My partner's Honda Jazz has developed a knocking noise on the front offside wheel and I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions before I start randomly replacing things. It doesn't make it constantly but is noticeable when hitting an irregularity in the road, travelling over rough tracks or turning. No droning or rotational noises. The car has been down quite a lot of knackered roads and drive ways.
I can't feel any issues with any of the ball joints or linkages. If you wobble the steering wheel slightly side to side (5cm each way) you can hear the clunk. There is also some looseness if you grab either side of the wheel and wobble it, less than a millimetre but you can observe and feel the hub moving slightly (the wheel isn't loose). I was expecting to find a worn joint or looseness in the steering mechanism, then thought with the wheel movement it might be the wheel bearing but there is no rotational or droning noise. Perhaps the CV joint? It's an '05 plate with low milage so probably due to go. I couldn't pick up any noise from that area when I was underneath with a sounding stethoscope, it sounded more towards the hub. Could the wheel bearing make that kind of knocking noise without it changing in line with the speed the wheel is rotating?
I am going to have another look this afternoon so any suggestions would be welcome.
Post edited at 10:22