After following along as many posting as I could on this forum with regard to "suspension knocking" on pre-2010 RRS S/C where do we all stand? I have a 2008 RRS S/C and have been gong back and forth with my local dealer trying to troubleshoot the issue. Specifically the issue where you are driving straight ahead and one of the front wheels hits a small bump or drain cover and generates the knock.

I have been through all of the TSB documents that others have been kind enough to share online and have convinced my service manager to replace the front sway bar bushings and install the Mass Absorber kit in an effort to reduce the knocking noise from the Direct Response system. Others have mentioned similar repairs but the problem in many cases seems to return after a few thousand miles. So the questions I have for the group and specifically LR, should they happen to follow these thread postings are as follows:

What is the root cause of the problem?

Is there a once and for all permanent fix for the knocking?

Are there upgraded parts that can be retrofitted?

Is LR actively researching the problem or are they hoping we'll just give up complaining and purchase a new vehicle?

How should we address these concerns with our service managers? As those I have talked to (in the USA) are shockingly uniformed about this issue and usually are not aware of the various TSB's or corrective repair procedures.

Is there a way to remove the system and use standard sway bars as fitted on non-Dynamic Response RRS?

As many of us will soon be facing the end of our warranties what can we expect from LR concerning this known defect which they prefer to call "a characteristic" of the vehicle?

And finally, is there any light at the end of the tunnel concerning this issue or are those of us with the Dynamic Response system simply stuck with this problem indefinitely?

Needless to say, my sympathies go to those fellow owners who are dealing with this issues as it has a rather negative effect on the ownership experience on what is otherwise a rather fine vehicle.

I'm certainly open to the advice of others and would love to hear from anyone who has managed to resolve their knocking issues.

I think it may be quite a long time before there is the "final word" on this issue. I am a verteran of this matter having suffered knocking on 2 RRS's. One was a very early TDv6 without DR and the other is now a 4 year old TDv8 with DR. The dealer has tried every mod that LR issued and each time any apparent "fix" lasts a few months (or in some cases weeks) before the knock returns. My issue now seems to be identfied as simply the bushes on the front anti roll bars which appear to wear out rapidly. The rate of wear seems to accelerate when the car is wearing 20" wheels in warmer temperatures and they last longer when she is on 19" wheels in winter. RRS TDv8 HSE Rimini
Disco 4 TDv6 HSE Ipanema
Defender 90, 200tdi CSW

This fixed it for me:

RENEW BOTH NEARSIDE FRONT AND OFFSIDE FRONT LOWER ARMS COMPLETE AND FIT NEW ACE BAR BUSHES AND BRACKETS

Boo you mentioned replacing both lower control arms did you have issues with the just the lower ball joints or were your arm bushings bad as well? My local dealer only replaced the lower ball joints in an attempt to fix the knocking as the arm bushings seemed fine to them. You also mentioned replacing the sway bar bushings which I assume was part #: RVU500011. Did they replace the sway bar mounting brackets because of an improved design? If so, I'd be interested to know what part number they installed so I can have my dealer hopefully do the same.

Hi guys, i do apologise if this has already been mentioned as im new to this site and also come from the sister Disco3 site.

Anyway, I have the same kind of knocking in my D3 as you describe when traveling over slightly rough roads and also over pot holes and drain covers etc.
When i had the car serviced last year by the D3 Guru TFC, he diagnosed O/S/F and N/S/F lower ball joints worn which most of you have had replaced with the lower arms, but he also diagnosed N/S steering tie rod inner ball joint worn, this is the part that the outer ball joint fixes to, he showed me the play in the joint and that it makes a knocking sound due to the play.

Now I'm not saying that this is the cure as i haven't had mine replaced yet, and the only reason i mention this is because i haven't read it in anyone elses posts as having it replaced, but it is another part that does wear and creates a knocking sound.

Just for info, my D3 is a 54 plate and coming upto 60K.

Click image to enlarge

Before I got my RRS S/C I had a 2006 D3 with what I thought was the same inner ball joint problems with the tie rods. The dealer replaced them but it didn't fix the problem. The actual problem was internal to the steering rack. There was excessive play at both ends of the rack where the inner ball joints are connected. It was a pain to diagnose as it is very difficult to tell the difference between play in the inner ball joint and the end of the rack housing. Needless to say, a new rack solved the problem along with the infamous lower steering column fix to address excessive free play in sliding joint but in the end it worked out.

The knocking issue with my RRS S/C is related to the sway bar bushings as I've had the entire front end checked and the only weak spot appears to be the bushings. I was just wondering if there is any new part #'s available from LR to address the rapid wear which seems to be happening with the DR equipped vehicles? I mean what's the point of replacing the bushings if they are only going to wear out and be noisy again in just a few hundred miles?