Knocking noise when turning

phill · Post by **phill** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 9:59 am

The knocking noise is only one knock usually when turning to either go up a hill of uneven road surface (sounds as though it is on the drivers side), meaning one wheel is loaded more than the other. I have discounted the CV joint as this is a rythmic knocking when turning and would happen everytime I turned.There is no shaking or vibration when braking and the steering feels solid.
My thought is the link between the anti roll bar and the hub (item 7 in link below).

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do ... g=31&fg=10

The tension strut and the wishbones have both been replaced (both sides), the wishbones recently, tension struts about 2 years ago.

Question - is it as simple as jacking the car up and trying to move the link by hand, if it moves it needs replacing or is it likely to be something else, I have not had a chance to look yet because of the dark nights?

Thanks
Phill

tractorjacob · Post by **tractorjacob** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:36 am

Yup, drop link would be my guess mate.

I have been through 2 sets of them in just over a year.
Combination of a heavy car and shocking road surfaces.

Pretty cheap and fairly easy to replace. Think mine were just over a tenner each.
Not sure if you will see much movement by jacking up the car and trying to move them though.

I would suggest you get a couple of new ones and change them out. Should only take an hour and I give you pretty good odds that your knocking will disappear.

phill · Post by **phill** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 11:19 am

I had priced them up on ebay and had seen them for around Â£14 for the pair, or there are these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-X5-E53-3- ... 2567855501

are these going to be better, or are you just paying more for the same thing/quality.

Phill

phill · Post by **phill** » Mon Dec 26, 2011 4:04 pm

Fitted new drop links on the front today, the ones in the link above as they came with a 4 year warranty. The noise has gone, think I will do the rears shortly.

Phill

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phill · Post by **phill** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 4:38 pm

Noise is back, does anybody know if this could be down to a worn ball joint. I did try wobbling the wheel whilst off the ground and did not seam to have any play, but I am lost as to what it could be as all the normal culprits have been changed in the last 18 months.

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shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 5:56 pm

this sounds like my cv joint it started like this then got worse and turned into the sound you describe, a company on ebay does complete driveshafts brand new 2 year gurantee Â£50 each i put them on my old x5 and they were spot on

phill · Post by **phill** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:18 am

Thought a CV joint would have given more than one knock, I'm only getting a single knock, the knock only happens when putting a lot of lock whilst turning left all the rest of the time I have no knocking

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Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:36 pm

May just be the slack being taken up in the CV joint if worn, but not worn enough to give the usual knocking?
Just a thought.

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shadrack · Post by **shadrack** » Fri Dec 30, 2011 4:09 pm

yeh but in the early stages you can just get a single bang over potholes etc

damian777 · Post by **damian777** » Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:30 pm

I had the same problem on my last X5 ( had 3) the 2006 with 20 " wheels developed a knock on full lock at the end of full lock either way.. It was under warranty at the time and the rack was diagnosed by main dealer and also chaffed hoses rubbing on rack. replaced under warranty , and only had 19,000 miles on at time. ! I had the 20/ 315 mm ( Sport model ) tyres on the car and i believe the racks suffered under load from trying to move while sationery. D

phill · Post by **phill** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:14 pm

Just to update this.

Last weekend had another look under the wheel arch on the drivers side with the intention of changing the ball joint (ball joint won and remains on the car), but I had read on xoutpost about the control arm not being tight enough, so had a go. Did not get much out of it about half a turn with a 3 foot bar.
So far though no clunk, so even though it was pretty tight, it needed to be really tight.

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