knocking sound

in my 2000 jetta 2.0 i can hear a knocking sound in my front left wheel (as far as I can tell on the road) when I am starting to decellorate and only when I turn the wheel slightly to the right. I havn't had the chance to look at it yet but I was wondering if anyone knows what this might be caused by.

Any ideas?

JZ

Put the front end in the air, one side at a time (with a jack, for example) and start to wiggle stuff. See where the wiggle is coming from, assuming you know what you're looking at. Tie rod, wheel berring, ball joint, or CV joint. Could even be a sway bar bushing or control arm bushing. For the most part, everything should be tight as a drum and the only thing that should move is the tire turning in your hand like it's rolling down the road... smooth and quiet.

If you don't know what you're looking at, here's some help. If you only have one side in the air, and the tire you have in the air jiggles and knocks around with force you can apply by hand it's probably a wheel berring or tie rod end. If you twist/turn the tire and feel the knock/clunk it is more likely a cv joint or transfer case problem.

If no knocks, you probably have the same problem I have in mine and if you figure it out make sure you let me know.

O.K. I jacked up the car and it seems I have a serious problem on my hands. Jiggling either wheel makes the sound and I have located where it is coming from. where the big rods that rotate conect in the center, is that the transmission? the rattle is coming from inside of whatever they are both connected to. Sorry to sound stupid but the only knowledge I have is from past experience and I have never had a problem with my tranny. What should I do? Is there a part that is just loose inside? Please tell me that I don't have to replace my whole tranny. I just got done replacing my waterpump/timing belt/drive belt/ thermostat and that was hard enough.
Some vast knowledge and insight would be appreciated.... Thanks.

That is the transfer case... a moment of silence may be in order.

The only help I can offer is to direct you to the salvage yard that has always helped me with expensive items 1-800-VW-PARTS. A new transfer case will probably cost almost the same as a new Kia, but keep your chin up because a few cities have shops that can rebuild the transfer case for you. Keep us posted, you're not going to be the only one with this problem

its supposed to do that when you wiggle the wheel foward/backward. Its called gear lash in the differential( play between the gears so heat is not produced ). If it did not make any noise that would be bad. When the car is in the air try wiggling or shaking the driveshaft (lonf shaft that goes into transmission from wheel. It should not have any play up and down, if it does than you have a bad driveshaft.

Ok, why don't you work at my dealership? Honestly... The head tech at the dealership I have nearby told me I would need to replace my transfer case fairly soon because of the exact same symptoms. Knocking noise, doesn't appear to be the cv joints, they spent 15 minutes with the thing in the parking lot going back and forth (forcefully) and said "Uh, try replacing the cv joint (I had just replaced) and if it's not that I think the transfer case is bad." When he put it up in the air, he turned the shafts and said "That is supposed to be tight, no play..." Arg! :banghead: The thunk isn't getting any worse in my car (after 9 months and thousands of highway and city miles) but I cannot find the problem. Cars suck when they aren't absolutely perfect... :biggrin:

Long story short, sorry for the bad advice. I hate bad advice.

check the upper strut mount bearings on the right side (if makes noise turning right). If the bearing is dry and rusted that it will turn than catch making a jerk feel or clunking noise. usually happens at 100k miles or so... or less if its all city driving i've seen some go bad as soon as 50k miles on 98 beetle