Annoying knock, getting worse

[bongobikers]

We've had this knock for about two months now, initially thinking it was something rolling about in one of the cupboards in the rear.

However, the knock has got worse and a quick unloading and N-sit-in-back-while-H-drives session has discounted this theory.

The knock is coming from the offside, under the driver. It's not caused by frontal impacts, like rolling over a dropped curb, rather when there's some side-to-side movement, such as cornering or drivng over a less-than-perfect road service.

This leads me to think that it's something to do with the roll bar (worn bushes), although a search of previous posts also suggest worn wheel nuts (where they support the brake disc).

Any further thoughts?

[helen&tony]

Hi
Droplinks and rollbar bushes!
Cheers
Helen

[bongobikers]

Ta! Will get them sorted.

[Hanksy]

i think i have this issue too

it sounds like a knocking exhaust (but is isn't ) i have been underneath it and nothing wobbles when i swerve side to side like a dodgem car i can hear the clunk and when i go over uneven roads like you mentioned

have you done it yet it looks like quite an easy job ....is it?


did it fix your problem replacing bushes and rods ?

Thanks
Stu

[stefan442]

Last Thursday I replaced my front droplinks and my rear one that had snapped, Took me about 2 hours and saved me couple of hundred quid in garage fee's. And i managed a grazed knuckle as my hand slipped onto the brake calliper trying to get the offside drop link off. Also had to drill out the rear one as it was rusted on, replaced it with a stainless steel M10 bolt and nut with a 17mm head.

I still get a knocking noise going over an uneven surface not all the time but i would say the majority.... like something is bottoming out or its metal on metal somewhere. Nothing was on MOT about it, I am just wondering if its the sound of the bongo? Only other vehicle I drive is works van, which is not even two years old. Basically silent compared to the bongo!

Still ain't got my windows tinted stu, pretty sure i have seen you driving around. But I have been in my works van or walking. Got more pressing bongo priorities before i look into window tints. Mainly rear arches

[mikexgough]

If you have done the drop links all round.... then it could be the roll bar bushes/brackets... It's sensible to change them at the same time as the drop links as all are parts that are connected with the anti-roll bar. Then you eliminate the bar(s) from the "noises" list.
If you still get the odd "knock" sound after all the arb links/bushes are done then it's probably a worn lower ball joint

[Hanksy]

Cheers All, ill take a look at doing these when i have fixed my coolant leak

Is it worth doing the rear too as the noise comes from the front area,

do they generally wear together ?

[wonkanoby]

you will end up doing the lot at some point

[Hanksy]

6 Hours to change bushes and 1 x drop link !!!
30 mins to do the job 5.5 hours to get one nut off, i resulted to heating it up and chiseling the nut to pieces would of been quicker to take the suspension out and do it on the bench

but then on doing the otherside same nut (the one attached to the shock) it was the same


i have a grinder to do the other stubborn nut on the other side later but Ive sprained my arm and now cant straighten it past 90 degs and i have brusied and cut hands and i slipped and split my nose open on the wheel arch

im going to call my dad see if i can get him to finish it off this morning

on the plus side the bushes were well worn so this better stop

[bongobikers]

I should add - it was the drop links.

[Dodgey]

Mine has started doing exactly the same after driving over some harsh speed bumps in a big hurry. Knocking coming from the front, sounds like both sides, only gentle driving needed for the knocking to occur. Will replace the droplinks and ARB bushes this week.

[helen&tony]

Hi
Oh, that made me laugh, Hanksy ...sorry to laugh at your discomfort, but ours was the same on the front....cold chisel and nut splitter eventually did the trick....we has thought angle grinder, but had run out of discs... ....Explosives are probably good.....a hollow shaped charge to blow the bolt back through the nut ...I think ours took about 4 hours, a complete dictionary of Naval slang, and swollen fingers wrapped round bacon sarnies for an extended break before the next shift!
Cheers
Helen

[Dodgey]

Little update - to add to the stats - mine is the wishbone ball joint. I beat it to death getting it off a couple of months ago to fit a new dust cover. I used the tuning fork style joint splitter - which is a mistake to use on any joint you want to preserve. I knew this hence I have a spare joint "in stock" ready to fit.

When I took my wheel off I wiggled the whole brake and disk assembly and there was considerable movement in the ball joint - side to side - with accompanying knocking. It's really obvious, especially when you compare with another, good side.

p.s. tip removing the wishbone ball joint - spray the long bolt (that goes into the castle nut) with Plus-Gas and leave it for a few hours - then it pretty much falls out.

Got a shiney new 10Tonne press arriving tomorrow to press the new joint in

[Northern Bongolow]

to remove the ball joint from the swivel, jack the bongo so the hub hangs free, completely remove the castle nut, then take a heavy hammer and strike several times the swivel, the bit that encircles the joint, its own weight will separate it.

[Dodgey]

Yeah - I tried that a LOT on this joint earlier this year - didn't work - but I'd never heard of plus gas at the time - picked up the bash-it-hard tip from a landrover youtube post.