KNOCKING FROM UNDERCARRIAGE

Hi and welcome along.

A dampened knocking could be a few things. Spare wheel banging about under the car could be one as well as:

-Jack loose or something else in that compartment knocking.
-Anti roll bar drop link worn. Sometimes hard to tell when stationary as it's only under load when moving that it does it.
-Top suspension mount worn. Again, sometimes hard to tell when stationary due to the non load design when up on a ramp.

And probably a couple more probables I've forgotten.

My jack knocks over bumps.. i'm taking it out I reckon. or putting some foam on the contact area!

I thought i had a knocking in my puma, then worked it out was coming from glove box...!

My Focus started knocking after it's track day which was the anti roll bar link as suggested above. It would only do it over uneven roads. I got a pattern pair off ebay as Ford wanted silly money for a pair. The ones on my Puma are very corroded and look to be in bad shape so i suspect they will give out soon enough!

Ball joints on the lower arms??

Since i had mine lowered (even before) The ball joints on the front were and the hubs flap about and cause a rattle on bumpy roads. Best way to describe it, is like something is loose and rattling

Interresting.. it could be anything you're saying.
I am seeing my trusted mechanic ( erm...?;-) tomorrow....I'll have the list ready!


What's the best way to sort out misting up lamps?
I've read somewhere that drilling a smal hole in the back cover would help. I am not convinced...

Drilling a hole in the back would make it worse! It's water on the inside in the first place that makes them mist up, drilling a hole to let more in... not the best of plans.

See it as an opportunity to take them out, clean them as much as you can, stick them in the airing cupboard to dry them out, and then put them back.

it's official! there is no more knocking coming from the suspension.
Track rod ends replaced!


Although I have removed the lamp and dried it after just one day is misted up again...

I believe a well-known Puma owner (no longer with us) got rid of his misting lights problem by slightly loosening the screws, enabling the water vapour to escape. This could potentially be the reason someone suggested drilling a hole.

What screws? The ones that hold the lapms to the body?

Assume so??!

There are no screws that hold the lens to the body. They're clips.

EDIT: ^On the front^ Forgot it was rear in the thread

Are we talking about rear lights?
If we are, it was Colin (BOK) who said to not over tighten the rear lamp fasteners, as you can fracture the joints.

I believe he used "Capt. Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure" to solve the problem:

http://www.captaintolley.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well remembered!

There are no clips in my puma. Rear lights are held by three nuts ..... :?

Dal said:

There are no screws that hold the lens to the body. They're clips.

EDIT: ^On the front^ Forgot it was rear in the thread

Click to expand...

Tomeleon said:

There are no clips in my puma. Rear lights are held by three nuts ..... :?

Click to expand...

I'd forgotten it was the rear lenses that were being discussed. Me Bad.

3 nuts hold on the rear lens as mentioned.

Ive got a little trick that worked well for me, but it wont work with too much misting. Theres a thing called silica gelthat you get in little packets that look like salt or sugar, they come in new shoes, or any item that they want moisture to stay out of. If you put a couple of them in each light, they are made for absorbing moisture, so they stop your lights misting up, and will probly save you some money too, as the bulbs go quicker when exposed to moisture!