Red Nightmare Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Often when I go around turns, especially turning right, it sounds like a dry eratic popping noise in the front end. Tonight was jacking up the passenger front to do some brake work, and as the car was being raised, the wheel (par the strut) was like popping as it expanded instead of a fluid motion. When the car is no the ground, when I test the shocks, they seem OK. Bounce the car a couple times by hand and it quickly regains stability instead of bouncing several times. Anyways is there anything i could do to really remedy that dry popping noise? I am tempted to throw grease or something on it but i guess that isn't the answer. Does that "cartridge" in the strut have anything to do with that? Most important, is this something that would decide to fall apart when driving and fuck up my car and life, much like say if a ball joint gave way? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 Ball joints make a popping noise. I don't think that is what you have. Do you have any issues with memory steer? My Grand prix would make a popping noise when turning. It was from the strut coil plate. It was worn out and it was causing memory steer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 I second that. if you jack up the front end and the steering wheel is still hard to turn and it pops as you turn the wheel then it is the strut bearings. They are at the top of the springs under the towers. They get all contamination in them and the grease dries out. The popping noise is the spring overcoming the bearing and kicking back into place. When the strut bearings are bad the springs are turning as you turn the wheels. Not supposed to happen. The springs are supposed to be stationary. Also bad for the alignment, power steering, and springs. Typically if one side is bad they are both bad. Check your balljoints also though. Jack up one side at a time. Grab the tire at 4oclock and 11oclock and see if there is play. If there is then you know you have bad balljoints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 17, 2012 Report Share Posted July 17, 2012 I second that. if you jack up the front end and the steering wheel is still hard to turn and it pops as you turn the wheel then it is the strut bearings. They are at the BOTTOM of the springs BETWEEN THE SPRING AND THE KNUCKLE. They get all contamination in them and the grease dries out. The popping noise is the spring overcoming the bearing and kicking back into place. When the strut bearings are bad the springs are turning as you turn the wheels. Not supposed to happen. The springs are supposed to be stationary. Also bad for the alignment, power steering, and springs. Typically if one side is bad they are both bad. Check your balljoints also though. Jack up one side at a time. Grab the tire at 4oclock and 11oclock and see if there is play. If there is then you know you have bad balljoints fixed and.. on our cars, I detect bad ball joints by placing a crowbar between the knuckle and the control arm and seeing if I can force the control arm to move away from the knuckle. sure fire detection everytime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 Memory steer. Left turn car pulls left like crazy. Turn right goes pretty darn straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted July 18, 2012 Report Share Posted July 18, 2012 I remember what I forgot... you can check the condition of the bearings without even taking anything apart. Reach into the wheel well and grab the plate at the bottom of the spring. Forceably rotate it side to side. you should be able to rotate it, although the spring will fight you and should return it to the centered position. You can raise the car for sufficient clearance if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Nightmare Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I will have to check those plates... The ball joints are good though - I had to replace the driver side one about a month ago, it had a lot of play when prying. Fun job removing the rivets. the passenger one was replaced at some point and still seems to be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 fun if you like sparks in your eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted July 21, 2012 Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 thank you. That is correct. I forgot my cadillacs are on the top. the W-bodies are on the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Nightmare Posted July 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 Greased the passenger ball joint just to eliminate that as a possibility. Anyways the plates on the bottom of the spring turn smooth yet firmly. Noise is not really caused by steering per se, but as we know when a car is turning there is a bit of rolling movement just cause of weight shift. Noise is kind of a binding clunk. Sometimes I can get it to make this clunking noise when I back up or forward quickly. Strut binding or something? Thing is when I bounce the front end it doesn't make any noise and returns to normal position quick instead of bouncing a lot. When I inspect the front end - control arms don't look like they are gonna fall off, ball joints are good, steering components seem good. Sorry this is kind of vague, I know it is one of those "It makes a noise when... what could it be?.." questions that drive people crazy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrett Powered Posted July 21, 2012 Report Share Posted July 21, 2012 i hear ya. 88's doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutlassman Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Did you ever find/fix the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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