Loud Knock

[jimmer 0]

When agressively changing down to 1st gear there is a loud knock from the front left hand side of the car. I have checked everything obvious. There is minimal endfloat play in the top mount bearing but nothing really. Could my front springs be binding up, there 9" 225lb 2.25" diameter on bistein coilovers. What about my engine mounts? there hard rubber with a solid alloy lower mount.

Any help much appreciated

[welshpug 1,678]

might be the gearbox not liking being forced into first?

[Anthony 1,003]

I assume that you've checked the subframe bolts and the battery tray/gearbox mount bolts are all tight?

[jimmer 0]

All of the gearbox mounts are tight. The car is used for rallying and 1st gear gets used alot for tight hairpins. It goes into gear fine just a load knock when the car dips at the front and engine twisting as well i guess. I dont want to find out what is causeing it on my next event!

[timb1046 1]

i had this also, but never found out what it was, i hope its gone when i put the next engine in

[lagonda 42]

Try tightening the lower suspension arm ball joint clamp bolt in the hub carrier (item 9 in illustration 9.7 on p189 of the earlier Haynes manual).

 

Some so called professional garage clown replaced my doubtless perfectly serviceable originals with crap look-alikes, that are a) unshouldered (so doubtless don't set the ball joint at exactly the right point) & have a coarser thread....result...I have to keep re-tightening them. I know when to do this as I get a cracking noise when lifting off/accelerating! Incidentally the torque setting in Haynes is too low....but that could be because of said mickey mouse bolts in mine.

Steering improves noticeably once done!

[stutto 0]

/\/\ I would not exceed the recommended torque, you'll probably end up ovalling the hub and needing a new wishbone too.

 

If you have not got the correct bolt, buy one.

 

I recently had to swap a hub and wishbone and I believe it all started because I had a screw where the shouldered bolt should have been. To say it has improved handling is an understatement.