Noise from driver side front

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Noise from driver side front

May 23, 2009, 09:09:48 PM

When ever I first brake, go over a really bumpy road(like a dirt driveway) or sometimes while turning the wheel I hear sort of a clunk noise. Everytime I hit the brakes it will happen, but it only happens right away as the front of the car dips a little.

Now its not hte springs or the struts as I can bounce the car all day long up and down and it won't do it. The front swap bar it tight, thje struts and wheels bearing are fine. The brake caliper does not move on the rotor either. I can feel it in the floor boards when it happens while moving.

My only though is that the calipers ae old and the pistosn are pretty hard to compress back enough to get the pads back over the rotors. I remember it was a bear when my father and I did the brakes. But would a screwed up caliper make such a noise when not braking, just turning the wheel?

Any suggestions? Anyone have any ideas what it might be?

Noise from driver side front

Reply #1 – May 23, 2009, 11:46:41 PM

well
I chased one of those noises a while back,, dont waste your time until you check to see if the K-frame support is loose.

second pic of my fighting out CA bushings.

first pic was the cause of the problem you described that sounded oh so familiar.

Noise from driver side front

Reply #2 – May 24, 2009, 09:39:13 AM

LMFAO!!!!!!!!! i was thinking ca bushings too,... but that explains high speed wheel "shakeing" while braking......... if you always pull into driveways the same way,..(for me and the ls, always pulled into driveways with the passenger side first,....... now both cars have that shake but only that one side....)

Noise from driver side front

Reply #3 – May 24, 2009, 04:02:31 PM

I have to say thank you jcassity, and walter.

So the kmember support was lose, a little. And there was a bunch of mud in one of the control arm bushings. They look okay, and I took the car for a run up the street, and the noise is gone!

So jcassity, can I move in with you? Or can we have our own private section on the board? I feel like every problem I've had(almost), you've known the anwser to it off the top of your head.

I vote we should make a section "Ask Jcassity". It'll be like askjeeves, except for our cars, lol.

Thanks again.

Noise from driver side front

Reply #4 – May 29, 2009, 02:50:00 PM

Well the noise it back... and I don't really feel like changing them because I need the car. Is there any way to quiet it down for a couple of weeks until the other car is on the road? lol

Noise from driver side front

Reply #5 – May 30, 2009, 12:05:08 PM

Jack up the front of the car,..... and wiggle the tire forward and backward,....if the tie rods are ok and theres no play./// then the wheel shouldnt move, but if the ca bushings are shot,..... then it will move,... dont ask how far tho,.. i havent really tried, since replacing my tie rod ends,......... Did you check up on that k-member support???? Maybe it looosend again?????

Noise from driver side front

Reply #6 – May 30, 2009, 04:56:15 PM

I had that problem,and by hand,everything seemed fine.Turns out,the ball joints were bad,and the strut mounts were total .After I replaced those,everything is as it should be.

Noise from driver side front

Reply #7 – May 30, 2009, 09:29:14 PM

Can you explain the strut mount thing vinnie?

Noise from driver side front

Reply #8 – May 30, 2009, 09:40:42 PM

He means the "onion" at the top of the strut.

Noise from driver side front

Reply #9 – May 30, 2009, 09:52:04 PM

I recently had a clunk noise and it was the strut mounts - they were wicked worn after 20 years. Replaced them and all is well (also got new 10-way adjustable struts at the same time).

Noise from driver side front

Reply #10 – May 30, 2009, 09:52:13 PM

i just replaced mine today,.... it got rid of the annoying squeak(whenevr i turn the wheel) but i also have the (clunk) problem,,, so ill be checking the k-member supports,... and so-on.... then ill think of replacing the ca bushings....

Noise from driver side front

Reply #11 – May 31, 2009, 02:30:24 AM

I don't think my problem is the strut mount. The problem, whatever it is seems to have started after I got my car stuck in mud. The CA bushings seemed logical and when I sprayed the hell out of them with water it seemed like it quited them down, for the day. But after trying it again just to determine if it was the CA bushings and they never stopped sqeaking again.

I'm thinking it was just a coincedence. I would hate to change them and find out its not the problem. grr.

I'll check the kmember piece again.

Noise from driver side front

Reply #12 – May 31, 2009, 07:21:56 AM

If the bushings are original,they probably need to be replaced,as do the ball joints.What about your tie rods?Mine were also .At this point,I installed a new rack,tie rods,springs,control arms,ball joints,and strut mounts.Better than new.

Noise from driver side front

Reply #13 – May 31, 2009, 09:34:06 AM

I'm Thinking it maybe the Sway bar end link. You jack it up take off a wheel and look everything looks just fine. Everything bolted down nothing loose. Now swing your head to the underside of the Control arm. Is the Nut on the bottom side of the Sway bar end link? If you want to lube those C.A. bushing get you some spray silicone. As for how to test the ball joint jack the car put it up on stands and then use a jack right under the ball joint and jack it up just a HAIR! Then check for the play. Without the extra jacking step the pressure on then from the springs holds the ball joint tight.

Stuckman

Noise from driver side front

Reply #14 – May 31, 2009, 11:46:07 AM

start with easy things first off and work towards ca bushings.

first
jack up both sides of car
remove pass wheel
remove cotter pin on outter tie rod end
loosen castle nut until its top is **exactly flush** with the stud
hammer down on top of castle nut till tie rod end gives
remove castle nut

unlock steering wheel by turning key forward

check inner tie rod up inside the steering rack=
grab tie rod and pull in / out
any play means it will translate up to the steering wheel
if you find play, keep reading.

adjust play on inner tie rod=
open up metal clamp around rubber sleeve on rack and slide forward.
observe which style inner you have
there will be a nut to loosen in order to remove the inner.
on the side of the nut, there will either be a roll pin hammered in or an allen screw.
If you have the roll pin type knuckle, ask chuck, i think he knows a decent way to remove the roll pins. he says something about adding a scew to the roll pin and clamp on with vise grips and tap roll pin out. I couldnt get this to work.
if you have allen screws, loosen **both** then unscrew your inner off the rack.
remove whole arm assembly off steering rack.
look inside the knuckle of the inner and observe which type you have.
one type has a metal disc inside that has an allen adjustment.
remove disc, pack knuckle with *some** grease and tighten disc till snug.
if you have the plastic disc type which is just pressed in, simply install arm assmbly until its snug.
on the plastic disc type you simply smush the platic tighter against the knuckle.

sorry so long,, but hey, its somewhere to start.