Q: Knocking from the axle or wheel hub, but no play!

asked by on October 20, 2016

so the knocking sound sounds like it coming from the axle/wheel/hub. the faster i go the fast and louder IT goes. it also is amplified whenever 1) i go faster and 2) i turn to the right (when i turn to the left, i dont hear it as loud.) i thought it was my wheel hub because a buddy had the same problem but once we jacked his car up and wiggled his wheel there was play, but when i jacked mine up, there was no play! so now im worried about what it could be. could you give me a list of a diagnostic i should try out?

Thanks PS: im training to be a mechanic so i want to know ways to diagnose it

My car has 195000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hello. You have done a great job with the diagnosis this far. Is it coming from the front or the back? Does it get worse going over bumps? From here you should attempt to play around with the suspension some more. Take a look at the struts first. These can fail internally and make a similar noise. Also check the strut mounts on both ends holding them in place. Make sure these are straight and bolted down tight. If these are fine take a look at the bushings, linkage, and steering components under the vehicle. Try your best to recreate the sound in a controlled environment where you can hone in on the sound. If you’d like some help with pinpointing the issue at some point, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come to your home and diagnose the noise firsthand.

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