Club 80-90 Forums

Haven't had the van long so just trying to sort out all the knocks and bangs that I can find ,, there is a knocking coming from the front on both sides , one is slightly worse than the other but there both knocking over bumps ,, best way to explain it is it tends to be worse on smaller bumps like washboard bumps , big bumps and speed ramps it's fine ,, I'd normally go strait to the ARB drop links but these look in fairly good nick and the bushes are yellow so assume they have been replaced with good items at some point

Where would be the best place to start top ball joint ? , I'm planning on replacing pretty much everything over the next few months as iv got another front end to prep and powder coat but would like to start by getting rid of this annoying knocking first as its making me not want to drive the van

Cheers

We went to France this summer and before leaving I was in the same mindset as you are now...because of the knocking sounds.

My mechanic said to get under the front of the van with a tin of wd40 and spray all the joints you can hear knocking..

Got a friend to get in and rock the van and I happily sprayed away at anything that resembled a knocking sound...

That was 3 months ago and the knocking hasn't returned.....yet !!!

The spare wheel sometimes creeks tho (as ours is under there.)

Thanks and iv already tried this as with removing things in mind iv already gone about spraying everything in sight with wd40 but it doesn't seem to have made any difference but I can always try again with a mate

The ARB has bushes in three locations:
- at each of the two clamps that hold the ARB in place
- at the tops of both droplinks
- at the bottoms of both droplinks
Have you checked all these locations? It might also be worth check the steering rack bushes as this is the other thing that connects to both sides.

clift_d wrote:The ARB has bushes in three locations:
- at each of the two clamps that hold the ARB in place
- at the tops of both droplinks
- at the bottoms of both droplinks
Have you checked all these locations? It might also be worth check the steering rack bushes as this is the other thing that connects to both sides.

Thank for the reply , yes iv defo checked the ARB and drop link bushes and they are the newest on the whole van by the look of it lol , think the privious owner may have been trying to track it down aswell and has changed them for uprated ones ,, I'll look at the rack bushes but it sounds/feels like it's right under your feet when you go over sharpe quick bumps so that's why I was thinking it could be the top ball joint but not sure if that would make the clunking noise and they don't look knackered really

Worn spacer sleeve at the top of the shock absorber caused my knocking. A:

Is it a Syncro or 2WD?

Domino wrote:Haven't had the van long so just trying to sort out all the knocks and bangs that I can find ,, there is a knocking coming from the front on both sides , one is slightly worse than the other but there both knocking over bumps ,, best way to explain it is it tends to be worse on smaller bumps like washboard bumps , big bumps and speed ramps it's fine ,, I'd normally go strait to the ARB drop links but these look in fairly good nick and the bushes are yellow so assume they have been replaced with good items at some point

Where would be the best place to start top ball joint ? , I'm planning on replacing pretty much everything over the next few months as iv got another front end to prep and powder coat but would like to start by getting rid of this annoying knocking first as its making me not want to drive the van

Cheers

Mine had really bad case a creaking, finally got round to putting grease on all the bushes. Creaks went, AMAZING...BUT as is always the case, all of a sudden I hear a knocking noise exactly as you describe!! Really bloody annoying. Sounds pretty painful. Thought it was the spare tyre. but alas no joy. It's going to the garage on Wednesday for it's back brakes so will ask him to have a look at this also

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Worn spacer sleeve at the top of the shock absorber caused my knocking. A:

Thank this sounds like it might be the problem

Thanks for all the replys everyone

clift_d wrote:Is it a Syncro or 2WD?

It's a 2wd not a syncro

Oldiebut goodie wrote:Worn spacer sleeve at the top of the shock absorber caused my knocking. A:

This was also my issue.

Hi, Ihad this problem withmy Type 25 and it turned out to be the bolt at the top of the coil spring on the front suspention, ther nut had worked loose and causing it to rattle when going over bumpe or rough road. refitted with new lock nut and this solved the problem.

crazyhorse wrote:

Domino wrote:Haven't had the van long so just trying to sort out all the knocks and bangs that I can find ,, there is a knocking coming from the front on both sides , one is slightly worse than the other but there both knocking over bumps ,, best way to explain it is it tends to be worse on smaller bumps like washboard bumps , big bumps and speed ramps it's fine ,, I'd normally go strait to the ARB drop links but these look in fairly good nick and the bushes are yellow so assume they have been replaced with good items at some point

Where would be the best place to start top ball joint ? , I'm planning on replacing pretty much everything over the next few months as iv got another front end to prep and powder coat but would like to start by getting rid of this annoying knocking first as its making me not want to drive the van

Cheers

Mine had really bad case a creaking, finally got round to putting grease on all the bushes. Creaks went, AMAZING...BUT as is always the case, all of a sudden I hear a knocking noise exactly as you describe!! Really bloody annoying. Sounds pretty painful. Thought it was the spare tyre. but alas no joy. It's going to the garage on Wednesday for it's back brakes so will ask him to have a look at this also

UPDATE ON MINE.

Took it the garage, it's the ball joint according to them. £110 to sort out. Getting done tom, so will report back if it's gone. They also said that the front tyre was knocking about and to put a ratchet strap on it, £16 extra.

Thanks for the update , still not driven mine since but will take it to a garage once I get some time

Sorry to come back to an old thread but I have had similar knocking coming from our van for almost 11 months. I have finally reached the conclusion that it's very likely to have the same cause as is described here, with the illustration of the bump stop and spacer sleeve.

My question is: the diagram mentions the word 'modification'. What does the modification involve? I have seen a related post somewhere and the owner was talking about fitting two heavy washers with 1/2 inch internal diameter. Where would you fit those?

I know that I could still be looking at upper wishbone bushes as another cause but I really do believe I have ruled everything else out.

Looking for a member to save my sanity...

Note: I just looked at my copy of Bentley because I realise that's where the diagram comes from. Unless I can change the spacer sleeve I'm still no wiser.