My elderly Ford Focus has started to develop a knock from the front end. Have changed roll bar drop links in the past due to wear which is a common fault so dont suspect this is the problem. Any other problem areas that anyone knows about? Or just old age and 160,000 miles! Suspect might just be the result of lots of little bits of wear in all the bushes...

Bushes are the obvious candidate, but at 160k miles the shocks and top mount bearings/bushes will be pretty tired too if they're original.

I spent a lot of time, effort and money trying to cure a knock on a 205GTI (see Best Car thread) which everntually disapeared when I replaced the perished and split top mount bushes.

CV joints may also be worn I guess, but you'd notice this more on full lock.

Fords are good for the anti roll bar bushes wearing and knocking.

Strut top mounts would be my next port of call.

[Edited on 11/2/09 by Danozeman]

Elderly? Focus's haven't been out long enough to be calledthat, have they?

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Originally posted by coozer
Elderly? Focus's haven't been out long enough to be calledthat, have they?

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Check the lower arm wishbone bush If no evidence of a bush badly worn then most likely candidates are in order of likelyhood a strut or a broken road spring or the steering rack.

drop links between anti roll bar and struts are favorite

wishbone bushes possibly, fairly common. you cant buy the bushes alone, have to buy them prefitted to the arms!

if it only knocks whilst turning a broken spring is my guess.