So... Symptoms..
1.Inner tire wear
2. Slight "knock" driving slowly over say a potholed gravel driveway. Knock occurs with each pothole.

Bad strut bearing has caused this wear pattern before on this car.
Bad strut bearing has caused this noise before on this car.
Bearings replaced, both sides this year.
Other side new bearing failed after 5 months
This bearing is about 9 months old.
It all sounds like its the bearing, but could it be caused by a bad ball joint also?
The balljoint has 180000 miles on it
Using OCCAMS RAZOR, one would assume its the strut bearing, but wouldn't a bad balljoint cause the same symptoms?, especially "bearing" in mind that the balljoint is very old, and the bearing quite new.

OPINIONS PLEASE

 

anti roll bar/sway bar bushings?

 

I know they can cause a knock, but would they kill the tire inner tread?, steering at slow speed feels compromised instead of smooth also

 

good point.
Could be the front end rear control arm bushing has failed.

 

Jack the wheel up on the control arm, close to the ball joint. Have a friend use a bar or 2x4 under the tire to lift up and down. Look from the front of the car to see if there is play in the ball joint (you will see it move up and down).

Careful the car does not fall on your head as you will stop seeing everything.

 

Thanks, i always wondered how to test a bj on a car with macpherson struts.
If you never hear from me again... The car fell on my head ;@)

 

A jack stand is your friend and makes sure you continue to see. ..

 

"how to test a bj on a car"......I don't even know what to say other than where do I sign up to be a tester.

 

I always use jack stands when playing with bj's ;@)
Make of that what you will ;@)

 

Same issue on my 05 X-type 90,000 miles inner tire wear and clicking/banging noise right front end...... makes noise over any bump and when turning steering wheel?? Gets worse as car warms up!

 

Dont know about the car warming up issue but inner tire wear + clunk over small bumps was the reason i replaced the strut bearings originally.. Fixed both issues on both sides.
Havnt checked my ball joint yet but i do suspect the "new" bearing is the culprit