Knocking on front end

[Ca11um43]

I'm completely lost here...Recently something has been really clunky on the front end of my car. I can mainly feel it with my feet, and very rarely I can hear a knocking sound. I have taken the wheels off to check the bushings (which are all polyurethane), ball joints, drop links, etc etc and I can't find any problems Apart from a very tiny amount of play in the drivers ball joint, but I have a new one on the way and that's definitely not causing all the things I'm feeling and hearing. The alignment is also out since lowering the car, so I have it booked in next week for 2 front tyre's and an alignment.

I did have the whole subframe off a few months ago to do the down pipe, but it drove fine after that. I also installed a new passenger side ball joint, shortened drop links, and Stance+ coilovers a few weeks ago. Again, it drove fine after that, so I don't THINK this problem has been caused by anything that I've done. But thought I would mention it just in case.

 

[Rich.T]

Dogbone?

 

[Woody_72]

Engine mount possibly ?

 

[Connor H]

i was chasing a knocking on the drivers side front for AGES after fitting coilovers, i changed everything else; top mounts, subframe, wishbones, hubs, ball joints , rod ends...only thing i didnt change was the rack and the engine mounts. mine was more of a shuddering knock, like something was loose or moving on bumps.. im pretty sure its the spring on the coilover at this point and gave up caring.

 

[Ca11um43]

Dogbone?

I believe that has been upgraded to a polyurethane one as well, by a previous owner...I also tried rocking the engine back and forth but there wasn't any play doing that. I'll have to crawl under the car sometime to check properly, when it's not so wet and miserable out.

 

[Rich.T]

Maybe a cv joint. I had a rattle on mine that i thought was inner rollbar bushes. Recently had my ns wheel bearing and outer cv replaced and the noise has gone.








Well almost, still have a slight rattle from those pesky bushes

 

[Ca11um43]

i was chasing a knocking on the drivers side front for AGES after fitting coilovers, i changed everything else; top mounts, subframe, wishbones, hubs, ball joints , rod ends...only thing i didnt change was the rack and the engine mounts. mine was more of a shuddering knock, like something was loose or moving on bumps.. im pretty sure its the spring on the coilover at this point and gave up caring.

Handling wise, my car also feels really loose on the front end at the moment...When I'm turning at decent speeds, it almost feels like the whole suspension assembly shifts to the side. That's probably the best way I can describe it But all my wishbone bushings, top mounts, etc are all polyurethane and there's no play in any of them.

Mine is a bit like a shudder as well, I guess...It's like I can feel every tiny bump in the road under my feet. The only time it actually knocks, and I can hear it knocking, is when I'm going over pretty rough bumps. Like railroad tracks and stuff.

 

[Ca11um43]

Engine mount possibly ?

Hmmm, I will have to crawl under the car and check them all properly when it's not so wet and miserable outside...I did rock the engine back and forth by hand, and there was no movement by doing that. But I guess there wouldn't be unless the mounts were really bad.

 

[Ca11um43]

Maybe a cv joint. I had a rattle on mine that i thought was inner rollbar bushes. Recently had my ns wheel bearing and outer cv replaced and the noise has gone.








Well almost, still have a slight rattle from those pesky bushes

To be fair, it probably wouldn't hurt to change both driveshafts any way...They're a bit crusty and although all the boots are still intact, one or two of them are starting to crack quite badly (the rubber hasn't gone brittle or anything). I did also play around with them while I was checking the bushings, and I did notice a small amount of movement in both driveshafts As in a couple millimetres of movement when twisting them, before there was resistance from the gearbox and what not. I'm not sure if that's normal.

 

[300bhpdaily]

Recheck the subframe bolts as sounds like the subframe is shifting round bends loaded up.
Did you reuse the old bolts when you did the downpipe or fit new bolts?
They are stretch bolts.
I had a similar thing in my yellow mk2 after fitting the gearbox and reusing the old bolts.
Also when the subframes been off or dropped it shifts the geo on the car so you have to have it re tracked before it’ll start to feel normal again.

 

[Ca11um43]

Recheck the subframe bolts as sounds like the subframe is shifting round bends loaded up.
Did you reuse the old bolts when you did the downpipe or fit new bolts?
They are stretch bolts.
I had a similar thing in my yellow mk2 after fitting the gearbox and reusing the old bolts.
Also when the subframes been off or dropped it shifts the geo on the car so you have to have it re tracked before it’ll start to feel normal again.

I used the old ones, as I didn't realise they were stretch bolts...Any idea where I can get some new ones from? It's also booked in for a wheel alignment next week, but I would ideally like to get this problem sorted first. The subframe shifting is exactly how I would describe it though. It does it when cornering, and sometimes on bumpy roads.

It's currently pouring down with rain, but I have another day off tomorrow so hopefully it stops raining at some point so I can have a quick look. I did do them up tight with an impact, then checked them all with a breaker bar. But I will check them again, and/or replace the bolts if I can.

 

[Connor H]

I used the old ones, as I didn't realise they were stretch bolts...Any idea where I can get some new ones from? It's also booked in for a wheel alignment next week, but I would ideally like to get this problem sorted first. The subframe shifting is exactly how I would describe it though. It does it when cornering, and sometimes on bumpy roads.

It's currently pouring down with rain, but I have another day off tomorrow so hopefully it stops raining at some point so I can have a quick look. I did do them up tight with an impact, then checked them all with a breaker bar. But I will check them again, and/or replace the bolts if I can.

I had loose subframe bolts once and the car didnt feel like much different, so i doubt it'll be bolts. but worth to check theyre not loose.

Does your ARB go under or over driveshafts? Could be knocking if it goes over them.

Is it possible you've moved the ARB out of its optimal angle with different droplinks and its no longer preventing roll making the car feel wallowy??

 

[Ca11um43]

I had loose subframe bolts once and the car didnt feel like much different, so i doubt it'll be bolts. but worth to check theyre not loose.

Does your ARB go under or over driveshafts? Could be knocking if it goes over them.

Is it possible you've moved the ARB out of its optimal angle with different droplinks and its no longer preventing roll making the car feel wallowy??

Urm...Off the top of my head, I think the ARB goes over the driveshafts. I don't have any decent pictures, but the tyre's are now pretty flush with the arches (stock wheels with 225/40/18 tyre's), and I was told that if I dropped that low, the standard size drop links would 100% knock on the driveshafts. So I got some recommendations and installed Stance+ shortened drop links which other people haven't had any problems with. Plus my car drove fine for a good few weeks after installing them.

I did check the driveshafts, drop links, and ARB for any signs of them hitting each other, but all of that looked fine as well.

 

[smutts]

Knackered ARB rubbers made mine knock over rough bits, but yours sounds a bit more serious.

 

[Ca11um43]

Knackered ARB rubbers made mine knock over rough bits, but yours sounds a bit more serious.

I did check those, and there's no play in them. I believe a previous owner has upgraded them to polyurethane, as they're completely solid (shiny black material). So are the steering rack ones.

So far the only thing which sounds like it could be the problem, or at least one of the problems, is the bolts causing the whole subframe to move like @300bhpdaily said...I'm not sure if that would be making it knock/feel clunky as well though. And I just spent a bunch of money on the car yesterday, so ideally I don't want to randomly start throwing more money at it. But at the same time, everything I've checked has been fine, and I can't seem to find the problem.

 

[Ca11um43]

All 4 subframe bolts were already as tight as I could get them by hand, with a breaker bar...I did use my foot and was able to do them up a little more though. I also have a new ball joint on the drivers side now. There was only a tiny bit of play with it on the car, but it's destroyed and needed to be replaced. Maybe that was the problem after all? But it definitely felt and sounded like it was coming from the passenger side. Hmmm

The tracking will probably be out even more now, but again, it's having new Pilot Sport 4's on the front (I currently have Rainsport 3's on the rear) and an alignment next week. I probably won't know if it's fixed for sure, until then. We'll see

 

[300bhpdaily]

All 4 subframe bolts were already as tight as I could get them by hand, with a breaker bar...I did use my foot and was able to do them up a little more though. I also have a new ball joint on the drivers side now. There was only a tiny bit of play with it on the car, but it's destroyed and needed to be replaced. Maybe that was the problem after all? But it definitely felt and sounded like it was coming from the passenger side. Hmmm

The tracking will probably be out even more now, but again, it's having new Pilot Sport 4's on the front (I currently have Rainsport 3's on the rear) and an alignment next week. I probably won't know if it's fixed for sure, until then. We'll see

I remember thinking the same thing on mine I kept making the bolts tighter and tighter thinking it can’t be. Then I used the new ones and it’s was something crazy like 90nm and then 180deg turn I’ve never been so scared in my life thinking it’s going to snap.
like you said tho that ball joint sounds promising and I honestly don’t know the torque setting for the mk1 front subframe with the new bolts. Are you front subframe rear bushes cracked like they always are on a golf mk4 plateform car?

 

[Ca11um43]

I remember thinking the same thing on mine I kept making the bolts tighter and tighter thinking it can’t be. Then I used the new ones and it’s was something crazy like 90nm and then 180deg turn I’ve never been so scared in my life thinking it’s going to snap.
like you said tho that ball joint sounds promising and I honestly don’t know the torque setting for the mk1 front subframe with the new bolts. Are you front subframe rear bushes cracked like they always are on a golf mk4 plateform car?

Honestly, I didn't check the bushings on the subframe...The down pipe took longer than I expected, so I was in a mad rush to get it all back together I guess they could be a problem, in which case I will upgrade them to polyurethane. But how would I even check them for play? Or should I just take the bolts out and check them all visibly?

The drivers side ball joint that I just replaced was really bad...The passenger side one was just as bad when I replaced that, and that one was knocking but I couldn't feel anything through the floor, and it didn't affect the handling. I guess I'll find out when I drive the car though (haven't been out in it since changing the ball joint). If it's still the same then I might quickly buy new bolts and fit them before the alignment. I don't have a torque wrench to hand though

 

[iammooks]

Just as an aside, I remember reading a while back that if your car is lowered, it can cause the driveshaft to foul on something, especially when you're on full lock. It's why I put off lowering my car at the time. I don't know if that's what's happening to yours, but if it's only started happening recently, that could be it.

Otherwise it's possible it's your top mounts. Given you've got to do up two nuts on the shock, first for the spring retainer and the second to mount it to the car. When I put my new shocks in, the offside sits more proud of the top than the nearside, which makes me think I should probably try to tighten the nuts the proper way, rather than with an impact wrench like I did at the time. The ride has seemed a little 'crashy' at times since.


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[Ca11um43]

Just as an aside, I remember reading a while back that if your car is lowered, it can cause the driveshaft to foul on something, especially when you're on full lock. It's why I put off lowering my car at the time. I don't know if that's what's happening to yours, but if it's only started happening recently, that could be it.

Otherwise it's possible it's your top mounts. Given you've got to do up two nuts on the shock, first for the spring retainer and the second to mount it to the car. When I put my new shocks in, the offside sits more proud of the top than the nearside, which makes me think I should probably try to tighten the nuts the proper way, rather than with an impact wrench like I did at the time. The ride has seemed a little 'crashy' at times since.


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I believe what you read was about the driveshafts and ARB hitting each other, as I've read the same thing...However that's only if you use the stock drop links. I've installed shortened drop links to fix that problem, and there's no signs of them hitting

As for the top mounts, I will have to double check both nuts on top of each strut...I can't remember, but I probably did mine up with an impact as well. It does feel better with a new drivers side ball joint, and if anything my alignment is better than before, but I can't say it feels 100% still. I will post an update after I do a bit more driving, and check those nuts.