Knocking and tapping in driver's wheel well
 

I've been trying to figure this noise out for quite some time now. I am at my wit's end with trying to figure out the source of this tapping/knocking noise. I am very hesitant to believe that this noise is from swaybar/endlinks, as this has been where all of my efforts have gone in trying to address this noise. I've even replaced the entire swaybar+bushing+brackets/rails assembly - fresh fasteners, two sets of fresh poly bushings, multiple different sets of endlinks... you get the idea. I haven't touched the control arms or tie rods or anything like that.


Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas about what could be causing this noise?

https://youtu.be/5OsIeZsKVvk

Is there any noise when you push down or lift up on the fender? Is there a noise with the engine running and standing still turning the wheel? Is there a noise when turning While up on jack stands? Other than links what else have you done to the suspension? What top hats are you using?

No noise from fenders. Steering components feel solid - I don't feel the knocking through the wheel and it seems to have very minimal effect on stability, if any at all. No noise when on stands and turning the wheel.



Suspension modifications: HKS Hipermax IV SP coils (with their supplied top hats), SuperPro poly swaybar bushings, SPL short endlinks. Brand new OEM swaybar, brand new OEM swaybar mounting rails, brand new OEM hardware to fasten the rails and bushing brackets, plenty of lube (prothane grease), shimmed to minimize "stiction" with stainless washers, teflon wrapped bar.



That's all of the suspension modification, repeated in the rear as well - no noise from the rear except a very very minor squeak over large bumps.


I intend to record another video or two reproducing the sound in different situations.

look to see if your ball joints are failing. your endlink doesnt look like it is loose or hitting

I was thinking the same thing, so I'm going to take a look at that soon. It's hard to tell if there's any play going on in the video.

May seem random but what's the chances there is something inside your wheel?

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Inside the wheel? I mean, I guess there's a chance... I can check that with the ball joint. I tried to check the ball joint last night but it was too hard to see if there was play - it seems to me that there isn't, but I'll do another more thorough check on Sunday. I'll also see if I can diagnose a piece of debris inside the wheel/tire.

Stock top hats? The spherical bearings in a lot of aftermarket ones can wear and make noise.

If an endlink is even slightly loose it will knock and you will feel it through the floor. I just re-tightened mine. The one that was loose I could grab and shake and feel no play. Put a wrench on it and tightened it and it went away :iono:

I've uninstalled and reinstalled all of the swaybar/endlink components many times - I'm 100% certain nothing is loose with that portion of the suspension. All torqued to spec with blue loctite and not driven for 24hrs after reinstall. But, to be fair, I have definitely encountered exactly what you describe.



I've felt it through the floor boards before and it's been bushings/endlinks that fixed that issue. I'm pretty sure that I don't feel this knocking in the floorboards or dead pedal (knocking is pretty tricky like that).

And about top hats - I also think these are fine. I don't see any play in the spherical bearing at all. I've driven on busted spherical top hats in this car, and this knocking is too low to the floor, as opposed to near the windshield, for it to be that. When this knocking started, I made sure to torque the top nuts to HKS specification. I'll give them another look with the ball joint and tires.

Strange. I would think with a ball joint you will be able to get the car off the ground, shake the wheel and feel it. They are a bitch to replace, I would recommend just buying control arms with them already installed if that is the case.

That's precisely my feeling. Since I couldn't really tell when I checked, I have a feeling it's not that. I'll give it another look just to be sure though. I'm wondering, do you think a loose brake pad could make this noise?

No, I believe the front caliper has a spring retainer like the rear that holds in the pad which should keep it from rattling. I haven't had stock calipers in a while I don't remember exactly what they look like.

Any other areas I can/should check? Frame bushings? Wheel bearings? I feel like these items would be pretty obvious and much noisier. I'll admit I'm no professional, so I'll take any suggestions from anyone who has experienced a noise like this.