So over the past week or so I've noticed a knocking coming from the rear of my car.. It's comes and goes and doesn't always happen under the same circumstances. I can be driving down the road and hear it, then it won't happen on the same road. I'll go over a bump, "knock", go over another and nothing! It went in to the garage today and the mechanic went over the rear of the car checking all the obvious culprits like bushes (changed a year ago) suspension, CVs, prop shaft... And he turned up with nothing. Anyone on here had a similar problem?

 

Hub nut.

 

I was going to say arb linkage but a blind man would spot that..... Check exhaust mounts? Check the rear subframe bolts are tight, i have heard of some getting loose? Let us know what it was once you find the cause
Dude

 

Ill go for drop links. Ive seen this missed until the problem gets worse.

 

Cheers folks.. will get a 2nd opinion on things this weekend. Hopefully will be able to get it sorted before it gets worse.

 

ARB drop links are under tension when at rest, so can easily express no knocking until a bump that unloads them, they go 'loose' at the ball joint and cause a knock. Once the knock is regular, they are usually VERY knackered! Might just be on the way out.

You could try and disconnect one end and drive it, see if it goes away (or if you can feel the play manually). The problem is, you'll probably have to destroy it to get it undone!

 

Sound like this when driving along ?



Drop Links (Y)

 

Had similar problem on mine started with undetermined knocking on the rear couldn't see anything when had a quick look. Eventually noticed handling was not the same, couldn't put my finger on it just felt more unstable on cornering. Didnt get a chance to look at it again and service and MOT was due anyway.

Went in and failed MOT it turned out to be the passenger side Drop link on the ARB, it had parted company on the ball joint and the ARB was hanging obviously happened between the two events above.

New ones fitted and she's back to old self

 

So... after a little bit of rolling around on the floor under the S2 and various shaking of things, I gave the rear left-hand side of the ARB a good shake and noticed a little bit of movement. I found the nut on there and it was literally finger tight, the nut is a 17mm nut and I managed to get it relatively tight. Went out on the roads I noticed the knock most and it was gone! I'll mention it to the garage and may change the nut to a locking one and just keep and eye on it. Will upload a picture of said nut when I get under it and hope it can help other folks.

Thanks for all your input. It all helped, legends.

 

You're lucky, normally those ruddy drop link nuts are rusted solid to the thread!

Although IIRC the OEM Honda nuts are 14mm outer diameter so you may have had new drop links or at least nuts at some point.