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I've tried the owners group forum without any replies so lets try STW 🙂
Honda Civic on 175k miles. I've recently replaced front struts, top bearings, bump stops, antiroll bar droplinks and D bushes, and the rear bushes on the lower control arm. Car went to MOT at the weekend and passed.
After that work its still got a knocking noise, but either as a result of the MOT centre levering bits around with a prybar, or the newly replaced bushes, the nearside front now clunks regularly and the wheel has a play and knocking when push/pulled at 12 o clock. Seems OK at 3 and 6 O clock when pushed. Unfortunately when I raise the car and unload the suspension I cannot get the hub to knock, I've tried partially loading the control arm with a jack and will have another go this evening.
I'm thinking lower ball joint or the wheel bearing, anyone got an opinion from the symptoms as I need to get on and order the parts really!
Stuff like this can be a right PITA to find without the right kit. I'm a strictly DIY man, but even I'd be tempted to give it to a garage with a pit and shaker plates at this point.
Not familiar with the suspension setup of a civic (guessing mac strut?) but I'd guess that what you have left it ball joints, inner and outer TREs, rack mounts, and rack? I've always found these a right arse to sort. In fact, my car has a similar issue and keeps bloody passing the MOT, so I just live with it...
TBH from your symptoms I'd guess at ball joints.
Blindly replacing stuff gets tiring after a while. I'd pay the half hours labour for a good garage to get it over a pit and get a pry bar in there.
If it's on the 6 n 12 postion I'd say lower ball joint or strut.
As you've not done them I'd say ball joint.
Pop the joint out of the hub and have a waggle. It should have enough resistance that you struggle too move It by hand
Thanks guys, my gut feeling is the ball joint as well. Garage is a last resort, this is a matter of personal pride at not being beaten 🙂 The only problem being my wife needs the car for work but I doubt a garage will get to it any faster than me...
Usually 6 and 12 is ball joint, 9 and 3 is steering, both is wheel bearings. That said it still could be anything. Surprised it wasn't picked up for the MOT. Should at least be an advisory
Yeh I was surprised, its pretty bad!
Fixed. 'Someone' might have torqued up the piston nuts at the top of the struts BEFORE setting the car down and loading the suspension. The movement was the shocks moving slightly in the top mounts and once I torqued them properly there is no more creaking/cracking or play.
Anyhow, still rattles but at least the none of the wheels are about to fall off 🙂
Heh 🙂
Glad someone else is fixing up their old car. New shocks and bushings made a huge difference to my car.
Yeh, if you turn the stereo up to hide the rattles, it feels like a new car at the moment, and thats despite one bush still to fit as I didn't realise I need to remove all the undertrays and the gearbox shield to remove one of the bolts on the offside 🙂