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MG MGF Technical - Knocking noise up front

Hi,

After recently having new discs and pads fitted to the front wheels on my F at local MG garage. A knocking noise has appeared coming from the front of the car, can't pin point where from, I don't get any vibrations through the steering wheel or pedals, and only happens over bumps not around corners, and espically at lowish speeds. I don't think I'm being fussy about this as it wasn't there before it went in to the garage!!

Before I take it back in for them to look at I'd like to be able to point them in the possible direction of the problem.

Many thanks!!
John Samson

For start make sure there nothing loose under the bonnet - spare wheel etc. if you can't find anything loose or anything else obviously wrong then do of course contact the garage where the work was done and report the problem following their previous work to the car.
Paul Lathwell

Worth also jacking up the front wheels and checking for play in the wheel bearings

Knocking could be - discs loose / calipers loose so check before you drive!!
tony

I've noticed a noise today but only as I move off ... from the front passenger side. Sounds like a clunk. I'll have a look tomorrow.

Gaz ('96 VVC)
Gaz

Gaz,
shake the wheel strong up and down and than right to left.
Right to left with locked steering wheel.
If you feel play in the up/down case than in most cases the lower ball joint is the 'subject'. Right to left play will be there in any way, but if to much than the steering arm ball joint is related.
Both directions play can be the wheel bearing.

John,
have as well such a knock appearing sometimes under 'uneven' road conditions since a couple of weeks from obviously the same direction you mentioned.
I did already all currently from the BBS regulars suggested checks.
Would suggest to follow up as stated above from Paul, Tony and Gaz and myself.

What I did and found in the last weeks was:

- no loose parts in the bonnet, glovebox or door
- ball joints, brake pads, steering arm ball joint and wheel bearing in best condition (24k mls on the clock)
- wheel arch OK, wheel arch liner OK, mud flaps OK.
- nothing loose inside the door body
- bonnet hinges tight bolted on
- all cables good attached behind the screen frame cover and under the dash.
- airbag well fitted (LHD car in my case)
- door hinges tight, no rattle from the door (drove already with open door and still heard the knock)
- Softtop clamps left out, cause it knocks also with open hood and low or raised door screens

The only niggle is a broken mirror cheeter, but I can rattle there and can't produce that knock with the damaged slight loose part.

Circumstances:
The amount of knocks decreased in the last few days when it got colder.

Now in my case the one and only 'Hanah from NZ' or Neil or Jerome will soon tell me what's knocking at my car.

Hanah where are you ?
I need your advise due this 'puzzle' !!
Shall I go looking for two of the 'exhaust clamps' ?

John, I would recommend all the above checks as well if your dealer can't find anything.
At last you got the same as some of us...including me.

Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

Dieter & John,

I can tell you one thing. My car started squeaking after I jacked up the car (front of the car) to fit the splitter on the front bumper.

I jacked the right first then the left with a jack from mom's car.

Maybe that has twisted the chasis hard enough to make tiny cracks along the welding around the cross member beam.

Before fitting the splitter, honestly the car was fine.

Got this fixed, by re welding at the Rover dealer. [money money money]

Afterwards, I wanted to colour (paint) my brake calipers, so I jacked up the car again, and walla, the creak returned ever since. I returned my car for further welding with no luck.


For me that is how it started, and I am not sure if that is the case for John as well. This, you can't blame on the garage, but stupid MG Rover.

My dealer who agreed to pay for the welding at the start, is giving me hard time, going that I have to pay for it. But the deal I made wasn't like that. So what they did was, Rover gave my address and the phone no. to the panel beater who worked on my car and he contacted me directly. I was really pissed off that Rover gave out my address and details to third party without my permission, and I didn't even contact or set up deals with the panel beater personally anyway. So if they (Rover workshop) ask for further payments, I am going to sue them. Just because I am young (20), they can't play around. I am not as dumb as they think.


Anyway, sorry for my complaints.

Dieter, you *might* have that cross member. (fingers crossed not) Have you tried pushing up and down the steering wheel? Not too hard (otherwise you gonna break the locking nuts or something). But if done relatively hard enough you might be able to generate the same noise.

Why not go for the U-clamps? You are high capable enough to do it, and I don't see it getting any worse by that way. Can I take my car to your garage, and do it together? :) hahahah.. I wish... [will take me 2 months to gethere wihth my car!]

Well I am going to try it, as I am on a 4 month long holiday now. I just have to figure out what sort of U-clamps that I should get and from where. Maybe Dieter you know?

Any more questions on crossmember let me know. I have been through it.. many times, and I am still living with it. [getting rather used to it now]

And my driver's door window rattles like hell!! Any idea to fix that?? Even at full closure (with roof down)!!

Thanks
Hanah Kim

Hanah,
Check out Dieter's website, he has a picture of the U-clamps
I bought mine in a car shop for less than £4
This part is used for exhaust pipes theorically.
Once again, I should have the picture by the end of the week.
I'll scan it next weekend and post it to Dieter.
Jerome
Jérôme

-------- snip from John's follow up thread ----
John Samson, Avon, United Kingdom, jcbsamson@hotmail.com
Hi agian,

thanks for everyone's help! I've checked around the wheels/brakes and under bonnet. I think I've narrowed it down to the some up and down movement in the near side front wheel. It was mentioned that this could indicate a worn lower ball joint. Now that I'm this far how do I confirm this to be the case?

Thanks!

ps: Why is it that my F (non VVC) has 205/55/R15 wheels all round, where as all other non VVC cars I've seen have 185's?
-----------------------

John,
I copied the message from the new thread.
I suggest to go on here.

You can do two things now to get sure that it is the lower ball joint.

Option 1
Get a second person to look at the movement of the lower ball joint while you rattle up and down. With turned wheel and looking yourself it is possible as well. The movement can be seen IMO very clear.
http://www.mgf-net.de/ball_joint/index.htm
Tells the story of my job from last year

Option 2
Just join ANY workshop and ask them to look for.

>Why is it that my F (non VVC) has 205/55/R15
I suppose the pre-owner installed them ?

Rgds
Dieter

Dieter Koennecke

This thread was discussed between 05/11/2001 and 06/11/2001

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.