Weird front end knock

[alan gw]

I've been getting a weird front end knock from the driver's side for a few weeks now. It's like the sort of hollow knock you get from a shagged bottom ball joint in a ropey Octavia taxi on 175k whenever I go over slight bumps or potholes at any more than about 10mph, it also happens when I brake sharply at slow speeds.

I fitted rose jointed tension rods(!) about 6 months ago and had issues with the adjusting nuts working loose and giving me similair problems but I managed to get them locked, which sorted it at the time. It then set in again after a few weeks even though the rods were staying tight. A few weeks ago I fitted all brand new track rods, track rod ends and most importantly in regards to the knock, bottom ball joints. This cured the noise again which made me reckon it was the ball joint all along.

About 2 weeks ago I noticed the knock was back and louder this time. I jacked the car up, gave the wheel a tug about (wahey) and could hear a slight knock coming from the hub/ caliper area when gripping the wheel at 3 and 9o'clock . Unfortunately being in front of the wheel was the only way I could grip it to replicate this noise so couldn't look for a source at the same time as making the knock. All I could think to do at that point was to tighten every nut and bolt I could see - struts, calipers, track rod end, ball joint, camber arms, and drop links.

I'm still getting this bad knock and the steering feels slightly vague, the only thing I'm thinking now is wheel bearing or strut top mounts. Strut tops aren't top of my suspicions though since I had that mystery slight knock at the hub. Has anyone been in the same position?

[s14@jim]

Check your front tension rods, if they are standard they need replacing, if they are aftermarket check the bearings for play.

The wheel trys to move forward when you brake, the tension rods stop this but nissan use squishy gel filled bushes which are not great when new, I fitted whiteline poly bushes in place of these several years ago and it improved steering feel massively and removed a similar knock I had at the time.
If the bushes are standard and knackered then this will be the knock, they normally look damp if they have leaked the gel out, signs of cracking in the rubber also indicate a tired bush.

[alan gw]

My bad, for some reason I've been referring to the tension rods as camber arms. The tension rods were brand new driftworks rose jointed items about 6 months ago.

[thenextdk]

I had this once, turned out it was top mount of coilovers needed pinching tight, I know u said it sounds lower but gotta be worth a try considering it will take about ten seconds to do lol