I'll start with saying I searched, I even tried using advanced search to no avail

I have a 2014 F Type that has been a fantastic companion for the last ~5 years. It has been cross country with me 3 times and on countless other adventures. The memories I have with this car are second to none. I could tell stories about it for days but I'll skip that for now.

For the last ~500 miles I have had a HORRIBLE knock in the front end -- it sounds like a bushing is completely missing and there's loose metal on metal contact. It started only when on one wheel was completely compressed and the other side was completely drooped [like pulling up a steep driveway and now happens over every bump / expansion joint]. That made me think it was the sway bar bushings but I quickly swapped those out with new ones and the problem is still there and only getting worse.

It literally makes me cringe, I can't drive the car. I got up under the car the other day and couldn't see any obviously perished bushings but visibility was a bit rough. I am planning on replacing all the suspension components in the next couple weeks but wanted to see if anyone else has done that themselves and have any pictures. Oddly, I can't feel it in the steering wheel, just in my feet...

If anyone has, I'd love to pick your brain on ordering a complete set of new control arms or buying all the ball joints and bushings separately and pressing them into the old arms.

If anyone has any pictures of their disassembly and tips / tricks, that would be a great help to make sure I am not missing any necessary tools before cracking into it. I've done suspension on other cars but this will be my first time taking the F Type apart. If anyone has other recommendations of "while I'm in there" things to do, please shout 'em out!

pic tax:
some friends and I roadtripped a Caterham 7 and my F Type from LA to Boston [LR4 as spare parts / support] a few months ago. The Caterham immediately killed its radiator with a large rock about an hour outside LA so that is a bodge job with a 90s civic radiator strapped to the front...

 

oh I forgot to add, if anyone has any other theories of what this could be, I am all ears -- I'll still replace the suspension as maintenance but I'd like to solve this before the short New England summer disappears

 

If you haven't already done so I would check the torx bolts on the engine bay braces (two braces and three bolts each side), T50 torx IIRC.
There have been reports of these being quite loose and resulting in front end creaks and metallic knocking noises.
A quick easy and free check and you never know it might just be the cause.

 

I wish I weren't on a plane right now, I would go downstairs and check. Great suggestion -- its on the list for Sunday when I'm home again. Do you know of a video with the noise in it?

 

I don't recall any video but you are free to search!

 

my quick search didn't yield anything but if you remembered a video I was going to look a bit harder. plane wifi isn't the best for perusing video clips

 

I'm in the same situation as you, I hear metal knocking on the right passenger side wheel well going over speed bumps or really any rough roads. Oddly enough it's louder some days than it is others. I'm also getting pretty odd steering wheel shaking going over 40mph, stops once I hit ~65-70 tho (front tires seem fine tho).

I did start this thread with a picture of the right control arm that has some wear/scraping. Im still unsure about how to proceed. Im thinking maybe an alignment if the control arm is hitting the top metal edge.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/f...l-well-259247/

 

I too don't recall a video - this thread has a photo, though I suspect you know what we're talking about...
Thud/Clunk From Under Center Dash: Solved - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

 

How about having a big buddy bounce one front corner at a time, while you search around for where any noises are coming from?

 

Got home from a trip this morning and went straight to the garage to check the torx bolts on the braces...two of them were looser than the rest. Tightened them up and my noise is gone. I am THRILLED.

@OzXFR what do you drink? I'm sending you a bottle, this made my month.

I'll still replace all the suspension bushings and balljoints but it can now wait until the season is over -- I'll post a new thread when I crack into that.

Gave her a quick bath today to celebrate

 

Glad to help and that it was such a cheap and easy fix.

 

less than 48 hours after OzXFR helped me fix it...while I was visiting my parents their contractor backed into it...



body shop can't get to it until July 25th but at that time we're going to do the whole car and get rid of all the little rock chips and paint blemishes -- basically make her new again -- hopefully next season is a little less eventful than this one