Strange Knock from Front of 02 Freelander TD4

Hi All,

Recently purchased a low mileage 2002 TD4 Auto (50k) which has started to develop a strange noise that can only be described as knock/donk/clunk from the Nearside front of the car.

To start with I thought it was the rear diff mounts but after taking a pry bar to the rear diff I couldn't see enough play or any witness marks to explain the noise.

In nut shell

1. If I start the car from cold, and move backwards and forwards it doesn't seem to do it.
2. After I have turned the front wheels for the first time it will then start doing it if you rock the car backwards and forwards using Drive and Reverse

It's almost like something is rocking backwards and forwards somewhere, so if I accelerate it will make the noise. If I then accelerate again it mostly doesn't.

If I then hit the brakes it will make the noise again.

Standing outside it seems to sound like it is coming from the behind the front wheel.

I've had the wheel in the air and I can't feel any play in it. I've also tried driving round with nearly full lock and it doesn't continually do it like a knackered CV might.

It doesn't seem to do it over bumps, which I guess rules out suspension strut and drop links.

Thankful of any thoughts anyone may have, I have trawled various forum threads without much luck

Gary

Will be the inner cv.
I had same symptoms!

That's a bit more reassuring was worried it might be something else.

Unfortunately it seems that is the side where the driveshaft goes into the gearbox and it looks like fluid changes/top ups are a bit of nightmare on the Jatco Auto box

you might find it is either the link rod or the wishbone mount if it is wish bone it is better to replace the whole thing then you have new bottom ball joint as well

Link Rod ? As in ARB droplink or track rod ?

Just to add it will often do it when you shut the engine off, with the slight judder the engine makes as it stops.

Are there any engine/gearbox mounts on the nearside ?

I don't have access to my axle stands and Jack at the moment so difficult to get the undertray off and have a proper look

Thanks

Mine does this when I shut off the engine too.........Its my back box I think...... the top of it has bust open and is touching the boot floor.. Put ya hand on the top of the back box and see if its un raveling........

sort of like this....it must have a seem across the top and its bust open...must just be an outer skin as its not noisey or blowing

Mine must have seem like this


Now it must look a bit like this

Original landrover exhausts are double skinned.
Could be one of the vcu bearings worn out, that makes a clonk that sounds like it's coming from the front.
Mike

Do you get a vibration under moderate to hard acceleration? Inboard CV failure often causes vibration.

jedi said:

Mine does this when I shut off the engine too.........Its my back box I think...... the top of it has bust open and is touching the boot floor.. Put ya hand on the top of the back box and see if its un raveling........

sort of like this....it must have a seem across the top and its bust open...must just be an outer skin as its not noisey or blowing


Now it must look a bit like this

Click to expand...

That's an MGF exhaust box!!

Hi guys, thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Just to add what I have tried/looked at:

- Rear Diff mountings
- Rear Backbox/mid section
- VCU bearings (pry bar to wiggle it about)
- Front wheel in air (only that side) and gave it a bit of wriggle.

If I stand outside the car by the nearside front wheel, I can hear it.

It def sounds like it is coming from either the wheel area or that side of the engine bay

Think I'm going to have to buy another set of axle stands and a jack to take a proper look (mine are 100 miles away at the moment)

I did jack up that side on the LR jack and gave the wheel a bit of a wiggle, but don't have a lot of confidence in the LR jack to start getting a pry bar in.

Thanks

Garage had a quick look yesterday and reckon it's the Gearbox/engine mount on that side