Hi, 

I was at Soton airport a few weeks back and when going up the spiral between car park floors (left hand cornering) with the windows open, I noticed a clicking noise coming from the front.  I think it was near side but bit difficult to pinpoint. I guess I heard it because the ramp was enclosed with walls either side so all that noise was nicely reflected back to me.

First thought was CV joint going but then, it's rear wheel drive right so no drive shaft to with CV joints to front wheels.  Didn't notice the noise when driving straight.  

Thoughts?  Did recently have the lower spenny arms replaced on the front.  As an additional thing, I have twice now had a real drumming noise occur from the front while driving along on my commute home.  Not all the time, just at one stage for a bit and it intensified when breaking it seemed.  I immediately assumed that it was wheel bearings going but it's odd it has only happened twice and is not constant?

Deffo not CV joints Adam! I'm struggling to think of what it could be, unless it's something as simple as a stone being caught in the tread of the tyre and clicking as it goes around. Unlikely it'll be doing this all the time as they pop in and out. If not this you could jack the wheel and see if it still makes the noise? It might be something fouling on the hub, or something from the hub fouling on the suspension. You could take it in somewhere for a check up if you're not a spannerman yourself. Good luck!

Thanks Russ.  I was wondering if it was something as simple as a stone, but with the dodgy drumming noise I get on occasion too, I'm worried it might not be that simple.

It's due it's service this month so I'll get them to give the frontend a good going over while it's up on the ramp.

Mine made a drumming type / whirring noise under heavy braking, before I changed out the discs and pads. They had gotten extremely low and I didn't change them a moment too soon! In fact, if it was more a scrapping / squeaking, rather than clicking at the airport, it could be pad down to metal and rubbing on a high point of the disc. The drumming noise could be brakes very low, as mine were! If your alloys allow you to see the disc and pad, check there's still some meat on the pad, although you'll only see the outer one easily. If they are completely gone, you may want to bring the work forward .