Subtle knock, still............makes me nervous.

[Bessie the Mud Slayer]

History first:
Saturday the 6th, bright an early, I had new tires put on. Rubber only, mounted, balanced, put back on at a reputable dealer (OK Tire). Aside from the bill, good to go.
Saturday the 6th, afternoon, got lost on a 5 hour trek down a 4-Wheeler trail in the middle of f&%$in nowhere, (So much fun but dead batteries in the camera) The tires are good, the 4x4 was good too, nothing major, like slow creeping in 4-hi, 1st gear.
On the 4x there was no bottom outs, no crazy cranking, nothing other than using 4wd for traction.

The Problem:
Tonight, sunday the 7th, while doing a very tight turn, tight like wheel all the way over, in a parking lot, I heard a knock, then another a few seconds later. Came from front right, felt it a wee bit in my footboards. Said WTF then moved on. Going strait through an intersection heard it again. Said WTF again. Stopped in a parking lot and checked the lug nuts. A few were 1/2 turn loose, or less, nothing major though.

I spent ten minutes driving like a drunkard in an empty parking lot, and could not consistently recreate the knock. So, to the masses, I ask you, WTF?

I'm going back to OK Tire tomorrow am to get the nuts re torqued and have a looksie underneath, but, as said in other posts, my last 4wd 6 years ago was a 98 Z71 Chevy with electronic shift on the fly 4wd.

So, I'm lost..... advice is thanked in advance.

[marsgal42]

As long as all the bolts are tight, check the CV joints in the front end. You've heard the characteristic "pop pop pop" of bad rzeppa joints (which almost all modern cars use) when cars accelerate around corners - especially intersections and driveways. It just may need a bit of driving to relubricate everything if your Delica sat on the lot for a while before you bought it.

The very first production front wheel drive car, the 1934 Citroën Traction Avant, had rzeppa joints in its front end. But 1934 machining and lubricants weren't up the task (no molybdenum disulfide grease yet), and the joints pop-pop-popped all the time on corners. So Citroën re-engineered the front end to use conventional hardey-spicer joints. Quiet, but a bit of vibration on sharp corners.

...laura

[jrman]

Well, I hope it's the same problem that plagued me for about 12 months!
After checking many things - and finding and fixing a variety of things that also needed repair (mainly all front bushings, and even on A-Arm) - there persisted one big clunking, banking, knocking....Glen at CCAutos advised to crank down on the 8 front subframe bolts with the biggest ugly stick available.

Well - I tried, but clearly my own arms and/or ugly stick weren't good enough as the noise persisted. So, Nathan at RJD in NVan did his magic along with the necessary and advised copious application of "never seize" and thus, my 18 month headache is solved. No further noises up front......... smiles! Good luck.

[BCDelica]

Try removing those bolts; cleaning well and appling anti seize. Did this to one of two Delica's as per Glens advice, second Delica just gave them a good tightening - not enough - it started to knock months later.

[DelicaMark]

Is the knocking/clunking that you guys are talking about sound a lot like a shock that is done? I have a real clunking sound coming from the right front (pretty much right under my feet) and I have been assuming that it the shock. Does it when I load up the right side of the van....ie when turning left.

-Mark

[MardyDelica]

hi guys , he was saying cracking sound after the 4wd drive off road drive. sound like he is saying having hard time turning in the parking. so best way is to check if you are still in 4wd shift. maybe still not unluck, when you did 4wd, did not release as you are used to do 4by fly.
check this do reverse & see if 4wd says unlock or not.
maybe this will help you.
cheers;

[Bessie the Mud Slayer]

Thanks mardy, but my brain beat ya to it. I had a hunch and at lunch did some 4 wheelin in my driveway. Put it in 4 hi and drove forward a few hundred yards, then pulled a u turn and then took 4wd out. Wheel lock clunked when coming out.
Also, i don't think I'd say a 'hard time' turning, its just, it knocks sometimes while in a tight turn, (say 15-20% of the tight turns knock)
For me its not as consistent as a clunk from the front right. Its come from left, right, and middle, seems almost spontanious. Sometimes on a left hard turn, sometimes on a light right, once on a speed bump. Its enough that I can just feel it in the floorboards, but nothing more.

[Bessie the Mud Slayer]

Glen at CCAutos advised to crank down on the 8 front subframe bolts with the biggest ugly stick available.

Well - I tried, but clearly my own arms and/or ugly stick weren't good enough as the noise persisted. So, Nathan at RJD in NVan did his magic along with the necessary and advised copious application of "never seize" and thus, my 18 month headache is solved. No further noises up front......... smiles! Good luck.

Well, I don't have a clue as to what I'd be looking for underneath, but I do, however, have a few ugly sticks. Got a pic or a diagram as to which bolts are the 8 lucky ones? I'd like to try those before I take more drastic measures.... cheers

[jessef]

Check your upper balljoints.

[monstabishi]

check the nut on the camber adjusting bolt (lower suspension arm) needs to be really tight ........works 9/10 times.



Mick.

[Muzzy]

I had a horrible knock coming from the front end of my van when I first got it. Took me a while to figure it out cause it was very inconsistent. I believe it was the the bolt for the "lower control arm"... not a hundred percent on that though. I will try and take a picture of the one I tightened tomorrow and post it. For me the clunk never came back after tightening it. I also had another clunk not to long ago which turned out to be the lower bushing on my front left shock. There was a bur in the "eye lid" which cut through the bushing. Replaced the bushing, clunk was gone.

[jrman]

Photo courtesy of bcdelica at following post - http://www.delica.ca/forum/clunk-bang-f ... 20-15.html - I believe they are 17mm and there are a total of 8 altogether.