Knocking noise from n/s wheel

[Madjackal 0]

Since yesterday morning whenever i turn right I get a loud knocking noise coming from the nearside wheel arch. The faster I go the louder and more frequent it gets and the more i turn the louder it gets.

 

Does any one have any ideas.

 

I have had the wheel off and cant see anything obvious. I have recently changed the discs and pads and less recently had a coilover kit fitted.

 

Help?!

[Blue_Joe 0]

Sounds like CV Joint???

[Madjackal 0]

any more detail on that, its it urgent/expensive, why would it make that noise, i dont really know much at all about cv joints, drive shafts, bushes, steering racks and all that stuff.

[Niges16V 0]

sounds like a CV joint to me, I had exactly the same problem xmas week.

 

They cost around £50 from GSF and can be fitted yourself if you have the correct tools and don't mind getting covered in grease. I did mine myself and regretted it!

 

Have fun :wink:

[dazzyvr6 0]

a cv joint will usually start knocking when you are on full lock,if it is a cv joint they are easy and relatively cheap to replace,but it could be a bottom ball joint,top mount,anti roll bar,wishbone bushes

[Blue_Joe 0]

CV Joints tend to start knocking when you turn the wheel while moving when they are on their way out. If it is that then you need to get it done fairly quickly! They aren't overly hard to do if you know what your doing!

 

As to cost it depends on the model you have but parts wise about £60-70 for a CV Joint kit.

[dazzyvr6 0]

as a note the cv joint on my daily driver shed has been knocking for 6 months,and knocks on the slightest turn,so thay arnt that urgent to do

[Madjackal 0]

Thanks very much guys, just one other thing, i dont mind the grease thats no problem.

 

I am quite able to get as far as getting the brakes off and I have a reasonably comprehensive set of sockets, splines, hexs, torx and screw drivers but are there any specialist tools I might need?

 

all help and advise, as always, is greatly appreciated!

[Blue_Joe 0]

Circlip pliers and a BIG hammer

[dazzyvr6 0]

Circlip pliers and a BIG hammer

 

whats the circlip pliers for?the cv joint just knocks of dont they?

[Blue_Joe 0]

No they have a circlip holding them in I believe! But if all else fails use the big hammer!!! :lol:

[Madjackal 0]

big hammer its is then! cheers chaps!

[Madjackal 0]

how do i know if its the inner or out joint, the boot on the outer one has slipped slightly so this is the obvious suspect but i dont really wanna waste money on the wrong one?

[Niges16V 0]

the outer ones are generally diagnosed by knocking when on full lock which is when they are stressed the most. As the inner ones don't move as much they knock on acceleration whichever way the wheels are facing. My money is on the outer.

 

As for fitting, you need to remove the hub bolt which is accessable through the wheel centre cap. Make sure you have the socket for that first (I didn't!! :(

Then it's the ball joints - you'll need a tool for this (apprx £5-10). The if your lucky you can knock the drive shaft out of the hub then knock the CV joint off. If your not lucky (like me) then you'll have to detatch the hub from the strut and knock it off the driveshaft complete with CV joint. It's only held on the shaft by a circlip which you can't get to. You can then seperate from the hub by a hammer & drift.

 

Refitting takes a fraction of the time but is a bit messy as you have to pack in shed loads of grease. Also, don't forget the new hub nut ( :oops: ) and you have to tighten it like billey0 - 200lb/ft or something (basically as tight as you can with a good persuader!)

 

Have a read of a Haynes manual, it'll give you a few more tips.

[Madjackal 0]

the knocking is only on when i accelerate, is the tool i need for the ball joints called something obvious like a ball joint remover? :)

[Niges16V 0]

If it knocks when you pull away in a straight line, then it is likely to be the inner. If it knocks when you pull away at an angle, then it is the outer. They start to knock when on full lock and then gradually get worse with less angle on the wheels.

 

Ball Joint Seperator I beieve. Either a crude wedged fork which you bash with a hammer or a more refined gizmo that eases the ball out by winding up a bolt - see here http://www.justoffbase.co.uk/s.nl/sc.9/category.99/.f

 

Pop down to Halford and get yourself a VW Golg/Passat Haynes manual and you'll see the ball joint tools on the rack

[dazzyvr6 0]

for the price of a bottom ball joint you may as well put a new one on,so you can use the fork type,which is a lot better than the bolt type

[Madjackal 0]

guys, your advise has been invaluable, thanks again.

 

I'll have to leave the ball joint for now but i'll probably replace the lot soon. 10 year old car and all that. Cant hurt.

[Not_Aircooled_or_Taxfree 0]

The CV joint is a part that could fail so it is something that needs to be fixed rather than left. Make sure when you put it back together the 'boot' (the rubber cover/gaiter that keeps all the cack out the joint) is fitted well. I did one on my Polo and did not fit the 'boot' on properly. it ruined the joint in no time, much to the delight of the MOT tester who failed the car, c*nt!

[Madjackal 0]

i think you have to be over zealous to be an MOT tester.

 

What it the correct procedure for putting on/taking off the circlips why cant they just use jubilee clips, that would be easier to get on and off surely!?

[Niges16V 0]

the circlip fits on the driveshaft and the CV joint slides over it into position, which is why you need a hammer to remove the joint.

I believe you are thinking about the straps that secure the boot, just cut/pull off the old ones as you get nice new ones in the CV kit. You do need a pair of 'side cutters' or similar to tighten though (Halfords £2)

 

I take it you haven't got a Haynes bible! Go down to your local libary in the morning and have a look and any VW, they are all very similar and all will become clear.

[Madjackal 0]

thats the ones, man there's so much I don't know, what are side cutters? I don't have a haynes but I will probs do as you suggest.

[Madjackal 0]

Never mind found it, im with ya. By the way GSF do the outer CV joint kit for VR6 for £51.11 inc. VAT.

[Madjackal 0]

I have the hub nut off, I have the wheel and brakes off and i have removed the lower ball joint.

 

The ball joint on the control arm is reluctant to come out and im a little concerned about forcing it, is this just due to the lack of play in the control arm?

 

I take it i have to remove the bolts from the suspension strut??

 

Does everything then just 'pull' off? (Pull = smack it with a lump hammer)

 

How do those weird clips that hold the boot on come off??

 

What is the small 'C' shaped piece of metal for that comes with the CV kit?

 

More advice needed please!

[Niges16V 0]

ooo so many questions! Well you have got further than I did when I changed mine!

 

The ball jnt on the control arm fits in a similar way to the other ie slightly tapered into the hub carrier. I couldn't even get the bolt off as it just turned the ball in the socket, ended up using a hacksaw and fitting a new joint. I assume you have a ball jnt seperator? Try using that to get some pressure on it then give the hub carrier a good whack. Perserverance and brute force should sort it.

 

It makes things easier if you remove the 2 bottom strut bolts as you can then knock the hub carrier/CV joint off the drive shaft with your lump hammer.

 

Either cut or lever the clips off. You should have new ones in your kit which are tightened by squeezing the square bit that is on there - use your 'side cutter' or similar.

 

The 'C' bit is the circlip that clips on the end of the drive shaft and slots into the CV joint to hold it in position.

 

Nearly there! It takes a fraction of the time to put back together