Knocking noise, front stut?

[hell-met]

Hello,
I have a 2010 ssv Ute with 2500k's on it.
There is a slight knocking noise coming from the front left strut area over light/small pothole and undulations in the road.
Any suggestions on what it could be? I was thinking upper stut bearing or strut internal.
Veh has been lowered by dealer prior to pick up and was fine them
.
Any suggestions would be appreciated, i have little faith in the Local Holden Dealer here.
.Cheers

[GODSMACK]

Hello,
I have a 2010 ssv Ute with 2500k's on it.
There is a slight knocking noise coming from the front left strut area over light/small pothole and undulations in the road.
Any suggestions on what it could be? I was thinking upper stut bearing or strut internal.
Veh has been lowered by dealer prior to pick up and was fine them
.
Any suggestions would be appreciated, i have little faith in the Local Holden Dealer here.
.Cheers
It is a very common problem with the VE's, I had the same issue, the dealership ended up changing my whole front LHS suspension after many attempted minor fixes, solved the problem. Hopefully the dealer doesn't knock it back as a warranty repair, considering they lowered it..

[mmm]

It is a very common problem with the VE's, I had the same issue, the dealership ended up changing my whole front LHS suspension after many attempted minor fixes, solved the problem. Hopefully the dealer doesn't knock it back as a warranty repair, considering they lowered it..

Did you have the same issue with stock suspension?

[GODSMACK]

Did you have the same issue with stock suspension?
Yes, the issue i had was with stock suspension, from day 1 after i took delivery of the car...

[VX2VESS]

i have this issue as well...

what was replaced as in whole? you talking shocks links and arms ball joints etc everything?

[RABSP]

If the dealer set it up then take it back to them, make sure you can demonstrate the issue so it is a solid fault.

[GODSMACK]

i have this issue as well...

what was replaced as in whole? you talking shocks links and arms ball joints etc everything?

Yes, fix 1 was : oh the bolt was a bit loose, so we tightened it, not fixed..
Fix 2, changed radius rod bushes (i think that's what its called), not fixed..
Fix 3, replaced whole FLHS assembly, shocks, the lot, completely new, problem solved..

I thought there was a TSB?

[GODSMACK]

If the dealer set it up then take it back to them, make sure you can demonstrate the issue so it is a solid fault.

Thats the hard part.. When i drove the car, it was happening regularly, left it with the dealer for 2 days, they could not replicate it.. Was very frustrating...

[RABSP]

Thats the hard part.. When i drove the car, it was happening regularly, left it with the dealer for 2 days, they could not replicate it.. Was very frustrating...

That is one of Murphy’s laws.

The appliance will always work perfectly when demonstrated for the repairman.

[MrHSV318]

Thats the hard part.. When i drove the car, it was happening regularly, left it with the dealer for 2 days, they could not replicate it.. Was very frustrating...

Most dealers wont look to hard as it means they might have to do some work if they find a problem.

[RABSP]

Most dealers wont look to hard as it means they might have to do some work if they find a problem.

But they have an obligation in this case as they fitted it.

[LS1-5.7]

Yes, fix 1 was : oh the bolt was a bit loose, so we tightened it, not fixed..
Fix 2, changed radius rod bushes (i think that's what its called), not fixed..
Fix 3, replaced whole FLHS assembly, shocks, the lot, completely new, problem solved..

I thought there was a TSB?

Yep, that's the way dealers work unfortunately :( if we can't diagnose it then we'll keep changing bits till the problem is fixed ! Whatever happened to decent mehanics that used to have more than some idea of the problem ?

Sounds like loose strut insert/internals to me. Any new car can suffer from it
and IS definately a warrantable item, lowered or not.

[spanks]

My other half just had a knock in front suspension fixed at Holden. They said it was a top bearing and there is also an insulator for the bottom of the spring where it locates in the strut. Noise has gone.

[mmm]

I spoke with a mechanic mate who has same issue on his SSV ute - front left also. He cannot locate the problem.
He knows of at least one other with same issue on SSV sportwagon but he has after market spring fitted. I imagine Holden will just brush his warranty claim aside for this reason???

[GODSMACK]

I spoke with a mechanic mate who has same issue on his SSV ute - front left also. He cannot locate the problem.
He knows of at least one other with same issue on SSV sportwagon but he has after market spring fitted. I imagine Holden will just brush his warranty claim aside for this reason???

More than likely, they may well claim that the 'knock' is due to the aftermarket suspension.. You could return it back to stock, it could still knock, then they'd claim it due to the originals not being installed correctly... Heard it happen before with a mates SS.

[RED R8]

My R8 has developed a slight knock left front as well but I have Lovell supa lows so no point going back to Holden.

[VX2VESS]

Mine had a knock before being lowered, the top bearing etc seemed fine.


only does it on quick sharp sort of bumps, don't think is bottoming out the other side doesn't do it on a speed bumps for instance even if i angle so the right side goes first, left will still bonk, wierd noise like its hitting something, but all looks fine no marks etc.

don't think rubbers under the spring will do anything not really that sort of noise, and its on compression. it has the plastic spring wraps on it...

New shocks and new stabiliser bar links maybe...I've let this go on for months as i can't be bothered to pull it apart again, or give it to some twit who will replace everything for no reason until fixed. Seem that the fixes so far replace everything, must be a specific part causing it

[AndrewR8]

when you go over bumps apply some light pressure on the brakes and see if it stops...my R8 rattled over bumps and it was the brake pads surely enough. When going over the bumps, applying brake pressure would stop the noise. The pads got taken out and a glue was applied that holds them in place. Never happened again.

[VX2VESS]

nah not that sort of noise i know that noise, thats a light rattle noise...

These are deep bonk noise that sounds like the strut is trying to punch out of the strut tower or similar, very heavy metal noise. it isn't actually bottoming as you get the sudden stop with that, its doing it before reaching full travel.

[mmm]

nah not that sort of noise i know that noise, thats a light rattle noise...

These are deep bonk noise that sounds like the strut is trying to punch out of the strut tower or similar, very heavy metal noise. it isn't actually bottoming as you get the sudden stop with that, its doing it before reaching full travel.

that's the noise all right

[Mungus]

Local holden dealer up here mentioned they have had a few with this noise (mines one of them, but i haven't taken them for a spin yet to point it out) and they mentioned something about the lower rubber insulator (bottom of spring) I have 15k service coming up soon so will ask for more details this week. I will try the brake test as well! It is much more noticable at lower speeds and really small bumps.

[Hos]

I had the same issue with my 08 ss ute. Lower strut isolators installed, no worries. Was a known issue by local dealer.

[hell-met]

Suprise Suprise, the holden dealers mechanics could not hear the noise..... Booked in again this week to take them for a drive.....

[mmm]

Suprise Suprise, the holden dealers mechanics could not hear the noise..... Booked in again this week to take them for a drive.....

Is it Parramatta Heartland by chance?
They had trouble hearing mine as well & it's still there. Some might even think this is a tactic......

[hell-met]

Na its not a metro dealer, its in the Central west...

[swan23]

ive had it before in my clubby, if its the same problem its just a lose strut get a mechanic to check it out and tighten it

[VX2VESS]

my as well bring this up again, since i've not fixed it still.

Took it to a suspension shop they spent 1.5 hours on it and could not find anything. didn't pull anything apart just checked all possible points, ball joints chassis bolts etc, used a lever bar on all the points that could do it

said not sure why, he can hear it when driving but can't see what it is, same as i couldn't.

Said could try shocks or fitting more insulation to the springs first, he couldn't say new shocks would fix it or not so didn't want to say do that. Did move the current spring wraps to where it looked like they were hitting more on each other, but no difference.

said just have to start eliminating things by replacing them

It doesn't have the lower rubber for the spring. but have to pull them out and apart to fit those then if it doesn't fix it out again to do shocks. So may as well do both at once i'm thinking

[Micks]

Are you sure it's the suspension?? Had Commy's for a while now & you'd be surprised what noises you find not suspension related. My VY had a similar noise to what you describe & ended up being the suction line running off the compressor along top of the chasis rail knocking metal to metal & it sounded like it was suspension related.

Cheers
VYT

[Ls1346]

I still hear this noise even with coilovers fitted to my ute...

[LGW]

My other half just had a knock in front suspension fixed at Holden. They said it was a top bearing and there is also an insulator for the bottom of the spring where it locates in the strut. Noise has gone.

Knocking noise for me too in front suspension. Took it to my dealers yesterday and got new strut mounts, bearings and insulators. Noise seems to have gone so far. Fingers crossed.

[VX2VESS]

mines become worse the last couple of days..

still knocking as before over bumps, but now also doing it after some corners without any bumps and flat and straight.

like something is still stuck down from the corner then pops back afterwards. sounds still very much the same bottoming out type sound but without bumps.
so have two thing making the noise now.

maybe a new top mount bearing and the bottom rubbers might fix it. the top mount looks perfect still.

or maybe replace everything to save pulling it all out again if it doesn't work. cars only done 45,000 so far been doing it for 10... could be the shock could be anything, but nothing can be seen to be wrong. can't even bounce it to make it, but hard to bounce the car at all really doesn't move much.

[LS1TOY]

The noise is the struts themselves!!!!! seen it over and over, everthing from 50,000km right down to 2000km. pull the strut out of the car sit it in the vice and the insert has knock in it when you rock it back and forward. there is the problem. Its a real bummer hat no one has actually been bothered to pull it apart and check. Its a well known problem.
Jake,

[ssv 427]

i wish i never bought a ve there a lemon of a car and built crap, hope you fix the problem in your car mate

[Raptor6L]

The noise is the struts themselves!!!!! seen it over and over, everthing from 50,000km right down to 2000km. pull the strut out of the car sit it in the vice and the insert has knock in it when you rock it back and forward. there is the problem. Its a real bummer hat no one has actually been bothered to pull it apart and check. Its a well known problem.
Jake,

Really? I've got aftermarket struts and springs (Monroe/ Pedders) in mine, and LS1346 stated a few posts back that he had coil overs in his, and the problem still happening for both of us.

Haven't bothered with mine so much as it only happens once in a blue moon, but when it happens it does get my attention! Had new top bearings put in recently to fix another issue. Was hoping to kill two birds with one stone but no good.

Cheers
Chris

[VX2VESS]

plus if the loose insert was common no one has mentioned it so far.

A most annoying sound like something is broken almost

So if people have replaced everything and still have it what the F is causing it?

[ryno]

Knocking noise for me too in front suspension. Took it to my dealers yesterday and got new strut mounts, bearings and insulators. Noise seems to have gone so far. Fingers crossed.

I had the same done in mine to fix some knocks, at the same time though it was obvious that the sway bar D Bushes were pretty farked. Got them replaced and problem solvered.

My old mans SV6 had a similar clunk in the front end and just had his strut mounts, bearings and insulators done and noise has dissapeared.

For those that have changed struts, maybe look at the sway bar D rubbers.

[VX2VESS]

I just grabbed the parts, spares guy said we do lots of these for the service department. I said yeah lot of them seem to have the issue.

gm 92186753 bearing $29.11 ea x 1
GM 92048903 mount strut (top mount) $38.04 ea x1
GM 92219527 Insulator Frt strut (bottom rubber) $11.75 ea x 2

only got 1 each of the first two as going to fully replace the side that makes the noise first, only add the bottom rubber to the other side. i don't think the top mount is faulty at all but will do it on the noisy side.

See how this goes when i fit them....maybe tonight if i get time.

[Raptor6L]

I just grabbed the parts, spares guy said we do lots of these for the service department. I said yeah lot of them seem to have the issue.

gm 92186753 bearing $29.11 ea x 1
GM 92048903 mount strut (top mount) $38.04 ea x1
GM 92219527 Insulator Frt strut (bottom rubber) $11.75 ea x 2

only got 1 each of the first two as going to fully replace the side that makes the noise first, only add the bottom rubber to the other side. i don't think the top mount is faulty at all but will do it on the noisy side.

See how this goes when i fit them....maybe tonight if i get time.

Any chance you can take some pics of the "Insulator Frt strut (bottom rubber)" pre and post install? I'm thinking that might be the thing that solves my issue? I had the wheels off on the w/e to check brake pad wear. Had a good look at the suspension (front and rear) and couldn't see any rubbers or bushes with excess wear. In fact it all looked pretty good to me.

Cheers
Chris

[VX2VESS]

Any chance you can take some pics of the "Insulator Frt strut (bottom rubber)" pre and post install? I'm thinking that might be the thing that solves my issue? I had the wheels off on the w/e to check brake pad wear. Had a good look at the suspension (front and rear) and couldn't see any rubbers or bushes with excess wear. In fact it all looked pretty good to me.

Cheers
Chris

so does mine look ok.

i try to get some pics. no time tonight to do it got home late

[LGW]

I just grabbed the parts, spares guy said we do lots of these for the service department. I said yeah lot of them seem to have the issue.

gm 92186753 bearing $29.11 ea x 1
GM 92048903 mount strut (top mount) $38.04 ea x1
GM 92219527 Insulator Frt strut (bottom rubber) $11.75 ea x 2

only got 1 each of the first two as going to fully replace the side that makes the noise first, only add the bottom rubber to the other side. i don't think the top mount is faulty at all but will do it on the noisy side.

See how this goes when i fit them....maybe tonight if i get time.

Just thought I'd let you know, when I got mine done, I think the front is a bit higher now than before, maybe about 1cm by eye (I could be wong though since I never measured it before).

Don't know what would have made it higher but just thought I'd let you know since your only doing one side (apart from the insulators).

Hope it fixes your knocking! :)

[VX2VESS]

Quick update until i get time to add more detail.

I did one side on the weekend it fixed it.

Didn't get time to take a photo of the insulator, its just a thin bit of rubber same shape as the bottom plate very easy to tell how it goes on.

The top rubber was worn but i think i know what caused that. I'll do the other side with the same parts, yes it was slightly higher. the top plate actually is sitting hard down on the top of the strut now on that side, due to the thicker or uncollapsed mount. i could hardly get the top nut back on with the new bush.

The cause i think is how the spring mounts on the strut causing damage to the top mount. hard to explain but the top plate that hold the spring has a notch for the spring and is angled inside where the bearing mounts.

The bottom plate for the spring is also angled. but seems if you mount the spring so it sits well on the bottom plate, the angle on the top plate is wrong. this causes a lot of side load on the top mount. i spent so long trying to get things to line up level with the least tension. but it couldn't be done that well, least load was to sit the spring 180 deg out on the bottom mount to get the top as level as possible. perhaps the springs are not correctly made. but i had the knock before the lowered springs not sure if oem are the same.

[VX2VESS]

Anyone have the workshop manual extract on the fitting method of the VE front springs and how they say the spring should be aligned ?

That is where the spring should sit on the flat angled bottom plate and how you align the top plate to that so the top mount and bearing sit level above the top spring plate.

These are not the same as earlier models which had locators on the top and bottom plates for the spring ends.

As per above post i could only get the top assembly to sit reasonably level if the springs end on the bottom mount was on the outside of the strut (facing you when fitted). This is the opposite of where it should sit if you want the spring to be level just sitting on the strut when you first put only the spring on, due to the angle this whole plate is on it will only sit square if its on the other side, but that stuffs the top alignment right up if you do.

[VX2VESS]

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=143974 for strut alignment etc.

Well replacing these parts gets rid of that noise, colapsed mount at 40,000K crap worse than earlier models.

[swan23]

I still hear this noise even with coilovers fitted to my ute...

i've got bilstein coilvers on my ve, most of the times when it goes over bumps it makes a knocking noise. i think its just the noise coming from the absorbers?

[VX2VESS]

mines gone now..

replacing all the above bits got rid of 90%, still had a slight knock plus felt like running on fixed shocks still.

just replaced the shocks also with Munroe GT sports, now softer ride over all the little bumps that felt hard before and 100% no noise.

well none apart from the damn brake pads rattling occasionally. been doing that since i changed to QFM pads with no backing plates on them. i used that no squeal orange stuff and glued them to the piston and caliper on the back plates, they are still fixed but still have a slight rattle. goes away if you brake over bumps so must be pads/caliper.

[AussieTone]

I have had this happen once in my old sedan and twice in the Ute. Each time they replaced the top bearings and the problem was solved.

Bit of a concern that the Ute only has 50k on her and is 3 years old and has now had the shock top bearings replaced twice (last was at 45K service).

Maybe the QLD government should start spending some of the revenue raised from speed cameras and put it into fixing the crap roads :flipoff:

[juzo]

Mine just had some new pedders struts fitted today all round and this noise is very noticable, especially when i'm just pulling into my driveway over the gutter, it's very loud!
Pissed off considering i've just had this all done. Both strut top bushes and bearings were done, just don't know what it could be....:bawl:

[vzmaloor8#150]

Wen I had the pedders xa setup fitted to my ute 1000k's later heard knocks comin from the front. Sounded like my struts were goin to come thru the bonnet. Took to local holden dealer and it ended up being the nuts on the swaybar links loose. 30000k's later same noise same problem, ended up going with some nylock (however it's spelled) nuts an some loctite. See how it goes, one would think with all the R&D put into the product it would have come with nylock nuts maybe .

[mmm]

I had same issue with newly installed Pedders struts.....and Holden told me the swaybar links were loose too......it ended up being the strut itself......mechanic showed me by taking out the strut (with spring assembled) and holding it firmly, gave it a big shake & it clunked.
So I got a new strut installed & problem went away.

[juzo]

I had same issue with newly installed Pedders struts.....and Holden told me the swaybar links were loose too......it ended up being the strut itself......mechanic showed me by taking out the strut (with spring assembled) and holding it firmly, gave it a big shake & it clunked.
So I got a new strut installed & problem went away.

They thought this was the case with mine as well, brand new struts playin' up. Turns out when they pulled the struts back out they didn't line up the top plate correctly in the spring. As it turns out that's all it was, very happy to have my car back and the ride is excellent:goodjob:

[mmm]

They thought this was the case with mine as well, brand new struts playin' up. Turns out when they pulled the struts back out they didn't line up the top plate correctly in the spring. As it turns out that's all it was, very happy to have my car back and the ride is excellent:goodjob:

glad to be rid of that clunking noise

now to address the squeaky drivers seat...........

[vzmaloor8#150]

The squeaky driver seat if like mine, is the lumbar adjustment knob rubbing on the round plastic backing plate. I thought something was broken in the seat till a upholsterer showed me. He told me to give it a spray with some silica style stuff which I havnt got round to.

[Arbmech]

Hello,
I have a 2010 ssv Ute with 2500k's on it.
There is a slight knocking noise coming from the front left strut area over light/small pothole and undulations in the road.
Any suggestions on what it could be? I was thinking upper stut bearing or strut internal.
Veh has been lowered by dealer prior to pick up and was fine them
.
Any suggestions would be appreciated, i have little faith in the Local Holden Dealer here.
.Cheers Hi There, As you may have understood from the forum reply's there can be many faults that can cause a knock. The radius arm ball joint ends only require a small amount of movement to cause quite a rattle. It has taken many hours to sort this one out in my workshop. An easy quick test is to use a ball pein hammer to knock down the metal seal at the ball joint to tension the cup inside. If this works then one should replace the arm complete! Kind Regards and best of luck. Arbmech.