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weird knocking sound driver side

Dee23

Dee23

New member
We all know these W-bodies are knocking professionals and/or at least inevitable to happen at some point. So I have this lil knocking sound on the driver side that seems to progress more and more. Now it only happens when I apply the brake and it has gotten so consistent that the slightest PSI applied to the brake pedal you hear this clear and irritating knocking sound. Doesn't sound like anything is falling apart but whatever it is its definitely loose.

And I know that sound travels so im sure the sound is coming from the driver tire area but it damn sure sounds as if its coming from the fuel tank area, WEIRD. Ima check the ball joints and rack n pinion again but I also have a strong feeling that the subframe mount bolts may be loose(though they shouldn't be)

But what makes me puzzled is that the knocking sound is directly responsive to the brake pedal, like so responsive that I was driving 5mph purposely applying the slightest touch of the brake pedal that I would hear this sound. Again its barley on take off but constantly while braking(mainly softly which is weird which also tells me whatever it is its super loose or literally hanging by a thread or its last bit of life).

00' regal Gs....every mount or ball joint on the front end is new including all of the subframe mounts nothing older than two years. Anything is possible to go wrong especially with the way I drive but this one is bugging me out
 


Yeah let me check the brake calipers again. now I did paint the calipers a few months back and everything was secured and this lil knocking just started recently but it wouldn't hurt to check. But while I had the car in the air I noticed the front wheel bearings were a lil loose again so this could be a possibility and now heres the kicker. ive installed struts more than a few times both pre-assembled and me going all out with the spring compressor.

Now while noticing the play in the wheel bearings I also noticed that at the top of the spring/coil the coil actually rotates(of course with the car off the ground). Now with the car on the deck I know the spring would be impossible to move with the load on it but while in the air load off the wheels should the coil be able to spin so freely or should it have some resistance?
 
That's what I thought, now with the entire front end off the ground neither tire touching the ground both of my springs are spinning not so freely but with a lil resistance. They do stop though, they don't keep doing 360*. Strut Mounts seem solid. With the coils being able to spin(wheels off the ground) is there anything that I should specifically look at that may be allowing these coils to spin?
 


They stop spinning because the mounts have recesses for the end of the spring that locks them in place to a certain point. I personally have never had a strut do this unless the the spring is shot, or someone put a full length strut into a lowered coil. Generally speaking, there is still a good amount of tension in the unit which is why you need a spring compressor to replace the strut. If you were to take an impact and zip the nut off the end and let stuff fly free, you would end up getting hurt.
 
I hear what your saying, I think I just over thought the situation bc I was trying to find whats making this knocking sound. I know theres lil grooves for both ends of the coils to rest in but I guess I was making myself believe that is wasn't suppose to rotate as much before hitting those resting spots. I guess I thought the space was a lil tighter between the resting points. Been awhile since ive installed my struts.

I think the noise im hearing are the wheel bearings once again. Funny thing is that it took me awhile to remember that my GM performance struts are only 2yrs old, DUHHHHH to me

Thanks guys....
 
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