Noddy,

Another possibility, (A very good one) could be the front tie bar bushe housing.

There is a history of this component housing being marginally over sized on many Ford models due to machining tolerances being outside specification. It is impossible to determine if a bushe housing is oversize by a visual inspection. The component has to stressed under real world conditions to identify this component as being the cause of the "knock". This could be simulated at the Solihull or Gaydon plant on their shaker rigs.

If Ford have a sole group manufacturer and supplier of this part then there is a very high probability that this is the root cause of customers noticing the "Knock" when driving over speed bumps or pot holes.
The wife had a fiesta with the same problem and I am aware of this problem being reported on the new focus, Galaxy and Fiesta models, all of which are built at different plants.

Hope this helps

moved

Last edited by The doc on Mon Dec 11 2006 2:51pm. Edited 1 time in total

What are "ARC valves" please?

There is a posting about steering knock in the thread above this.............. (at the time of typing this is was above!) but it is here if it has fallen down the forum http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic4507.html. Sounds like somebody's dealer has this steering knock problem licked! 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Doc, have no idea what the ARC valves are but suspect they could be the valves that fill/empty the air in/out of the suspension doughnuts/ ballons 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I am at the stage now where I have to re-assure my passangers that the banging underneath the car is quite normal!!

After all it only happens on uneven roads and an RRS is not designed for use in these conditions!!

According to LR it is quite normal and only affects cars with Dynamic Response. I hope that if enough of us complain and attempt to maximise publicity on this issue we might get some satisfaction after spending in excess of �47,000 on a vehicle.

Has anyone considered writing to What Car or other magazine?

The doc wrote:

What are "ARC valves" please?

As far as I can see:

ARC valves = Auto Recirculation Control Valves

Looks like they manage flow control, so Tim is probably right in what he says about the suspension bags. 

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I think the ARC valves are the ones which engage/ disengage the anti-roll bar. These are the reason the RRS is so good both on and off road - when it goes off-road the front a.r.b will dislocate to allow fuller independent suspension travel, the valves are hydraulic and apparently create the knocking noise..

Doc - good luck fella, I've had a bloody nightmare with LR trying to get this fixed and have all but given up as i've got a new TDV8 on its way.

Nod RRS Supercharged
Java/ Ivory

'94 F355, '90 M3 Evo, '95 Integrale Evo, '97 Cooper S Works, '84 911 Cab, '89 911 Speedster, '85 6R4, '59 Routemaster and something sensible for the Mrs

Why would they be disengaging on normal roads?

gawd only knows, but I really wish they didn't..  RRS Supercharged
Java/ Ivory

'94 F355, '90 M3 Evo, '95 Integrale Evo, '97 Cooper S Works, '84 911 Cab, '89 911 Speedster, '85 6R4, '59 Routemaster and something sensible for the Mrs