My junk is making noise

[PANDA]

With the hood open if I push down on my passenger strut tower area I hear a crunching/squeaking noise. This does not ****** me because nearly every suspension component on my car has been replaced. I had my mechanic look at it when the car was getting a alignment and he was kinda stumped because everything is newer, but thought it could be a strut mount or the new control arms that were just installed were installed incorrectly. Not sure its related to a control arm component because im pretty sure the noise happened before those were installed. That was one of the reason's I wanted new ones. We also lubed up everything and crunching/speaking still exists. I'm thinking I got ANOTHER bad NAPA strut mount. :rollpicard:

Estimated mileage on current front end components. (Car has 130K)

GMPP Sway bar ~60,000 miles (previous owner)
NAPA strut mounts ~60,000 miles (previous owner)
KYB GR2 Struts ~40,000 miles
OEM GM springs ~30,000 miles
Moog Tirods ~10,000 miles
ZZP Cradle Spacers ~10,000 miles
ZZP Motor/Trans Mounts ~5000 miles
RVR Control Arms with all new components ~400 miles
Moog Sway Bar endlinks ~400 miles
NAPA NEW Axles ~200 miles
ZZP Wheel hubs ~200 miles
Moog Sway Bar bushings ~50 miles

Whats the deal?!?

Click to read more...

 

[andcbii]

you drive a GM... bound to fall apart no matter what parts you put on.

 

[02BlueGT]

I'd have to hear it to make a good guess, but does this noise happen on compression, or rebound, or both.... also check all bolts for tightness, I had a loose Tie rod end locking nut that sounded like a CV joint clicking a few months ago

 

[Yaj Yak]

make your exhaust louder or turn up your stereo.

thats what i do on my car. :wink: open cutout ftw.

 

[PANDA]

http://www.grandprixforums.net/f59/creaking-popping-noise-from-front-end-23778.html

Sounds like a similar issue...

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

do yourself a favor and add a couple shots of grease to the tie rod end and lower ball joint and retest
i mught also sugest testing with the wheel turned to the locks, under load and no load
i know you asked me last night but i think i was zoned on the discharge pipe

 

[PANDA]

do yourself a favor and add a couple shots of grease to the tie rod end and lower ball joint and retest
i mught also sugest testing with the wheel turned to the locks, under load and no load
i know you asked me last night but i think i was zoned on the discharge pipe

Yeah, everything is greased up pretty good. Ill see if tuning the wheel makes any difference. Can I just impact off the big nut on the strut mount, remove the pogo thing and visually see if the bearings on the mount are busted?

 

[02BlueGT]

Yeah, everything is greased up pretty good. Ill see if tuning the wheel makes any difference. Can I just impact off the big nut on the strut mount, remove the pogo thing and visually see if the bearings on the mount are busted?

If you can see it then they are beyond toasted

 

[AlmightyBirdman]

I had a loose Tie rod end locking nut that sounded like a CV joint clicking a few months ago

I'm sorry to go off topic but I think you may have just solved a problem that's been stumping me for a month. Does this noise happen mostly when braking like coming to a complete stop?

 

[PANDA]

Took a closer look during lunch...

My $29 craftsman impact at home couldn't remove the nut on the mount. It seems to be tight as do the other nuts on the shock-tower.

When I move the wheel I can see the shock moving slightly in the mount on both driver and pass side.

Moving the wheel to different positions has no effect on the creaking noise.

Sounds to me like the the noise comes from lower down than the mount.

 

[Alacran]

it could be the the plastic wedge indexed incorrectly, pushing the bearing and throwing everything off center. Seen it before.

 

[PANDA]

wat is this plastic wedge?

 

[Alacran]

exactly, people forget that the wedge is in there. I dont have a picture but its roughly located between the spring and the strut mount and its indexed a certain way. It only fits one way otherwise you will get noises from stuff rubbing.

 

[PANDA]

Ill have to check this out when I get home... Not sure how this would have got moved. But its worth a shot, like I said, everything else is like new.

 

[PANDA]

I think I found a issue...

Driver side control arm bushing

Passenger side control arm bushing

 

[02BlueGT]

I thought those were new?

 

[02BlueGT]

I'm sorry to go off topic but I think you may have just solved a problem that's been stumping me for a month. Does this noise happen mostly when braking like coming to a complete stop?

Yeah, any time a speed change, or a bump on the one side

 

[shaferz]

Holy damn. That one bushing is pushed out pretty far.

 

[PANDA]

I thought those were new?

they are...

 

[10sec]

Panda, that's how the red cars bushings look on both sides IMO that's completely normal

 

[raygtps]

PANDA Swings Hard !!!

 

[02BlueGT]

PANDA Swings Hard !!!

Ray, he knows so much, but posts so little usefull info......



and RAY SWINGS HARD from PANDA

 

[10sec]

Who doesn't swing from Panda?

 

[Yaj Yak]

me

 

[PANDA]

Im getting conflicting reports whether this bushing is a problem or not... Don't know what todo.