Hunt the pobble - what does the team think?

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 28 Apr 2004, 13:04

Hi folks
I am quite familiar with the metallic clunk on a BX caused when the drop link has a gnat's whisker of wear in it.
What does a worn drop link on a ZX sound like? I have a noise from the front on rough (aka West Yorkshire) roads - not so much a clunk as a 'pobble pobble' [:)] noise. Cannot see any wear in bottom ball joints or wishbone bushes, boot is split on LH drop link. Ride and handling are perfect - what does the team think?

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 28 Apr 2004, 14:05

Noises like that can also come from worn rack ends which is a ball joint attached to the steering rack, as a result, the noise tends to amplify through the actual rack. On a BX it's not a big job nor an expensive one, but on the 16Trs I had, a Cit meechanic with about 35 years experience who was the previous owner couldn't find it but it showed up at a RWC (=MOT) when I sold the car. The noise had driven me mad while I owned it.[:0][B)]
Jack wheels off the ground, lock the steering & grab the tie rod & push it in & out & look for wear on the inside of the tie rods.
Alan S

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 28 Apr 2004, 14:56

interesting as i get this and more recently my steering starts grabbing quite badly when i hit holes etc. My drop links are new as is most of the rest of the front except for the bottom arm bushes but I wonder if it is the tie rods.

Post by **RichardW** » 28 Apr 2004, 15:24

My Xantia used to make just this sort of noise - a light, muffled, knocking over rough surfaces - very different to the sharp rattle the drop links made. Fitting the new track rod end at the weekend has cured this noise. Interestingly though, on high suspension and with it jacked up, there was no play apparent, but you could rock the road wheel backwards and forwards with a definite clunk-clunk with it on the ground!
If you can get an assitant to rock the wheel while you hold the entire ball joint you should be able to feel if there is play in it.

rg · Post by rg » 28 Apr 2004, 16:20

"Pobble" is a good word.
My XM does this on right turns into our street as it crosses a raised ridge at the "give way" lines. Drop links have been renewed, and tyre wear shows no tracking problems.
Any clues?
rg

NiSk · Post by **NiSk** » 28 Apr 2004, 17:46

rg -
XM suspension noise sources:
- Bottom ball joint (a real mother to get off)
- Track rod ends
- Inner track rod/steering rack joint
- Anti roll bar (in it's plastic bushes)
- Inner wishbone bushes
- Strut upper mounting (check with a sharp screwdriver around the part protruding through the inner wing - if it goes through, you have the dreaded almost-strut-through-bonnet syndrome) Lift the side of the car so that the wheel is clear of the ground - does the upper mount separate (thick rubber bush supposed to be vulcanized to the rusty steel plate you tried to stick the screwdriver through).
//NiSk

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 28 Apr 2004, 18:04

Thanks for all your suggestions, folks - NiSk - I'm glad its not an XM, then [;)]
I'll check for play in TR ends, although steering is fine and nothing can be felt through it. Will replace drop link with split boot, anyhow

Brian Oblivion · Post by **Brian Oblivion** » 28 Apr 2004, 21:42

My pobbles get worse if I'm in too high a gear on rough surfaces. I've just had it checked by local garage and they couldn't find owt. The pobbly rattly noise is on the drivers side-front. I've just had a tie-rod done on the passenger side front, thats cured some knocking noises, but not the pobbles. Oh dear.

James.UK · Post by **James.UK** » 28 Apr 2004, 22:50

I think worn drop links on a ZX cause vibration when braking.. It did on a friends car anyway. When he replaced them the vibration stopped.

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 28 Apr 2004, 22:52

Is pobble even a word lol. Anyway, ive replaced all the drop links, shocks, top mounts on my zx but get this problem so it can only be lower arm bushes or tie rods. I will jack the front up and take a look at the weekend

alan s · Post by **alan s** » 29 Apr 2004, 02:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by uhn113x

Thanks for all your suggestions, folks - NiSk - I'm glad its not an XM, then [;)]
I'll check for play in TR ends, although steering is fine and nothing can be felt through it. Will replace drop link with split boot, anyhow
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
"Pobble" may not be a word from the dictionary but it's a bloody good description.[:D]
The rack end noise is exactly that noise & it doesn't affect nor can it be felt through the steering. When the guy found mine I reckoned he was having a lend of me until he showed me. He had the car up on a hoist which made it quite simple to detect and even simpler to fix. He did mine in about 15 - 20 minutes.
Alan S

Paulee · Post by **Paulee** » 29 Apr 2004, 06:07

Have you considered the driveshafts ?
My volcane TD fooled me into thinking I had worn struts ,trackrod ends,bushes etc but my trusty mechanic drove the car and pronounced the driveshafts knackered.....he was right and I now have a silent front end !

uhn113x · Post by **uhn113x** » 29 Apr 2004, 13:08

Visa16GTi
'Pobble' is now a word - I claim rights as its inventor!
Also to 'deedle-deedle' - the noise a gearbox makes in reverse on the overrun when car has been owned by a boy-racer [;)]
Anyone know what on earth 'Zum-zum-zum' (Mazda ads) means?
Alan
It looks like this is probably the cause - all I need now is a spare half-day!
Paulee
Maybe, but there is no difference on turns nor clunks when you reverse the drive

wrinklet1 · Post by **wrinklet1** » 29 Apr 2004, 13:53

Hi Mike,
The zum zum zum in the mazda advert is the sound of the car turning over on a flat battery.....!!!
Paul

VisaGTi16v · Post by **VisaGTi16v** » 29 Apr 2004, 14:01

Or the sound of a washing machine with loads of water in which is kinda what a rotary engine is like ie a bit chamber with a rotating bit inside. Or it could just be some stupid noise one of the advertising directors kids did one evening and he thought it sounded cool