Thread: What did you do to your Car today?

OK guys help me out here. When turning my steering wheel left and right I get a popping noise. Very noticeable noise. I replaced tie rods ends cause they were shot. Could it be sway bar end links or intermediate steering shaft or what?

i have that same sound on a few cars the only thing i can think of is ball joints

Originally Posted by DirtDog

OK guys help me out here. When turning my steering wheel left and right I get a popping noise. Very noticeable noise. I replaced tie rods ends cause they were shot. Could it be sway bar end links or intermediate steering shaft or what?

i vote ball joints or strut mounts.

Originally Posted by DirtDog

OK guys help me out here. When turning my steering wheel left and right I get a popping noise. Very noticeable noise. I replaced tie rods ends cause they were shot. Could it be sway bar end links or intermediate steering shaft or what?

Is it in relation to the movement of the vehicle(if when making turns) or the movement of the steering wheel?

I mean the LCA's are pretty bad but I just ordered ZZP's LCAs and a GMPP sway bar so I guess we shall see if that fixes it. It wasn't there until the dealer did the haonic balancer. And they did have to mess with ball joints. As for strut mounts their a few thousand over their GM service time so I guess I'll move the coil over plans up as well

And is there a way to test ball joints and strut mounts?

Ball joints get tested just from pulling on the wheel, 6 and 12 o'clock positions on cars. Strut mounts, I have no clue. I know mine are shot because of the squeaking noise they make.

6 and 12 o'clock tests wheel bearing doesn't it? Or does it test both

the only way i know is how much play is in your ball joints. struts mounts i have no clue.

12 and 6 is a ball joint test. You can pull any direction for wheel bearings, really. I'd say its the LCS bushings. Mine pop on turns on rare occasions. I had a popping noise on literally every right turn when I first bought my car, sway bar end links stopped that.

OK well hopefully my suspension upgrades will solve this problem. I still have OEM LCA's on. Their the only part I haven't replaced besides struts

Originally Posted by DirtDog

And is there a way to test ball joints and strut mounts?

if you can feel the wheel move pushing and pulling the bottom of the tire, the ball joint is shot, most of the time you need a pry bar at the ball joint area lca to knuckle then pry watch for the ball joint to move.

the strut mounts, pop the hood start the car, rock the steering wheel left and right and watch the center nut of the strut mounts, if the rubber part and the nut is moving they be dead. i mean like left and right moving, or up and down. the rubber part could also be worn out and causing the sound.

OK I shall check those things

Yeah I'm pretty sure mine move when turning the wheel lol

I grab the tire at the very front (aka the 3pm postion) and push and pull on the tire.

Cobalts, G6's, G5's, saturns and many other GM cars have ball jont problems and doing it that way shows if they are loose.

OK thanks for the help...to late to jack car up tonight but I can check strut mounts. Gotta drive 290 miles tomorrow morning

O hell....that center bolt on the strut tower moves hell of a lot

and the issues continue with Delilah...

So u think strut mount as well? Noise came up after an alignment