Worn suspension parts

[Daniel Dodson]

Hi,

I've had my suspension off today. I'm thinking the top mount (bottom right hand in photo), bush (golf ball shaped thing) and rubber seat (top left) need to replaced. Do I get these things from Nissan? Should I replace the whole lot anyway as a matter of course? The reason I've had this all off is that I'm getting a knock noise that I can also feel through the steering from my front suspension when I go over pot holes and rough bits of road. There's also a rubber bush at the back of the lower suspension arm which looks a bit perished. I'll replace that, could that cause this noise/feeling?

Cheers,

Daniel

 

[frank]

hi daniel, the small white part is the thrust bearing and it looks ok to me, a knocking noise over rough surfaces is usually the lower balljoint in the wishbone

 

[Daniel Dodson]

It's dark now so my camera isn't working in this light very well. I've taken a picture with my phone of the lower ball joint.

You can't quite see it in the phone but there is a little cracking in the rubber at the.....fattest(?) bit of the ball.

 

[frank]

the bottom balljoint is out of shot daniel, and play is hard to detect when jacked up (the mot man uses a lever and slideplate while the car is lowered)

 

[Daniel Dodson]

the bottom balljoint is out of shot daniel, and play is hard to detect when jacked up (the mot man uses a lever and slideplate while the car is lowered)

Ah, yes. Okay I'll have a look at the real lower ball joint at the bottom of the knuckle in the morning when the light is better. I have a Trakrite so could use that as a sliding plate to replicate the test that is performed in the MOT. Cheers for your help.

 

[RTLkyuubi]

the knocking noise is probably coming from the spring coming in contact with the top cup as 1/2 the rubber ring is missing.

 

[Daniel Dodson]

Ball joints seem to be okay - no cracked rubber/leaks.

For the lower rebound bush (golf ball shaped thing) and rubber seat (top left) Nissan are asking £40 per side. Is this a good price? It seems a tad bit expensive. Can I buy these elsewhere? I've tried 1 local motor factors here in Cambridge but no joy. Are pattern parts available? Has anyone else replaced these recently?

Cheers,

Daniel

 

[Guy]

Lower ball joint on a K12 :