Strange clicking/tapping noise from drivers side wheel
Discussion
Started driving the mitsubishi with the window down in this warm weather, and I've noticed a light tapping/clicking noise that appears to be coming from drivers side front wheel (although it could be the rear, hard to pinpoint).
The noise speeds up and slows down with vehicle speed, and occurs when going straight and turning, this suggests to me that it's rotational and an issue with the wheel itself. It also doesn't go away if i apply the brakes.
It is audible from 5mph+ and is drowned out by engine/road noise around 35-40mph
It sounds exactly like a nail/stone caught in a tyre, except I can't find a thing!
The car otherwise drives fine, and there aren't any other scraping or grinding noises...no vibrations from steering or vagueness or anything untoward apart from this noise.
The car had a new set of alloys and two new rear tyres fitted 2 weeks ago, i can't say for sure whether the noise has started since this.
Sofar i've-
-checked for debris in the tyres.
-had a good feel around to check for any obstruction to the wheels.
-wheel nuts seem tight, but i don't own a torque wrench so can't check how far they are torqued down.
The noise speeds up and slows down with vehicle speed, and occurs when going straight and turning, this suggests to me that it's rotational and an issue with the wheel itself. It also doesn't go away if i apply the brakes.
It is audible from 5mph+ and is drowned out by engine/road noise around 35-40mph
It sounds exactly like a nail/stone caught in a tyre, except I can't find a thing!
The car otherwise drives fine, and there aren't any other scraping or grinding noises...no vibrations from steering or vagueness or anything untoward apart from this noise.
The car had a new set of alloys and two new rear tyres fitted 2 weeks ago, i can't say for sure whether the noise has started since this.
Sofar i've-
-checked for debris in the tyres.
-had a good feel around to check for any obstruction to the wheels.
-wheel nuts seem tight, but i don't own a torque wrench so can't check how far they are torqued down.
So the tyre guy popped out to give it the once over-
-wheel nuts were correct torque, spigot ring seated ok, and wheel balance fine.
We spun the hub with the wheel off and managed to replicate the noise, albeit much quieter...seems entirely possible that it's the inner or outer CV joint.
I'll keep an eye/ear on it and see how it progresses.
-wheel nuts were correct torque, spigot ring seated ok, and wheel balance fine.
We spun the hub with the wheel off and managed to replicate the noise, albeit much quieter...seems entirely possible that it's the inner or outer CV joint.
I'll keep an eye/ear on it and see how it progresses.
Edited by designforlife on Monday 18th July 11:03
CV joints are normally a deeper CLUNK rather than a high pitched click, and are normally worse when turning on tight lock than when going straight. A good test is to drive a circle slowly on full lock. They also normally (IME) initially start knocking when warm, rather than as soon as you set off.
But then anything's possible and things manifest in different ways.
But then anything's possible and things manifest in different ways.
Wow, this takes me back.
So it turned out the noise was caused because all 4 recently fitted alloys were on the piss relative to the hubs.. the tyre fitter didn't check his work properly when fitting the new wheels and it transpired that the little screws that locate the disc brake onto each hub weren't countersunk (didn't affect the OEM wheels as they had recesses on the rear face), so the flat of the wheel wasn't sitting flat against the hub.
this was a very specific and kind of unusual situation, so I doubt your problem is the same. I'm not sure if the wheels being improperly fitted was exaggerating a noise i otherwise would never have noticed.
So it turned out the noise was caused because all 4 recently fitted alloys were on the piss relative to the hubs.. the tyre fitter didn't check his work properly when fitting the new wheels and it transpired that the little screws that locate the disc brake onto each hub weren't countersunk (didn't affect the OEM wheels as they had recesses on the rear face), so the flat of the wheel wasn't sitting flat against the hub.
this was a very specific and kind of unusual situation, so I doubt your problem is the same. I'm not sure if the wheels being improperly fitted was exaggerating a noise i otherwise would never have noticed.
Edited by designforlife on Thursday 27th January 08:49
HGoward said:
I've recently had this develop on my car, and had it in the garage and also had a new tire fitted to try and sort and nothing has worked.
The wheel is apparently balanced, but I'm not sure what could be causing it.
Did you ever figure out what was causing this?
It happened on my Merc, wheel bolts longer on the front than the back. Got mixed up a longer bolt fitted to the back wheel was fouling the parking brake mechanism.The wheel is apparently balanced, but I'm not sure what could be causing it.
Did you ever figure out what was causing this?
Try jacking the car up, and spinning the the wheels.
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