Causes of Knocking Sound from Front Wheel while Driving -How to Fix

If you hear a strange sound coming from anywhere in the car, it means that Something is going wrong id going with your car. A malfunctioning system part can be identified by unusual sounds such as pounding, squeaking, clicking, clunking, knocking, or grinding.

What causes the front wheels to bang when driving will be discussed below. Finding and fixing the noise’s origin is also covered in detail.

The reason for a knocking sound from the front wheel is because of Bad Tires – A knocking sound may be heard if the tires are worn, unbalanced, or misaligned or if one of the tires has a broken belt. Wheel Bearings – If a wheel bearing is severely worn, it will prevent the wheel from turning freely. This could result in a knocking sound.

Why does the front wheel make noise when driving?

A few things could cause the front wheels to knock loudly when you ramp up. These problems are close to the steering racks, brakes, and other front suspension parts.

Broken strut or strut mounts

The strut mount connects parts of the suspension system to the frame of the car. It reduces the tire vibration caused by the road and keeps the steering system stable. A strut mount connects a strut or shock absorber to the frame of the vehicle.

If the strut mount fails or breaks, the car will make a loud banging or knocking sound when driving on bad roads. It will sometimes make knocking noises when driving slowly on a straight road.

Broken sway bars

Sway bars are essential parts of a car’s suspension because they keep the car from rolling when it turns. They even out the weight of the vehicle. You’ve probably experienced what it’s like to drive a vehicle with ineffective sway bars.

If your vehicle’s sway bar is damaged and you take a sharp turn at high speed, it might roll over. Sway bars are stressed because they balance the vehicle’s weight from one side to the other. For this reason, they can break.

When they break, the car will make a knocking sound when it’s moving, especially on a rough road.

Loosen lug nuts

Lug nuts, also called wheel nuts, hold the tire to the hub of the wheel. When the technician needs to take the tires off to work on the suspension system, he will take off the lug nuts. Tires can be changed because they are flat or need to be rotated.

If you just changed your tires or worked on your car’s suspension and now hear knocking noises when driving fast, check the lug nuts. If the lug nuts aren’t snugged down properly, the wheels will shake and wobble at high speeds.

The situation deteriorates with increased driving time or speed. Not tightening it at the proper time might cause the tires to come loose. The driver, passengers, and other drivers would all be in risk if something like this occurred.

Typically, this causes tire wear to be uneven and causes suspension problems. Park the car somewhere safe and tighten the lug nuts again.

Bad bushings

A car has a number of bushings. They are created to help align the wheels. In addition to aligning the suspension parts, they also hold them in place and keep them in check.

Rubber is used to make bushings by manufacturers. Being constructed of rubber means they degrade over time, especially after being overworked. When they wear out or break, the vehicle will produce a banging noise regardless of speed.

The knocking sound is coming from two or more metal parts rubbing against each other without a bushing between them to stop the rubbing.

Poor tires

Tires are a very important part of how a car moves. A bumpy ride is caused by tires that aren’t aligned right, aren’t balanced, or are worn out. also,  It can also make the wheels occasionally knock when it rubs against suspension parts.

Bad wheel bearings

Wheel hub units contain wheel bearings. They ensure that motion can take place. The automobile will create a buzzing noise as it travels down the road if a wheel hub is failing. The volume increases with the increase in RPM. The bearing will keep getting worse as long as you keep driving it.

If the wheel bearing is damaged, the wheel won’t be able to spin freely. If the bearing moves around inside, it could make a knocking sound when driving straight.

Broken steering arms

A control arm is a part of a vehicle’s suspension that is necessary for it to work. As you drive, they go up and down, which keeps the car steady. They make driving smooth and easy by absorbing vibrations when the tires go over bumps or uneven parts of the road.

You’ll have a unpleasant driving experience if the control arms fail or the bushings wear out. The tires might pop if the road is really rough.

If the front wheel control arms are damaged, the vehicle will be difficult to steer and the wheels will produce a banging noise when driven slowly.

Worn-out ball joints

All of the parts of a suspension system are linked to each other. These parts work together to decrease vibrations from the road and make driving smooth significantly. The ball joints connect the suspension systems to the wheels.

They enable the wheels to rotate either left or right. When you crank the steering wheel, you will hear banging, grinding, or knocking noises if these ball joints begin to wear out. The volume increases when you turn the wheel to the right or left.

Axle problems

Both the front and rear axles carry the same amount of weight for an automobile. A car’s axle is constructed to last for many years. You shouldn’t have to worry about fixing or maintaining anything.

In any scenario, the axle might break, reducing the vehicle’s lifespan. The same thing can occur if you accidentally run into a large porthole.

It’s possible that the car’s design flaws contributed to the failure of the axle. Manufacturers have had to call back some cars for this reason alone. When this happens, the axle can’t usually hold the whole vehicle’s weight for a long time.

A bent axle can’t be fixed, unfortunately. When an axle is bent, the tires can’t grip the road in the same way. This can make the outside tires wear unevenly, make it hard to turn, and make knocking noises when you drive over bumps.

How to Fix a Knocking Sound from the Front Wheel

Let’s have a look at how to mend the front wheels now that we know what may be causing the banging sound. When driving, the front wheel may bang, and fixing it can be difficult and time consuming. A little of troubleshooting should reveal what’s causing the unpleasant knocking and allow you to have it fixed. Let’s check out the procedure.

Bounce the car’s front end.

First thing I urge customers to do when their car’s front end starts making noises is to shake the vehicle. You’re going to want some assistance with this. Open the hood and have the helper press and release the hood over and over. Do this over and over again until the suspension starts to work.

Check the strut and strut mounts as you bounce the car. If a strut mount is broken or failed, it should move around a lot. You can use the tried-and-true method of determining whether or not the strut mounts are loose. It will also aid in diagnosing problems with the strut and other suspension components like the control arms.

Put the tip of a large screwdriver in your ear. You should then try using the screwdriver’s opposite end on the suspect components. Ask your helper to shake the car again. You should hear more noise coming from the broken part.

This method is almost as good as a stethoscope used by a mechanic. Did you notice any broken parts? If nothing stands out, we can move on to the next step. Grab a floor mat and lie down under the car.

Wiggle the steering wheel

This method can be used to find broken steering parts like tie rods and steering knuckles. You might ask, “Why this method?” Do the parts of the steering make knocking sounds?

When parts of the steering system break, they make clunking noises. So, let’s also look at these parts.

Put the key in the ignition so that it says “ON.” Have your helper sit in the driver’s seat and firmly turn the wheel. Check to see if the suspension parts move too much. Alternatively, you can accomplish this by fully twisting the steering wheel to the left and right.

Shake or wiggle the car.

This method will help you find the source of knocking, clunking, and banging sounds coming from under the car. Get two helpers to shake the front of the car’s roof. One person should stand on the driver’s side, and the other should stand on the passenger’s side.

While they are shaking the car hard, lie down under it with your underhood work light on. Check all the parts we talked about above that could make the knocking sound. Some of these are the ball joints and the control arms.

Knocking sounds may not always be coming from where we think they are. You need to check the exhaust systems, which include the catalyst converter, muffler, tailpipe, and head pipes. Check the connections and the hanger that keeps them in place.

If you have a loose hanger, it could be hitting the frame or other parts. Let the car cool down enough that you can hold the exhaust pipes without getting burned. Try rearranging the pipes to see if you can bring back the banging noises.

FAQs

The car’s front end is making a clunking noise; what might it be?

A clunking noise coming from the front of the vehicle indicates that a part is making strong contact with an obstacle. Ball joints, tie rods, and control arms are frequently the cause of such problems. A clunking noise usually increases in volume or frequency over time.

Does a clunking sound come from a bad wheel bearing?

A huge deal is a worn wheel bearing. The sound will become louder the longer you ignore it. The car could even slide to a stop as a result. That has meaning to you, right? You and everyone else on the road are in grave risk because of this horrific accident it will create.

When a wheel bearing breaks, it starts making strange noises that are hard to place. There are humming sounds, grinding sounds, crackling sounds, rumbling or growling sounds, and clunking or knocking sounds.

When driving, why do I hear a knocking sound?

Do you hear pounding from the base of your vehicle? Does it happen while you’re going slow, going fast, stopping, or letting the engine idle? You can improve things regardless of the cause. Some problems can be fixed more efficiently and for less money than others.

If you hear a knocking sound from under your car, you may have

• Arms that no longer work
• Misaligned tires
• Axle problems
• Loose lug nuts
• Problems with strut and strut mounts
• Bad joint balls
• Wheel bearings that are worn out
• Loosen all the hooks and connections under a car.

Can a strut make a noise like it’s clunking?

When you drive over bumps and hear clunking or knocking, parts of your suspension are broken or worn out. When you hear a metallic clank, something is hitting on the hardware.

A loose mount will let the parts attached to the bolt move around too much. If the strut mount is worn out, the shock can move up and down, making a clunking sound.

Is it risky to drive with the front wheel making knocking noises?

Don’t get on the road if you hear clunking noises coming from the front of your vehicle. Both mild and substantial suspension damage might result in clunking noises. You endanger yourself, your passengers, and everyone else on the road if you decide to get behind the wheel while under the influence. Your car’s clunking might have more than one cause. You should take care of it before hitting the road for whatever cause it may be.

Do ball joints create a clunking noise?

Bad ball joints will always make a clunking sound. Clunks are one of the most common and easy-to-spot signs that a ball joint has broken. As a ball joint wears out, it will make a rattling sound inside. If you keep driving while it’s on, the noise will increase until it clunks.

Conclusion

One of the first and most evident signs that an automobile item is failing is a change in the way it sounds. To recognize a problem with your automobile, you must be familiar with its normal driving noises.

A suspension problem is indicated by a banging noise coming from the front wheels when driving. This article explained why these sounds are happening and how to fix them. Follow the steps in this article to fix your car if it is making knocking sounds.