I've had a creak and knock from the front left wheel for a couple of weeks. It sounded like a ball joint, but got worse when cornering and under light (but not heavy) braking. After checking ball joints, bearings, springs etc. the only thing I could find wrong was one seized brake caliper slide pin. These are the ones that allow the caliper to move from side to side as the brake is applied and released. I freed it up, greased it and lo and behold the creaking/knocking has disappeared.

 

I can only think it was holding the caliper against the disc and the knock was due to a slight irregularity in the disc causing some movement in the slide pin which wasn't seized, under light braking.

 

Just thought I'd share this. Something to check, if anyone else has the same problem, before starting to replace suspension components. It's a quick, cheap fix.

It amazes me sometimes how a trivial fault like that can make all sorts of knocks and bangs which sound like the thing is dying.

They must where over time...