time these break and the roll bar slides along and knocks on the subframe.
This happened to me and was definitely the cause...
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,967
1,059
South Scotland
Is it the anti roll bar bushes or the actual roll bar thats been replaced?
I know they updated these at some point to metal ones but on the anti roll bar there are plastic collars built onto it that keep it in place left to right, over time these break and the roll bar slides along and knocks on the subframe.
This happened to me and was definitely the cause...

After I checked the age of the car I have to agree with your suggestion!

chrissyb103, grab the ARB and see if you can move it side to side - best if you grab it at one end - maybe post pictures of what it looks like taken from the wheel position (with the wheel off) - picture both sides please - that way you should get a definate answer to if this is your problem.
 

g8rvn

Active Member
Apr 7, 2008
154
0
Tamworth, Staffs
grab the ARB and see if you can move it side to side

Would it be loose enough to do this?
I'd have thought although the collar is absent it would still be pretty hard to move, the forces when cornering would be enough however?
Anyway, try what RUM4MO says but if it doesnt move look for telltale signs on the subframe, it was very clearly obvious on mine as it was worn down, shiny and there was no gap between it and the ARB whereas there was probably a 15-20mm gap the other side.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,967
1,059
South Scotland
Oh yes, if the plastic stops have split and their extensions - ie the collars with them, these bits will have "walked out " or broken off and be lost. The hammering that you hear when this happens is the ARB walking across and colliding with the aluminium consoles. Remember once these collars have "walked out" from inside the mounting bushes, the ARB will be a loose fit inside these bushes. As a temporary fix, I used four jubilee clips two on each side - out board of the mounting brackets - that worked quite well as most of each collar and stop were still on the ARB but free to move. When my wife's Polo went from "no problem" to "big problem" in a matter of miles, the ARB had suddenly become very easy to move side to side I didn't see this coming and knew nothing about the history behind this problem - until it happened to her car.
 

g8rvn

Active Member
Apr 7, 2008
154
0
Tamworth, Staffs
that pretty much what I did but with a bit of copper pipe split and closed around the ARB to make a bit of a tighter fit, it worked fine until the other side went, but was an MOT failure anyway i think.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,967
1,059
South Scotland
Crazy as it might sound I think that some cars would have passed an MOT in that condition!! Something to do with the fact that this would not make the car unroadworthy - strange by true I seem to remember - but I would not rely on all MOT testers taking that line.
 
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MACKERZ217

Active Member
Sep 21, 2008
76
0
LURGAN, N.I
My knocking noise is the exhaust! it just needs relined, simple job, every time you go over a bumpy road or turn left there is a knocking sound!
 
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