wth is this banging noise???

[spikedphilly]

I have an '01 Grand Prix. I need some advice, and I am a chick so dont go all mechanic talk on me because it wont make sense. Yesterday my car starting making this god awful banging noise whenever you turn a corner or drive over a bump. Its in the front end, and you can feel the banging around. If you turn slow..no banging. Does anyone know what might cause this??? Please and thanks

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Okay, I will do my best to not confuzzle you.


Turn your wheel all the way in one direction and look down at where the strut its bolted to the knuckle and lower control arm and find the sway bar..

In easy terms, just look behind the brake rotor and see if the sway bar is broke. Its a long bar that is bolted to the control arm and looks like this,

that bar that is wet and has the rusty long bolt sticking out of it is the sway bar, see if it is broken.

Look on both sides.

 

[spikedphilly]

I assume thats a pic of the passenger side? If it is then yes..thats what is broken! WTH is that thing??

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

Yup, thats the passenger side.

Its called a sway bar, it helps with controlling the cars body roll in corners and keeps the car planted on the ground better.


When you go to turn, it wants to flex with the suspension, but because its broken it will flex and bang against the control arm or ti rod and cause the noise.

In most cases that is what happens.

 

[spikedphilly]

I tried to post a pic but it wont work So..is it ok to drive like that for now? Obviously it has to be fixed, but I dont want to jack anything up beyond repair until I can get it done!

 

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

you can still drive the car, it wont hurt anything else. It will just be annoying is all.

If you can fix it yourself or have your boyfriend/husband or who-ever do it, its not very hard to replace if the person is somewhat handy with cars.

You can find a new sway bar online for under 60 bucks

here is a link
GM Parts Direct: Your direct source for Genuine GM Parts

for the part number copy and paste this number 12498643, go to SEARCH and paste that.