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Autopapyrus · Lada Granta 1.6 8V 87 hp (2015)
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/lada/granta/diagnosing-a-suspension-knock/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Lada Granta 1.6 8V 87 hp (2015): Diagnosing a Suspension Knock

On the first-generation Granta (B0 platform), a suspension knock most often comes from play and wear in the front end: sway bar links, ball joints and strut mount bearings wear out quickly, especially on high-mileage cars and rough roads. Diagnosis consists of a visual inspection under the car plus checking for play by hand.

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Difficulty: Medium Time: 1-1.5 hours (diagnosis) Steps: 9 Tools: Inspection pit or lift, pry bar, flashlight, 10/13/17/19 mm wrenches, flat-head screwdriver

Step by step

9 steps
  1. Drive onto the pit or lift. Raise both front wheels off the ground (the front suspension is the priority).
  2. Inspect the front shock absorbers and strut mount bearings (the black caps on top of the struts). Look for oil leaks, cracked boots and play in the cap.
  3. Check the boots on the lower control arm ball joints (on the sides, under the wheel near the brake disc). Tears or dirt inside mean wear.
  4. Grab the wheel (at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions) and rock it up and down: — if you hear a knock from "above," look for play in the strut mount bearing or the upper mount (rare on the Granta); — if the knock is "below," the culprit is the ball joint or the lower control arm bushing.
  5. Pull the wheel toward you and push it away (in the horizontal plane): — play means a worn ball joint or caliper guide pin (rare).
  6. Inspect the sway bar links (the thin rods connecting the control arms to the body): — grab each link by hand and shake it; play or knocking = a worn link.
  7. Check the front suspension control arm bushings (the rubber bushings at the ends of the arms): — use a pry bar to move the arm at its mounting point; if you see movement in the bushing, it is failed.
  8. Repeat the check on the rear suspension (raise the rear wheels): — a knock in the rear suspension usually comes from the shock absorbers or trailing arms; the procedure is the same.
  9. Bounce the body by hand at each corner (push down on the roof and release): — if the shock absorbers are good, the body will rebound 1-2 times and settle; if it bounces 3+ times, the shock absorbers are worn out. ───────────────────────────────────────── Typical findings and solutions: Knock when driving over potholes (sharp, in sync with body movement): — Most likely the sway bar links or ball joints. Replacement is mandatory (unsafe for handling). Knock when turning (crunching or clicking): — Ball joint or strut mount bearing (outer). Knock near the driver's seat over bumps: — Check the front strut mount bearing (left side). It knocks against the body from above. Knock at low speeds when parking (distinct click): — Often a sway bar link; on newer cars it may be a dead shock absorber. ─────────────────────────────────────────

Common mistakes and warnings

  • Play in a ball joint or sway bar link is not something that "can wait." The car loses handling, especially at speed or in the rain. If the diagnosis confirms wear, replace the parts before driving the car any further. If the diagnosis reveals play in the wheel along with a crunching noise, stop immediately: brake failure or play in the wheel hub is possible (dangerous).
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