21 replies to this topic

[mike.]

Got a bit of a problem with my car. Its recently had quite a lot of work and only been back on the road about a month but not done any more than about 30 miles due to various teething problems most of which are sorted now.

It passed its MOT first time with no advisories 5 weeks ago, but there's a noise that I can't work out. I don't even know if its a problem really but its not exactly confidence inspiring.

Its a clicking sound coming from the front of the car when its rolling. It happens with the engine not running or engine running either in or out of gear. Also seems to happen much more frequently when its going backwards/in reverse. The wheel bearings/balljoints are all new - Although thats not to say a problem could be being caused by installation.

I jacked the car up and turned the wheels by hand to see if I could feel any resistance through the wheels, but when jacked up you can move the wheels forward and back independently or together and the noise doesn't occur, there's no play in the wheel and the wheel spins freely and smoothly.

So makes me think it only occurs when the weight of the car is on the wheels. At first I thought maybe CV boot clips catching on something as the drive shafts spin, but all my boots are held on with plastic cable ties, and this noise is louder than anything that could be produced by them.

I can't here the noise on the road when driving, only usually at low speed whilst reversing. But when pushing the car up and down the drive it clicks going forward too. As a guide to frequency of the clicks I would say it makes 5 clicks going backward for every 1 click it makes going forward, and it'll click once roughly every metre.

Its also intermittent, some times I can push the car forward and back up the drive 5 times with no clicks, other times it clicks every half turn of a wheel.

I don't know what to think really. Anybody got any ideas? CV joints maybe? I'm stumped since its just got through an MOT with no advisories.

[sonikk4]

If you turn the steering hard over either way them move the car does the noise get louder. This would point to CV joints.

[maccers]

Wheel balancing weights making slight contact with the caliper's?

[mike.]

Don't think it can be wheel weight as I have 13" wheels so plenty of clearance there. I'll check the noise with more steering lock and report back! I might try and get a video of the noise, but not sure if it'll be heard on camera.

Last time the car was on the road, the CV joints didn't make a noise and the cars done no mileage since. Except the CV's have been apart checked/regreased and new boots fitted. I'm pretty sure they're all back together correctly, but if I hadn't put them back together correctly I guess that could cause a noise...

Edited by mike., 16 July 2012 - 08:33 AM.

[The Principal]

is it something simple like a screw in the tyre?

[freshairmini]

It does sound like CV joints, I remember when the cv's started going on my brother landrover, the click or clucking sound got louder when he turned I think.

[Nick Warwick]

I would say CV joint too

[mike.]

Ok, could probably do with trying to get a video of this, but will be difficult to capture the noise on cam I think. Will give it a go tomorrow.

Anyway, I was convinced this is a CV joint problem, but after driving the car today I've found the noise only really occurs in reverse and steering angle makes no real difference. So i'm wondering if theres anything else people can think of. My dad said maybe something in the gearbox, but this noise happens when in or out of gear, engine running or engine off.

It clicks a lot in reverse, sometime clicking constantly maybe every inch I move, but once moving forward, it clicks once and then never again unless i've reversed since.

Any other ideas what this could be?

[mike.]

Ignore my last post, it does it going forward too, just only when turning quite sharp. I does it loads in reverse though in a straight line or whilst turning.

Guess its 2 new CV joints for me then... sigh... fed up of working on this car constantly

[Midas Mk1]

I had a clicking noise on the way back from mitp 2005, thought it was stones stuck in the brake disc shields.
I had similar problems, then the drivers side wheel bearing let go whilst doing 80, pulling the car across 2 lanes
I'd check you wheel bearing too before immediately thinking of the cv joint

[mike.]

Yeah thats why i've not taken it on a motorway yet! Wheel bearings/ball joints all new and theres no play in the wheel and it turns smoothly with no rough spots or grinding, so apart from that don't know how else to check them

[mike.]

CV joints aren't as expensive as I first thought, £30 so not too bad, I though they were £50-£60.

What are the chances of the inner pot joint CV begin worn? You can buy new ones of those, but don't know how they fit as the bearings for that seem to be part of the driveshaft really

[mike.]

Ok, before I order my CV's just wanted people to here the noise and when it occurs. Took it for a spin round the block with my phone filming in the ashtray.



You can hear the clicking cleary as I back off the drive, if anything the video highlights it. As soon as i'm going forward the clicking stops, but does occur during tight cornering. The few clicks you hear just as I set off down my road are me with the seatbelt not the CV's.

[mike.]

Quick bump before I make my minispares order, just incase its obvious to someone its not CV joints.

Thanks

[1964Woody]

I have had a similar noise from brake disk shields. Check to make sure they are not loose or that they dont have a broken bracket. Simple fix if thats what it is.