Knocking sound when turning right!

[bigwinn]

Have had the car in to a mechanic who did hear the knocking but couldn’t find where it was coming from. I’ve tightened up the strut braces and the top strut nuts. It’s made no difference. The car doesn’t knock at all when driving straight but a hard pull to the right will make it knock repeatedly.

If it was a front wheel drive car I’d have said cv joints and that’s what the mechanic said he thought it felt/sounded like too but the steering rack is not loose.

I have been doing some other bits and bobs with coolant and oil leaks, which I think(hope) have been sorted now but am at a bit of a loss with this one and could do with another opinion on it really as I feel a bit nervous driving it with any gusto in case something gives way. Am in Nottingham. Anyone in the midlands that knows Zed suspension well and could offer any advice?

Feel free to drop me a line we can look at it

[BigDaddy]

Thanks Bigwinn for the offer. Before contacting you I thought I’d have one last look at the car, then thought I’d update this thread in case anyone has a similar issue or whatnot as I think I’ve found it.

I had all 4 tyres replaced at the same time a few weeks ago, not long after I bought the car. Strangely enough at the same time the knocking started. I was out there checking the lug nuts were all torqued correctly with a torque wrench when I realised there was something that looked a little off. I got a tape measure and realised the tyre place have put the front wheels on the left side of the car and the wider back wheels on the right side of the car. The tyres are all correct, but the wheels aren’t. The wider one must be catching on something when I am cornering.

I’ve been back to the tyre place now and they’re going to sort it tomorrow. No wonder I couldn’t spot anything wrong with the suspension and when I gave up and took it to a mechanic he couldn’t either as once the wheels are off the car, there’s nothing to see.

Anyway fingers crossed it will be a free fix and then I can actually start enjoying the car.

[enuff_zed]

Thanks Bigwinn for the offer. Before contacting you I thought I’d have one last look at the car, then thought I’d update this thread in case anyone has a similar issue or whatnot as I think I’ve found it.

I had all 4 tyres replaced at the same time a few weeks ago, not long after I bought the car. Strangely enough at the same time the knocking started. I was out there checking the lug nuts were all torqued correctly with a torque wrench when I realised there was something that looked a little off. I got a tape measure and realised the tyre place have put the front wheels on the left side of the car and the wider back wheels on the right side of the car. The tyres are all correct, but the wheels aren’t. The wider one must be catching on something when I am cornering.

I’ve been back to the tyre place now and they’re going to sort it tomorrow. No wonder I couldn’t spot anything wrong with the suspension and when I gave up and took it to a mechanic he couldn’t either as once the wheels are off the car, there’s nothing to see.

Anyway fingers crossed it will be a free fix and then I can actually start enjoying the car.

Bloody hell!
Make sure the tyres are on the right wheels too. Chance they've put the wide tyre on the narrow rim.
Get it sorted then never go back there again!!!!

I'd also question the ability of the mechanic who checked it over.

[BigDaddy]

Yeah that’s exactly what they’ve done. One wide tyre on a narrow rim and vice versa. That’s why I didn’t spot it at first, the wide tyres are on the back but on mismatched rims and narrow tyres on the front but also on mismatched rims. Such a stupid mistake and so easily avoided with a small amount of effort, but one that has caused me some real head scratching.

Yeah I know what you’re saying about the mechanic, but to be fair I think once he took the wheels off the car and set them aside he probably didn’t look at them further and focussed his attention on the suspension. Would’ve been nice if he’d noticed but to be honest without a tape measure you can’t really tell. With one you can spot the difference.

I’m trying to do as much mechanical stuff as I can on it, so hopefully won’t need to use him again anyway, I only took it to him because I had ran out of ideas. Sometimes the simple problems are the ones you miss. Or I do anyway!

[enuff_zed]

Yeah that’s exactly what they’ve done. One wide tyre on a narrow rim and vice versa. That’s why I didn’t spot it at first, the wide tyres are on the back but on mismatched rims and narrow tyres on the front but also on mismatched rims. Such a stupid mistake and so easily avoided with a small amount of effort, but one that has caused me some real head scratching.

Yeah I know what you’re saying about the mechanic, but to be fair I think once he took the wheels off the car and set them aside he probably didn’t look at them further and focussed his attention on the suspension. Would’ve been nice if he’d noticed but to be honest without a tape measure you can’t really tell. With one you can spot the difference.

I’m trying to do as much mechanical stuff as I can on it, so hopefully won’t need to use him again anyway, I only took it to him because I had ran out of ideas. Sometimes the simple problems are the ones you miss. Or I do anyway!

Ah, I see, so the actual tyres were right, but the wider rim was on the front.
I'd let the mechanic off on that one.

[BigDaddy]

Tyres swapped, wheels now in the right locations, problem solved and car just feels much better now and most importantly no knocking noises! Thanks for all help and advice.

[enuff_zed]

Tyres swapped, wheels now in the right locations, problem solved and car just feels much better now and most importantly no knocking noises! Thanks for all help and advice.

And you know what, none of us picked up on your very first statement, which was that you'd just had new tyres fitted.
We really should have considered that.
But glad you got it sorted.