OK, First off I've been trying to track this problem down for 2 months now. I will try to detail everything. the noise started with a small knock while driving in september. it has always felt like it was coming from the front end somewhere. Although i can never pin point it. after a few weeks the noise became very loud and started to have a grinding noise with it. and seem to disappear with a lateral load, mainly a left hand sweeping turn. Also it does not matter if im under acceleration or coasting knocking was still their. Under braking the noise would become extremely loud and feels like it is gonna fly apart.

I changed both halfshafts and problem still persists. even replaced on of them twice because i thought i got a bad one.

so then i ordered in new struts, strut mount bearings, knuckles with new bearings, new tie rod ends. replaced them all and still heavy knocking under braking with slight knocking all other time, except when loaded laterally to the left.

Im at my wits end and dont where to look now. Maybe new a-arms? i have no idea.

Also i have put new tires, rotors and ceramic brake pads all within tha last month or two. event had a 4 wheel alignment done when the tire got put on.

At this point im not sure where to look, if checked the driveshaft for play, none, also the rear halfshaft.

any help is much appreciated. Only had this car for 10 months.

oh also its a 5 speed 2.5 and pushing the clutch in makes no difference.

 

Possibly the transfer case? Sounds like you covered my other guess, wheel hub bearings.

 

crap I was not wanting to hear that, any other ideas,

if it is the tcase, how hard of a job is it? i would give it a shot as long as i dont have to drop the sub-frame.

 

Im just throwin out a possibilty. Dont hold me to it. Its just you have replaced a lot of the main components that would make that happen. I know the TC is expensive, but job wise im not sure. Dont mean to scare ya. lol. Only reason i say that is it seems to change while turning which would put more load on the TC. Could still be something else, hopin someone else chimes in for ya.

Usually if you hear a constant and consistant sound its revolutionary. So if you have replaced half shafts, wheel bearings, and rotors, then only other thing may be u-joints. But not sure if turning would have impact on that.

 

What may help is to be exact on what was actually replaced recently. And be more specific with the sound. Like....

Is it sometimes?
Only while turning?
All the time?
Only while braking?
Is it a knocking or clunking?
How consistent is it?
Is it fast or slow?

This will usually help someone with certain parts that make certain noises or patterns. If its not as serious as the TC then im still beting on bearings. Ball joints clunk when turning or with bumps and usually squeek. Tie rods will give a vibration and play in the steering. If your hearing grinding thats the sound of really bad bearings.

Really interested to see whats wrong. Good luck!

 

Is it sometimes? always a slight to moderate knock changing with vehicle speed but not rpm... always very loud sharp knocking when braking with the same change in speed.

Only while turning? while turning left into a corner the knocking will disapear but under braking is still their

All the time? See above


Only while braking? yes always and sounds like its gonna explode


Is it a knocking or clunking? a definite knock


How consistent is it? never misses a rotation


Is it fast or slow? changing with vehicle speed but never rpm's, nuetral ingear clutch in or out never make a difference. and acceleration never makes is worse either, only the actual speed of vehicle.


hope this helps more. im afraid you may be right with your first diagnosis. the grinding noise i heard before actually disappeared when i changed the wheel bearing. so i may have been dealing with multiple problems.

got to much money in this car now to give up on it so guess i may need to find a good used or rebuilt TC

 

Well before you go get a new TC make sure that one is good by takin it to a shop. But the good news is its not engine trans related as that would change in rpm or neutral etc. Has a definate rotating problem somewhere.

You say the grinding went away after bearing change? Ive seen bearings go bad quickly if they are shotty ones to start with. Are they the stock replacement or just some crazy off brand? But if you had it replaced and immediately started hearing it again idk. Either way you nailed it that time. You may have just got real crappy bearings. Or they didnt change both. I believe there is an inner and outer.

Only other thing i could suggest is puttin the car up on four jack stands and either roll the wheels by hand and see where its coming form or if your feelin froggy, start it up and put it in gear and see. Just a suggestion as ive done it before in other cars. Not the safest thing by any means but has helped. I did however have the jack stands under the suspension end, like an A arm or something and granted the vehicle i was lookin at was only front wheel drive. These AWD cars make it sketchy. LOL. I say this because i dont know how it would effect the half shafts being suspended like that without supporting the suspension, ya know?

Hope it helps.

 

yeah i actually ran a camry on time suspended with suspension fully out. halfshaft lasted about 10 rotations then flew apart


the bearings where beck/arnley which i believed to be a good brand but heck i dunno to much about them. and the noise came back right away.

i guess a trip to a good indi mech is in store.

 

Yea a mechanic is always a good start but costs moola. Although they have much more experience is stuff like that than you and I do so they could know right away by driving it. Good luck man and let me know, well us know what is was. I like to see what peoples outcomes are so i know what to look for when it happens to me. LOL

 

Car is at mechanic, will update soon as i get a diagnoses.

 

WOW! All I have to say is if you buy a jaguar make sure it has factory jag lug nuts all the way around it!


turns out that after 2 struts, 2 wheel bearings, 2 strut mount bearings, 2 half-shafts and a lot of worrying it came down to 10 aftermaket lug nuts that were on the car when i bought it.

some how they were allowing the wheel to slap around. they never rounded the wheels out but lost a little aluminium on the back side of the rims. mech says they will still be good and true. just may need rebalanced.


oh well just glad it got fixed before something bad happened. Good learning lesson for someone else i guess

Cheers!

 

What the hell?! LOL who woulda thunk it!!! Wel glad shes back to normal, i would have never guessed that