Yo.

My mk3 has just developed a loud knock coming from somewhere.

It's not the engine itself, as it only happens when I'm moving.

No matter how slow I'm going, there's a knock, at 5mph it's every couple seconds, and at 30mph it's a constant knock-knock-knock.

Any ideas what I can check? I have to get to a doctors appointment by 9am so any help from the night time crew would be really useful.

could be suspension? knackered cv joint? unless there is grinding too?

could be suspension? knackered cv joint? unless there is grinding too?

There's a grinding/squealing but that started a couple days ago when I changed wheels.

could there be a problem with the wheels? my mate bought some wheels off a dodgy bloke *cough* me *cough* and one turned out to be buckled.

could there be a problem with the wheels? my mate bought some wheels off a dodgy bloke *cough* me *cough* and one turned out to be buckled.

Wheels are fine, it wasn't knocking earlier when I dropped a mate off, by the time I got home it had started it.

I just took it out and jacked up each corner, span the wheels, rocked them back and forth, and couldn't feel anything loose.

Took it about 300 yards up the road and back and it started doing it again, I also managed to get pulled over in this 30 second drive. (I'm not even joking, blue lights and all.)

a loud knock coming from somewhere.

where abouts on the car is it coming from? There's literally a hundred things it could be.

But the fact it seems to have started since you swapped wheels seems too much of a coincidence. Does it go away if you swap them back? Could be a worn CV joint that you'd dislodged. Could be something on the wheels catching under load, mk3 wheels move about an alarming amount when the car is actually moving under load or when cornering. So you might not notice when spinning the wheel by hand on a jack.

a loud knock coming from somewhere.

where abouts on the car is it coming from? There's literally a hundred things it could be.

But the fact it seems to have started since you swapped wheels seems too much of a coincidence. Does it go away if you swap them back? Could be a worn CV joint that you'd dislodged. Could be something on the wheels catching under load, mk3 wheels move about an alarming amount when the car is actually moving under load or when cornering. So you might not notice when spinning the wheel by hand on a jack.

It didn't start as soon as the wheels were put on, this is about 100-150 miles after they were put on.

Originally thought it was coming from the front, but after a short drive, me and the gf both concluded that we couldn't tell if it was the front or back, seems equally loud at both!

I was hoping "only while moving" and "gets faster if you drive faster" would narrow it down a fair bit :(

I'd suspect a CV joint then if you've looked all over and can find no signs on anything rubbing or catching anywhere.

when it knocks can you "feel" it through the steering wheel?

when it knocks can you "feel" it through the steering wheel?

Can feel it throughout the whole bloody car mate! It's a significant knock. If I can't work it out in the next few mins I'm going up to the local garage and let them have a look!

..I'm not even fucking joking with my next statement.

All four bolts in the n/s/r wheel had worked themselves loose. The wheel was smacking off the hub with every rotation.

What's the only thing I didn't check? How tight the bloody wheels were.

ahh!

well at least it's something nice and simple

I'd by lying if I said I'd never done that. In fact I've done it loads of times.

ahh!

well at least it's something nice and simple

I'd by lying if I said I'd never done that. In fact I've done it loads of times.

They also found out I need a new o/s/r wheel bearing. That's three new bearings (n/s/r, n/s/f + this one) since I bought the damn thing in May last year.

Is the bearing actually shot, or could it be tightened? They are notoriously dodgy. Mine failed on rear beating, despite me replacing it recently. Just nipped the nit up, and it passed the second time. They are gay because too lose and they move, too tight and they burn out quickly!

Is the bearing actually shot, or could it be tightened? They are notoriously dodgy. Mine failed on rear beating, despite me replacing it recently. Just nipped the nit up, and it passed the second time. They are gay because too lose and they move, too tight and they burn out quickly!

At £14 I'm not too fussed about replacing it, it's got a fair bit of play.