Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 The noise is in the left front is gone...don't know where it went but I think whatever it was fixed itself. But now I have a new problem :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: I was running down the street and I hit.............a POT HOLE!!!!! with my right front tire. It just wasn't a thump it went BANG!!! and it wasn't because I was speeding, it was because the pot hole was deep, wide, and took up my whole side of the damn road!!!! score one for living out in the country...LOL!!!! Ever since that fateful day every now and then or when it decides it wants to do it, there is a clunking noise like something is loose. it's coming from the side of the car that hit the pot hole. Took it to Firestone down in Athens Ohio and they said everything looked good, they even let me come into the garage area and look at the car myself, and I didn't see anything that was broke. control arms, tie rod ends and their bushings are fine. CV joint and everything else looked fine, I even replaced the caliper bolt bushings. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR AND IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING!!!!!!! I'm thinking it has something to do with the brakes but I just don't know. i'm gonna try and get my grandmas camera and try and record a video from inside my car and see if it will pick up the noise on it's microphone, as the noise can get pretty loud and i'm pretty sure that the car shouldn't be making it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CSI_MuNkY Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 How is the steering? Could be something inside the steering rack or or one of the inner tie rod ends, they wouldn't be visible unless they took the boots off at the Firestone shop. That's all I can think of. Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 steering is okay, no shimmy or shake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 How did the strut look? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairdo12 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 The steel belts in the tire could have shifted. Those can make alot of noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 How did the strut look? Front spring strut looks okay, but we are removing it just in case. maybe removing the strut even if it is okay could reveal the problem if it is hidden. we (my brother, and grandpa and I) just got back from autozone with balljoint seperator and strut spring compressor and a 36mm socket for the wheel hub. so I think we have all the bases covered right now, but lets just hope that we can find the problem...:-( tires look okay to, and the noise isn't constant so I'm not thinking tires. And the noise has a heavy dull sound to it, if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Flanders Posted January 11, 2009 Report Share Posted January 11, 2009 I lived in the country for a long time, too, and know what those damn potholes are like. They used to pull VW Bugs out of them come springtime in Massachusetts. Have the tire checked. It would affect the steering, but maybe it went out of round...you never know, and it's an easy fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 well this is interesting....we figured it might be the strut, sooo, we got a strut spring compressor and cartridge remover tool, took out the cartridge and then I unwittingly pulled up on it too fast and then....*GLURP*, oil went just about everywhere. My brother said that when I hit the pot hole the seal on the cartridge broke and leaked oil all over the outside of the cartridge and inside the strut assembly(but not a whole lot inside the assembly). but anywho we got the cartridge and put it in, drove down the street and back and even hit a couple big bumps in the road and the noise is gone and the ride has greatly improved which is great but this was just down the street and back, I will update when I actually drive into downtown Dayton tomorrow and come back home. Thanks for all the suggestions everybody. Oh and I haven't forgotten about the tire either, so when I get some money I will have it checked out to. I do know that I need them aligned and rotated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 How did the strut look? The strut looked fine from the outside, but it's what was inside that was messed up....LMAO!! Good catch!! I never knew until tonight that front struts could have cartridges... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 How did the strut look? The strut looked fine from the outside, but it's what was inside that was messed up....LMAO!! Good catch!! I never knew until tonight that front struts could have cartridges... Actually, there is supposed to be oil in the cartridge housing It to dampen noise inherent of having a strut cartridge design... But you obviously did blow the strut out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 How did the strut look? The strut looked fine from the outside, but it's what was inside that was messed up....LMAO!! Good catch!! I never knew until tonight that front struts could have cartridges... Actually, there is supposed to be oil in the cartridge housing It to dampen noise inherent of having a strut cartridge design... But you obviously did blow the strut out.. my next question would be, could a blown strut create a dull, heavy clunking sound. That's the noise coming from my tire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 How did the strut look? The strut looked fine from the outside, but it's what was inside that was messed up....LMAO!! Good catch!! I never knew until tonight that front struts could have cartridges... Actually, there is supposed to be oil in the cartridge housing It to dampen noise inherent of having a strut cartridge design... But you obviously did blow the strut out.. my next question would be, could a blown strut create a dull, heavy clunking sound. That's the noise coming from my tire. The strut rod prolly broke or got damaged inside the strut housing itself causing the strut rod to shift and hit internally causing a noise.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 OUCH!!! well it was only about a 40 dollar fix, with about $100.00 worth of rental tools from Autozone which I will get back tomorrow. so it's a relatively inexpensive fix I guess. Just time consuming that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 OUCH!!! well it was only about a 40 dollar fix, with about $100.00 worth of rental tools from Autozone which I will get back tomorrow. so it's a relatively inexpensive fix I guess. Just time consuming that's all. You should be doing both sides.. always both sides with struts, shocks, or springs.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 OUCH!!! well it was only about a 40 dollar fix, with about $100.00 worth of rental tools from Autozone which I will get back tomorrow. so it's a relatively inexpensive fix I guess. Just time consuming that's all. You should be doing both sides.. always both sides with struts, shocks, or springs.. and brakes and tires for that matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fury Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 Pairs! Do both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98montels Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 The cartridge deal is kinda wierd, I didn't think those where in my car but found out when I lowered it and did struts and mounts on all four corners. One problem was getting the big nut on the mounts to tighten down good. My rear ones clunk with all new stuff. Come spring time I have to redo the job to make it right and this time im using an impact and not hand tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 I wish I could do both sides but I'm out of work right now and I have to pay 130.00 for books just for my aviation class at school. When I start working again which will be very soon and I get some money I'm gonna do the other side to. I checked the brakes on both sides and the pads are still good. I've still got between 1/4 and 1/2 inch of pad left on all four pads on the front. Rotors are good as well. Good news is that i've been driving the car all morning and the noise has stopped. and the ride is alot smoother. so I'm happy for now Breakdown of cost for fixing the right side: Total cost: 110.00 50.00 Strut spring compression tool: (rental) 50.00 +tax 42.00 Cartridge removal tool: (rental) 110.00 +tax =over 200.00 + tax actual cartridge: 42.00 + tax Of course I get the money from the rentals back but I still have to have the money to rent....talk about a conundrum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BXX Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 You dont need a strut compression tool to do the fronts.. Just the W-body cartridge removal tool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GrandPrixlover1 Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 I see what you're saying, and if it's true then why do they even make a strut spring compression tool? That doesn't make sense since the rears didn't need it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98montels Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 I see what you're saying, and if it's true then why do they even make a strut spring compression tool? That doesn't make sense since the rears didn't need it either. You have a leaf spring in the rear??? So all you have is a shock type deal. Also for the front mounts and cartridge to be changed the car stays on the spring as you found out. The only time you would need a spring compressor is if you took the spring off the front strut assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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