Knocking Front End

[tealc2961]

Hi guys, I have a problem with my Citroen c3 1.4 hdi, for a while now I have had a knocking when I go over bumps in the road from the front passengers side, it's like the sound  a worn drop link makes but I have replaced the drop link, I just changed the bottom ball joint yesterday but the knock is still exactly the same, the other problem I have is when I drive from about 58 mph upwards the front end shakes and there is a rumble sound, since changing the ball joint this has changed, I can now get to 65 mph before this starts, my next idea was to change the whole wishbone to eliminate the bushes on this and to get the wheels balanced.  Any other ideas??

[paul.h]

What year is the car ? Was the noise there at the last MOT since wear in the suspension parts would be checked ?

 

It is always possible the knocking noise is the drop link on the driver's side but just seems to come from the passenger side. It could also be the suspension strut top bearing. You could also check the coil springs all round are not broken/missing a bit.

 

Maybe the shaking and rumble sound is the front wheels need balancing and possibly a tyre is badly/unevenly worn. The change since replacing the ball joint could be the wheel was not put back in the same position on the hub (90 or 180° round). It could also be a worn wheel bearing or maybe a worn CV joint, inner or outer.

[tealc2961]

thanks for the suggestions, the year of the car is 2003, both front struts, springs, top mounts and top mount bearings were replaced about a year ago, so i'm thinking its probably not that, the knocking was present when the MOT was done so was surprised myself that nothing came up as at least an advisory, I will get the wheels balanced but the tyres seem to be wearing evenly, do you think the wishbone bushes could knock similar to the sound the drop links make?

[tealc2961]

the only thing that's just come to mind is, there was an advisory for slight play on the passengers side strut at the top, I thought this was going to be the source of the noise but the only thing I can see is when I removed the strut top nut, the washers that are covered with rubber, the rubber came off and I didn't get new washers with the top mounts but there is only noise from the passengers side

[paul.h]

We had a 2003 C3 that had the front coil springs replaced free by Citroen when one snapped. After there was a noise which was a strut top bearing that was damaged during the spring change but went through the MOT. A year later I also replaced the front drop links which were an advisory at the MOT and one was knocking.

 

You could also check the anti roll bar mountings, these usually have a rubber insert which might have perished.

 

If you could get somebody to bounce the car you might be able to detect the noise/any play by touch.

[skyman]

look at the plastic housing round the inner wheel arch i had a knocking noise and found it to be the plastic hitting the spring just cut out a piece of the plastic wear it was hitting the spring job done