Technical Knocking noise?

[DraigFlag87]

My brothers 1.6 stilo has developed a slight knocking noise (mainly at low speed) sounds as if it's coming from N/S front wheel. Just wondered if it's a common "Stilo" fault or just your average bearing/spring/drive shaft/CV joint problem! Help appreciated

 

[driverjgp]

Does it happen when you only go over pot holes or bumps in the road or is it something that happens all the time?

Mine does this on the n/s front wheel just pot holes or really bumpy roads, you get a knocking sound, its been like it for about a year and it hasn't got any worse, had all the bushes checked and all appears to be fine so the only other thing I can think off is that it could be the complete bottom arm showing sings of wear.

Still get it checked just in case its a broken spring or a bush or something.

 

[minimad99]

More than likely to be the drop links but may be wishbones.
Drop links are cheapest and easiest to change first. If you jack it up and shake the droplink you my feel slight movement in it if it's really bad.

 

[driverjgp]

Mine is all really tight, I had my looked at by my local Italian car specialist Avanti's in Ipswich and he said it may be the bottom arm but wouldn't worry about it until its really bad and more obvious and it only does it when it takes a heavy sudden bump. I think the bottom arm comes as 1 piece with the rubber bit in it does it? or can you just change the bush that's built into it? not sure!!!

 

[cris1117]

Hi
Would defiantly change the drop links first they are only £20 the pair and take about 20 minutes to do.
When I took the old ones off they seemed fine but after putting the new ones on no more rattles or bangs.
I have done about 150k two sets of drop links, no problems with the bottom arm yet.
Good luck

 

[wvam]

Just been through something similar on our 1.6 Dynamic. When I had front wheels off for tyre change I, and the tyre guys, had a good look round. There was slight play in the NS drop link but the rear joint rubber of the bottom arm had given up so it needed to be replaced. Fiats wanted £200+ for the arm (it comes complete and you can't do the joint separately). Managed to source it for ~ £60. Drop link done at same time and now its so, so quiet. You'll need tracking checked too. So you will be looking at £80-100 for parts, plus tracking, plus labour, plus Gordon's tax.

 

[driverjgp]

MMMMMMMMmmmmmmmm Ill shall wait till it gets worse before i'll do it, got an MOT in June so i'll look at it again and if it appears not too bad i''l shove it in for a test, at worst i'd get a free re-test as I say it only knocks under a big hard sudden knock in the road so i can live with it for now. thanks for your input.

 

[DraigFlag87]

Thanks for all the replies! Nothing too expensive then. I'll pass the message on to my brother when i get a chance.