Odd knocking noise from front right and scraping sound

[rally 'rolla]

Hi all,

Went for a cruise up to Whangarei this weekend from AKL. On the journey I noticed a knocking noise from the front right when going over larger bumps and an odd scraping noise - they do not happen together. I have just had the upper ball joint replaced on the right as it was shot and the mechanic thought it was causing the knocking, I guess not.

I was thinking that maybe it is the shock that is gone? It is slightly lowered on king springs and has 205 17's - could the scraping be tyre rub? I can not see any sign of this but was just a thought.

Any help to get rid of the annoyance would be great.

Cheers

[DEVILE]

the knocking could be your shock....check and see if it is leaking badly thats generally a good sign the shock is on its last legs/or push the front of the car down and see if the car comes back up nice and slowly or whether it bouces if it bouces the shock is buggered. The scraping could well be your tyres on the strut have a look inside at the strut to see if their is any wear indication..or if your car has the platic inner gaurd still the plastic liner may simply have dropped a bit and is contacting your tyre every once and a while.

hope this has helped

[rally 'rolla]

Cheers, well I saw the shock when they did the balljoint (hung around out of curiosity) and saw nothing leaking oil. will test the rebound and have a look on the inner gaurd, suspension etc for tyre rub.

this might sound a little odd and may or may not be related but the car feel like it turns to the left with more certainty than it does the right. Turning to the left feels more positive and the right a little loose and less response.....??? maybe its me going mad.....

keep the input coming!!

Thanks

[gtRFungi]

or if your car has the platic inner gaurd still the plastic liner may simply have dropped a bit and is contacting your tyre every once and a while.

hope this has helped

Yeah this is whats happening with my car, its a nnoying but if its happening with your just bold the gaurd back into place.

[rally 'rolla]

sweet will check that tonight.

Have also had it suggested that it may be the spring not seating properly? What would that sound like and how can I find out? Was told shorter shocks will fix this but its only on the one side....

BTW: Both the scraping and knocking happen at high AND low speeds....

keep the suggestions coming.

Cheers all!

[DEVILE]

i wonder if one of your tie rod ends may be on its way out to.
if the spring isn't seated properly it may be a case of the strut coming out, releasing the spring and then puttin it in its seat properly, have u done the shocks on the car? or do u know if previous owner had? i presume its lowered?
cos maybe whoever did it didn't reseat the spring properly

[PumpN]

checking if the spring is in its seat is easy enough, the spring not being seated will only be a problem if the car hasn't been lowered properly and the shock is too long for the spring meaning the spring is not captive and when the suspension isn't under load the spring can come loose and move about, which is very dodge but isn't hard to fix, any engineer or really good mechanic should be able to tap the thread on the shocks further and shorten it for you which doesn't cost that much

when i read your first post, first thought was leaking shock, the car will handle like poo and it will make a knock knock noise over bumps

as someone has already suggested a duff shock can be easily tested by bouncing that corner of the car, push the car down on the suspension and let it go, it should return immediately to its normal stance and stay still, if it bounces up and then trys to go back down and up and down then its had it

[rally 'rolla]

Okay, heres where I am at after some investigation and help from the local garage.

One of the small arms that attaches to the bottom of the strut then to a bar that has three attachments on it is gone. I believe it is part of the super strut setup.

A small arm with a ball joint at one end and bush at the other. Parts are ordered so will update with result of new parts - finger crossed problemed solved.

Cheers all for your input!!!

[boosted_gtz]

hey does the scraping sound always happen when you are slowing down? if so, my one does that too, on the point of slowing down, and when clutch is applied, the sound disappears. The sound is like rubber hitting something. Anyone knows? thanks

[rally 'rolla]

Are you sure its not a thrust bearing or something? Wouldn't sound like rubber tho.... Mine does it over bumps mainly... will make a note if it is while slowing down.

Want have any results on how I get on with replacement parts for a while as shipping for one is 6-8 weeks.. the other will be sooner

Cheers

[rally 'rolla]

Just updating progress so that this could possibly help someone else out in the future.

Have replaced both the ball joints on each side and noise is still there...

Went to pedders, paid my $14 and got a suspension test and found the following:

- both D bushes on the front sway were totally (and by that I mean 100%) F%%Ked. The sway bar had an amazing amount of travel in it HENCE the scraping noise

- the right front lower arm (attaches to the bottom of the hub and the heads towards being inline with the rear of the wheel arch but more towards the centre of the car) - part 48068E if anyone is looking at a super strut diagram. Well this little pain in the ass has shot bushes and on top of that is slightly dislodged from the hole where it bolts up into the chassis somewhere under the drivers feet!!! Part is ex japan and a good whack of $...

Anyway hope this helps some else.

Cheers

[solberg Fan]

I had a strange scraping noise from my corolla yesteday as well. I jacked it up, wiggled turned and spun everything but everything seamed sweet as. Put it back down, went for another drive and it was still there!! I was pissed off. Then i realised that the mud gards were rubbing on the ground I had just put a diffrent set of tyres on and they were to small!!

If you have the same problem, i'd be real suprised...

[MR2SIK]

yea ive got the same knocking sound from my front shocks, next thing on the list of things to do after the clutch and pulley , also it sounds like the tyre is rubbing against something when ive got full left lock, but i got standard sized wheels and tyres cant see anything loose under there, guess il have to jack it up and have a proper look.

guess its not too bad that things are starting to fail on my car, just keep up with my plan of replacing anything that breaks with better bits

[rally 'rolla]

Hey, yeah that scraping noise is exactly what I had. From what I have found it is the sway bar travelling from side to side and most noticable when turning. My D bushes on the sway bar are totally gone and causing that problem. The knocking maybe the same lower arm problem (off the bottom of the hub heading backwards) that I have. Dont take it too lightly coz if it goes then your whole suspension setup is in for hell. (Just note that my car is a super strut model so what I say is in reference to that - and I'm no mechanic )

I would highly recommend spending $14 at Pedders and getting them to do the suspension test. I went to the one on New North Road at the top of Newmarket in AKL - not sure if that helps you but they were thorough.

Sweet....