Strange knocking noise?

baza52

Hi all.
Drove my car today and noticed a slight knocking sound that seems to be coming from the front drivers side.
The only way I can describe it is like driving over a crack in the road every meter or so and it sounds like it as well.
Cant say I have noticed it before.
Wife couldn't hear it but I am certain its happening.


Anyone any idea what would cause this?
Its an 02 Focus and the first thing I did was check the tyre is inflated with enough and the tread was ok with no visible marks.


Thanks in advance

Iceweasel

That sounds like a stone or something stuck in the tyre tread.

Jack up the wheel and spin it to check.

It might also be a stone trapped in the caliper hitting the disc.

Or a cracked disc.

Check the wheel nuts for tightness too.

wongataa

Wheel bearing could be going or a CV joint issue possibly.

baza52

thanks Iceweasel, Ill have another look in the morning. I hope your right


Amd thanks Wongataa Ill look into your thoughts after I chack the tyre again.

Iceweasel

Wongataa's idea about the wheel bearing could be checked out with the wheel up too.

I would check for a worn constant velocity joint on full lock in reverse.

Good luck.

Quiet_Spark

Anti roll bar bush
Drop link (assuming the Focus has them)
Wheel bearing
Brake disc/pad/caliper (I'd expect some kind of feedback through the pedal if that one was serious though)
CV Joint (although it would have to be really f**ked to knock in a straight line)

That's just a few reasons off the top of my head, why not jack the car up and look for yourself what's actually going on with the OSF?

baza52

Breaking is fine. Its a pretty quiet noise but I can feel the slight bumps as im driving.
Im hoping its something as simple as a stone in the tread. That would make sense as the car is driving fine otherwise.


Thanks again for all the suggestions I appreciate it
Got to do an airport run early hours on Thursday and I would hate to break down and they miss their flight.
Son is playing a closing party in Ibiza and if he misses the flight I will never ever hear the last of it.

Quiet_Spark

baza52 wrote: »

Breaking is fine. Its a pretty quiet noise but I can feel the slight bumps as im driving.

Sounds like a drop link to me.

baza52 wrote: »

Im hoping its something as simple as a stone in the tread.

You already said in your first post you checked the tyre, besides which you'd hear it a darn site more than every metre or so if it was. You certainly wouldn't feel it though, unless of course the stone happened to be the size of a small boulder.

baza52 wrote: »

Got to do an airport run early hours on Thursday and I would hate to break down and they miss their flight.

I doubt very much the car is about to break down based on your description of the fault.

onomatopoeia99

Stone or nail / screw in the tyre tread is most likely. Other things mentioned here are also possible, but stuff like a worn CV joint is more likely to be heard only when cornering in one direction and not in the other and very rarely when going straight.