Knocking, drivers side

Hi All

Picked up my first ever 1992 MK1 Cabrio yesterday!- I will get pictures as soon as I have chance: it's awsome. Also, this is my first post, so excuse me if I am doing something wrong!

However, looks aside, I have encountered a problem already. I picked the car up from a VW restoration garage (fully restored) and drove it nearly 200 miles home with no issues whatsoever, in fact, it drove brilliantly. However, yesterday evening my mum and sister were nagging me to take them for a drive, I eventually gave into their persistence and took them out.

THE PROBLEM

After the car was warm and I had driven about 10/15 miles I noticed a knocking noise coming from either the front driver side wheel or underneath the driver's seat area, I couldn't quite locate it. The noise only starts when the car is cruising (at below 40mph) and when there is no throttle or acceleration, the noise also stops when I brake, accelerate or when its sat at anything above 40ish MPH. The noise is the same if I am driving in a straight line or if I am cornering in either direction. The sound is best described as a ceramic plate knocking against a hard surface. I have checked everything is secure inside the car and around the drivers seat and it is. I haven't had chance to get it up on stands yet as I was in work at 7 this morning.

If anyone could point me in the right direction of possible things it could be it would be greatly appreciated, I am thinking maybe wheel bearings, though usually they make more of a grinding whirring noise and this is a distinct knocking. Just seems odd to be fine for 200 miles on the way home and then for it to start seemingly randomly a few hours later. This is the last thing I need after paying a small fortune for the car! The last few pennies I have left were meant for the final touches but oh well, that's life I guess. Lets just hope its not gearbox or drive shaft related eh!

Cheers

Chiz.

Loose Wheel Lugs
Loose axle nuts.
Loose Strut Cartridge Retainers
Loose Caliper bolts or missing
Bad CV.
Bad Ball joint or pinch pin loose.

If the Restoration shop was closer I would be taking it back to them to have them diagnose the issue.
Best Thing to do is to Jack the car in the air and support on Stands, start the car and place in gear parking brake fully on and rear wheels chocked.
Then try to have someone steer it and accelerate it while turning the wheel to see if you can locate where the noise is coming from.

Be WARNED be careful about the spinning wheels.



 

Cheers for the reply, will give it a look over this evening.

I would be on the phone to them but I test drove it and it was fine as well, not to mention the long no problem journey home.

Only other thing I think is that the roads where I live (out in the country side) are full of potholes, I don't remember hitting any but maybe I did. Hopefully if that is the case its only a matter of a few new bushes and nothing major

Don't feel downhearted it may not be anything expensive!

Like above check all the nuts and bolts are tight.

To check bad cv joints put it in full lock and drive it both ways in circles, if it's knocking then it's cv joints

Si

Cheers Si.

I had it up on stands last night and yeah I have narrowed it down to the CV joint. Working flat out this week so just this once and because I want it back on the road asap I have booked it into the garage tomorrow.

Will give you an update of goings on after its been to the garage.

Chris