Hey, I've hardly ever posted on here, but this problem has currently me and the other half stumped.

The car is a 2000 1.7 Puma, if that has any significance on the problem (don't think it does really)

Symptoms:
Getting a 'thunk-thunk-thunk' coming from what I'm 90% sure is the n/s front wheel area.
It's always relative to the wheel speed. (i.e. sounds like there's something stuck in the tyre thread)
Most noticeable between 10-25 mph.
Seems to go over 30 mph unless I really listen for it, then is extremely faint.
Can feel the noise as much as hear it through the car.
Slightly louder on bends to the right than it is on bends to the left.
Very slight new vibration of the steering wheel at higher (motorway) speeds, (might not be related - I'm hyper-sensitive to steering wheel wobbles and vibrations)

Causes ruled out: (i.e. noise present both before and after)
Wheel bearing (changed at the weekend)
Wheel and/or tyre issues (changed for spare last night)
Brake caliper is not loose.

We're going to systematically check everything that we can that's related to the movement of the wheel during the course of the week and over the weekend, but any suggestions or ideally an "I know what that is!" will be very helpful! Usually we can work out what any problems are between us, but this is just not something that we've ever come across before!

Our next point to check is the brake pads and discs for any warping.

 

the drive shafts havnt got weights on them like the mk 3 fiesta 18oo zetec? my fiesta lost the weights of the drive shaft and it caused a nocking and steering wobble between 15 and 30 mph.....

 

tyre on other side its allways the side u dont think it is had the same problem it was egg shaped tyre on the oppisite side

 

As above I would try swapping wheels front to rear to start with.
In my experience it is often NOT where you think it's coming from, I am thinking drive joint/bent shaft.
Drive car with someone else in the back to see if that sheds any light, as could be at rear.
tabetha

 

It's not something I've heard of with the Puma before now... but that don't mean they're not there!

That's an easy one to try, got another spare in the shed! (Then I'm out of spares on the same wheels... lol)

Drive shafts/cv joint I've experienced before on another Puma, and it doesn't feel the same as that did. Doesn't rule it out though I know.
I'll try with someone in the back, probably me with the other half driving as there's not that much room in the back!


I'll update if whether that solves any of it, or not!

 

I always said a feedback system of some sort on here would be agood idea, after problems of any kind have been found, as don't get to hear of many results.
tabetha

 

It does make sense. Not only would you know who knows what they're talking about, but it would help people in the future if they have the same problem to know what the actual problem was.

We didn't get around to changing the o/s wheel over yet, probably won't get around to it tonight either.

I'm just hoping it's mothing majorly expensive!

 

Update:

Had the front of the Millie up on axle stands today, with both wheels off...

Brakes are fine, calipers are tight, no movement from the discs, no warping, pads are still looking almost new.

What we did find though, was that there's a bit of play on the n/s driveshaft. You can grab it and move it about half an inch towards the hub. There is only a minute amount of movement on the o/s, and no movement on Dal's puma. So we're concluding that this is what's causing the noise. Obviously, without actually dismantling everything we can't tell what's causing the movement. As far as we can determine, it's either one of the CV joints on the shaft, or worse case scenario, it's where the diff joins the driveshaft. (The garage that changed the bearing did mention that it could be the diff, but didn't really give any reasons why they thought that.)

So next step I think is biting the bullet and asking a local garage to have a look at it, and keep my fingers crossed that it's not the diff gone tits up!

 

Update #2:

There's good news, bad news and not so bad news:

The goods news: it's definitely the driveshaft (good as opposed to being the diff that's gone)
The bad news: New one is Ł250 from Ford!!
Not so bad news: A recon one is Ł240 fitted, (on an exchange basis).

I was considering getting one from ebay, but I've not got any comeback if it fails again. So gritting my teeth and paying the money. She's booked in for Friday. Don't know specifically what's happened to it yet, but I'll ask when I pick her up, and ask if I can get some photos of the old one before they exchange it.

 

That's a piss take glad it's not the diff at that price!!
Glad you found it anyway.
tabetha

 

Well... mostly found it. The worst of the knocking has gone, but there's still some there which is a bit annoying. It's got to go back to the garage for a different reason, but I'll get them to have a thorough look around it.

 

Can anyone tell me what the symptoms would be of a failed/failing diff, and how I would be able to check if that's the problem?

I'm getting a bad feeling that the driveshaft was only part of the problem.

 

Bump!

Anyone know the symptoms of a diff going? Or what else it may be?