Rattling!

[aerodynamica]

Xantia non-hydractive.

I'm getting a rattling from the front axle on the Xantia that experience suggests is the anti roll bar links but I've tested these by 'feel', car parked, having someone rock the car and couldn't detect any movement at all.

There's no detectable movement at the lower ball joints either and a very tiny amount found at the track rods.

It's rattling mostly over tiny road irregularities.

I wonder if I really need to get the car off its wheels to detect the source of the knocking.

OR! does anyone know of a usual suspect that's often hard to detect?

[DickieG]

You don't need much movement at all to get a knock from any of the joints, you mention a small amount of movement from a track rod end so I'd say you've found the source there, I had a similar knock on my HDi not so long ago and like the one you mention it was coming from a track rod end, very small movement/slack but an annoying knock.

[Peter.N.]

Drop links have to be very badly worn to detect movement in them while they are still attached, you need to take one end off to test them properly. As Dickie says it could be the track rod ends.

Peter

[citronut]

i'd still go for the drop links, as above it is very dificult to feel play in them without diconecting one end,
although you can sometimes feel the play with the wheels off the ground, suspension de/presureised and levering the arm up and down, whilst haveing a feel with the other hand

regards malcolm

[Timmo]

yup as the boys have said, drop links are very difficult to detect movement in when connected, you can get cheap ones for under £12 delivered off ebay but dont expect them to last long! 6 months ish,
if your going y=to look at them wack the car on high spray spome plusgas on them, leave for 10 mins, and crack the tension off them when there is still weight on them! is easier on these as they have an allen key insert in the end but on non allen ended ones when the weights off they spin the shaft round resulting ion a few mins of spannering and the nut not mooving!!
appologies if you already know this! - just thinking out loud as have to do mine this morning!!

[citronut]

the best way is to make sure you have new nuts for the replacement drop links, then wityh a cutting discx on and angle grinder slice straight through the centre of the swivle pin and nut just before you get through to the arm or anti roll bar, this way the nut will split in two or you might need to finnish it off with a small chisle,

regards malcolm

[CitroJim]

If you don't fancy taking an angel grinder to your beloved and personally I don't, I find a decent hacksaw with a new blade is almost as fast. You can usually get the nuts loosened just enough to slip the blade in behind and away you go...

It's got to be a proper full-size job and not a junior hacksaw - you'd be the there a month of Sundays with one of those...

[Northern_Mike]

If you don't fancy taking an angel grinder to your beloved and personally I don't......

Do you not have a Dremel in your tool box Jim? They're ideal for little jobs like this. Like a mini-grinder when they have a cutting disc on, but with far, far greater control.

I did manage to set fire to the inside of our front door when I cut the catflap hole out of it it using one though, they spin fast and generate a fair amount of heat..

[CitroJim]

I have a little dremel-like thing Mike but it's only a toy one really. I've been thinking of investing in a proper one for ages now...

I did manage to set fire to the inside of our front door when I cut the catflap hole out of it it using one though, they spin fast and generate a fair amount of heat..

I once nearly set an Activa on fire once using heat to help undo the front ram unions. It never occurred to me that a propane torch and leaking LHM is a potently flammable combination... I managed to put it out but had quite a blaze under the front wing at one point. The car lived through the experience...

[addo]

...an angel grinder...

That sounds at once both libidinous and violent!

[citronut]

there is nout wrong with useing an angle grinder on these sort of jobs if in the right hands and you are very carefull not to cut through the very last couple of mill,

regards malcolm

[aerodynamica]

Right! thanks for the thoughts - I'm fairly certain it's the AR links now and I'm amazed on how suddenly it appeared to start rattling. They'll be replaced in due course angels present or otherwise!

[aerodynamica]

On further inspection.... it looks like a fairly well mullered drop link balljoint after all..



I should get the new ones on Saturday so I've wire brushed and WD40'd the nuts in advance..... here's hoping!

[Dommo]

That all looks a bit oiley down there!

[Timmo]

I'm guessing the oil is the WD40! - better off with a penetrating liquid like plusgas rather than wd, but I recon you'll have fun trying to get them off!

I picked up some cheepy ones and was suprised by how loose the ball joints were for new units! Will get some Good ones to put on in the summer! Like the saying goes, 'buy cheap buy twice' hey!