Xantia HDi Wishbones

Post by **DHallworth** » 24 Jun 2010, 14:04

I decided yesterday that I would crack on with the jobs that need doing on our HDi so took it into the workshop and decided to do the nearside wishbone.

Dropped the driveshaft off, and noticed the ABS ring on it was loose so I took it out and welded it back onto the shaft. The ring had splut which was allowing it to move on the end of the shaft.

I changed the wishbone and put it back together, torqued everything down as per the Haynes manual and took the car for a quick run.

There seems to be a funny knocking noise coming from the corner that I changed the bush on. Is there anything that I am likely to have upset whilst I did the work?

It's confused me and by the time I'd finished yesterday I wasn't in the mood to go searching!

One side done, one side to go!

Thanks

David.

Post by **RichardW** » 24 Jun 2010, 15:52

Wheel nuts not tight...?

Brigsygtt · Post by **Brigsygtt** » 24 Jun 2010, 17:21

This sounds like my familiar chasing the knocking suspension component. Check the balljoint/droplink/track rod end for play.

Post by **DHallworth** » 24 Jun 2010, 19:33

Will check it over and see if there's anything that's noticable.

The track rod and track rod end were replaced a month or two ago.

I did wonder about bottom ball joint or track rod though.

David.

Post by **c.morewood** » 26 Jun 2010, 19:52

I've got a simlar problem with knocking somewhere in the front suspension.
I've replaced everything I can think of (track rods and ends droplinks wheelbearings) apart from the bottom ball joints, which I'm assured don't need replacing.
Is this a common mysterious knocking?

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 26 Jun 2010, 20:50

Iv the same on my passenger side ,but only when im going over bumpy roads,iv had new bushes and droplinks recently so i wonder if its the same thing as your experiencing...it sounds like a childs rattle ?

addo · Post by **addo** » 26 Jun 2010, 21:07

Balljoints do wear, this can be hard to detect without a hoist and large prybar. I'm also suspicious of wheelbearings after two forum members found their originals a bit greaseless at fairly low mileages.

That said - do check your wheelnuts. I had a nasty experience last year when all four came off the NSF; I'd put the knocking down to a dying driveshaft. Fortunately it was (just) in a safe location and the wheel stayed within the wing. Still don't know how they all backed out; two people suggested foul play.

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 26 Jun 2010, 21:13

addo wrote:Fortunately it was (just) in a safe location and the wheel stayed within the wing. Still don't know how they all backed out; two people suggested foul play.

..

addo · Post by **addo** » 26 Jun 2010, 21:22

I park offstreet, but anyone could walk in at night (and I do sleep soundly).

Sobering stuff either way you call it; to jack up the car and check the wheel is both centred and tight is worth the wondering.

Post by **RichardW** » 27 Jun 2010, 09:13

I had a do with wheel nuts a few weeks back.... had fitted my summer wheels back on - one of which is a bit rusty (was the spare I think) - then we went off on holiday. Were down the single track road the end of the Mull of Kintyre, about 12 miles from the main road when we through a massive pot hole. Followed shortly after by the car starting a loud and pretty serious sounding knocking. It got worse, and I was trying to think what I broken. Then it occured to be that it could well be loose wheel nuts. Pulled up and sure enough all 4 on the rutsy wheel that had been through the pot hole were less than finger tight

Tigtened them up again and away we went with no more knocking. Phew!!

Post by **c.morewood** » 27 Jun 2010, 09:38

Mine's not like a rattle, more like clunking whenever I go over a bump.. you can feel it, just, through the steering wheel and hear it, again just, with the radio off.
The only light rattling sound from that area that I suffered was a thin bit of light metal, designed as a heatshield and now discarded, on the treack rod ends.
It was so thin that it eventually bent andworked loose so that it tinkled against the trackrod end, sounding much worse than it was.

Post by **DHallworth** » 28 Jun 2010, 08:01

Well I found the cause of the knocking last night.

I'd tried to undo the drop link, when it turned through I decided against taking it off all together.

When I grabbed the anti roll bar and pulled on it, the roll bar moved on the drop link so I put an allen key in the bolt, nipped the nut up, and that seems to have solved the problem.

So after having a nice easy fix for that I decided to do the other wishbone last night as well.

Thanks guys,

David.