29 replies to this topic

[Pickwah]

The front of the car is making a horrific knocking/whining sound and is there as long as the front wheels are moving.

 

First thoughts were just a wheel bearing or a cv joint but it is neither! The noise is there constantly and changes with the speed of the wheels!

 

The noise is also there when the car is out of gear and just coasting!

 

If someone could shed some light as to what this noise is, I would be very grateful as it is completely ruining the drive of the car!

 

All suggestions welcome!

 

The car is a Rover Mini 35 1994 with discs at the front, 13x7 wheels, sportspack arches and hi-lo suspension (standard height).

 

Please help as it is literally driving me insane!

 

Headphones are advised.

 

Thanks in advance, Matt

 

 

[callum2464]

jack the front up and then spin the wheel and see if you can see where the noise is coming from to me it sounds like something is caught on the drive shaft and rubbing, it could be a number of things, something rubbing the aux belt wheel bearings away, is the tyre at the correct psi cause i know with my 13 x 7 you can have virtually no air in them and they still look blown up such a low profile

check the cv boot sometimes the cable tie or clip has not been cut properly haha

Edited by callum2464, 11 May 2013 - 03:38 PM.

[Artful Dodger]

Stone in or around the brakes, stuck in between the disc and disc stone shield??

[The Otter]

Does it sound like it's coming more from the centre of the car than either of the wheels? I had a similar sound to this that was also road speed related and sounded very much like it was coming from the back of the engine, it turned out that something in my differential had gone and it was on it's way to ending catastrophically...

 

Get the front of the car in the air and grab the pot joints where they come out of the diff side covers and see if you can move them in and out by more than a few mm. There shouldn't be that much movement, but my driver's side joint moved in and out by a good 10-15mm and that was a sign of severe diff wear. I ended up changing the whole gearbox for a second hand unit in the end.

[Pickwah]

Ive had it with the wheels jacked up, ive tried it on 2 different sets of wheels/tyres, the drive shafts have been replaced with reconed ones and I don't have the stone protectors on my brakes!

 

This is why im completely baffled by it!

[Pickwah]

Does it sound like it's coming more from the centre of the car than either of the wheels? I had a similar sound to this that was also road speed related and sounded very much like it was coming from the back of the engine, it turned out that something in my differential had gone and it was on it's way to ending catastrophically...

 

Get the front of the car in the air and grab the pot joints where they come out of the diff side covers and see if you can move them in and out by more than a few mm. There shouldn't be that much movement, but my driver's side joint moved in and out by a good 10-15mm and that was a sign of severe diff wear. I ended up changing the whole gearbox for a second hand unit in the end.

See this is what im thinking, its getting to the point where im feeling it could be something diff/gearbox related. It does sound like its coming from both arches of the car but its really hard to tell. I really hope its not the diff like! But when I replaced the drive shafts I never used a proper tool to re-insert the pot joints, only a hammer and a thin bar.. So could this be the case? My pot joint isn't inserted correctly?

[malcs_miniturbo]

It could be the diff I had one sound same if it isn't coming from hubs and drive shafts then leaves the diff but be worth to get someone to look at it in person to double check

[Pickwah]

It makes more of a 'creeking' noise at slower speeds if that's any help?

[R210WOM]

I know you said you've put reconed drive shafts on but have you checked that the balanced weight hasn't come off or moved could the sound be coming from in the engine as in possible a big end bearing on way out or to much end float movement just a thought

[benjy_18]

Does the noise go if you come off the throttle then back on whilst driving?

Sounds to be like the diff is oscillating causing the noise, sometimes if this is the case and you come off the throttle and then back on it can balance itself out and the noise will disappear

[Pickwah]

The noise is there all the time, it doesn't seem to make a difference what I do with the throttle or anything like that, as long as the wheels are spinning the noise is there.

 

However, I did put the car on axel stands so the front wheels were off the floor and then drove the car, the noise seemed to disappear then? So it could be weight bearing?

[Stevie W]

Hi,

 

Don't know if this will help, but years ago me and  my mate bought an Austin 1100 with the very same noise as that.

We bought it to sell on once repaired because the rest of it was immaculate.

 

After removing the engine/box and splitting it we found a damaged final drive pinion and a tooth missing on the crownwheel!!!

 

Changing both got rid of the noise....

 

Steve.

[callum2464]

just had a though about it did you cut your arches before fitting 13x7s because they are quite big and even 12's are mabe not saying it is but it might be the tyres scrubbing on the arches well this is what it sounds like now i come to think of it haha probably wrong but just a though :)

[Pickwah]

just had a though about it did you cut your arches before fitting 13x7s because they are quite big and even 12's are mabe not saying it is but it might be the tyres scrubbing on the arches well this is what it sounds like now i come to think of it haha probably wrong but just a though :)

Nah it has had all that lot cut away, plenty of clearance between the arch and the wheel :/

[brad-the-bear]

easy way to see if its engine related or suspension related, drive down a big hill and turn you engine off, (preferbly not on a bussy road) if the noise is gone then its engine related and vise-versa, honestly it sounds like a wheel bearing or similar,