Knocking when I hit bumps, what could be wrong??

[h0oligan]

When I drive over bumps or rough pavement I get a hard knocking noise coming from the passenger side wheel. Do you think I need new shocks/struts, since my car is a 94 with 124k? The noise is really loud and I jacked up the car and looked for things that could be doing it, but didn't really see anything. Any insight would be great, thanks.

 

[NKau]

Ball joints would definitely be a suspect with that mileage.

 

[h0oligan]

i just did a ball joint check on both sides that is in the Haynes Manual, and both seemed the same even though it's just the one side making the noise. So, it doesn't seem that it's the ball joint.

 

[coupe89]

Sounds like strut, rotor or maybe even a wheelbearing. That what it was when my cars have made that kind of noise.

 

[boomr]

When I drive over bumps or rough pavement I get a hard knocking noise coming from the passenger side wheel. Do you think I need new shocks/struts, since my car is a 94 with 124k? The noise is really loud and I jacked up the car and looked for things that could be doing it, but didn't really see anything. Any insight would be great, thanks.

I had the same problem with mine, but left (driver's side). At first could only hear the noise over road expansion joints, noise got worse, could than hear over any type of bump , inspected front end, found a bent sway bar link, thought maybe that could be it, replaced sway bar link, no such luck, narrow it down to the noise coming from the top left suspension, checked bushings, control arm, finally found the nut on top of strut loose, tightened, road tested, noise gone now

 

[pro5o]

Grabe ahold of the swaybar in the middle and give it a pull up and down.Found lots of sway bar bushings bad that way.

 

[h0oligan]

I had the same problem with mine, but left (driver's side). At first could only hear the noise over road expansion joints, noise got worse, could than hear over any type of bump , inspected front end, found a bent sway bar link, thought maybe that could be it, replaced sway bar link, no such luck, narrow it down to the noise coming from the top left suspension, checked bushings, control arm, finally found the nut on top of strut loose, tightened, road tested, noise gone now

That sounds exactly like what is happening to mine. It wasn't that bad at the beginning, but it has got progressively worse over time. I think that's why I haven't really noticed it that much until now. It definitely sounds like I'm going over an expansion joint of something. I'll check it out when I get home today. It would be so great if this is as easy to fix as you say it is.