reservoirdogs12

Hey guys, I've had this snapping/clicking noise coming from my front right wheel in my 97 T/A--155k miles--for about a year now. I initially thought it was the ball joints, but after replacing both upper and lower ball joints on either side as well as tie rod ends with Moogs, the noise is still around.

I normally hear it when coming to a complete stop at slow speeds or when turning slowly in a parking lot. I also don't have to be braking for it to happen. It also seems like after recently bolting in a strut tower brace, it happens a bit more. Any ideas of what else this could be?

6898camaross

My 98 z28 is doing the same thing especially when backing out and turning sharply out of my driveway it pops real loud

reservoirdogs12

Well at least I'm not the only one. I don't recall it being around when I first bought the car, and I'm a bit weary of bringing it to a mechanic who might not even find anything. Perhaps a front control arm bushing?

FiredUpZ28

Assuming the parts you replaced didn't go bad again and from the information given I would check sway bar links/bushings or see if the noise isn't coming from the column itself. Could very well be control arm bushings too.

reservoirdogs12

Thanks. I'll take a look.

eseibel67

iTrader: (10)

Check sway bar end links.

reservoirdogs12

I took some pictures of my front passenger side LCA and sway bar link where the noise is coming from and thought I'd post them here to get some feedback:


Are those cracked bushings the likely source of my noise? Would it be worth replacing them (safety issue) at the cost of another alignment?
I couldn't tell if there was any wear issue here, but it seems more likely to be the source of the noise than those bushings. Since it bolts in from the bottom, would it be possible to bolt in another one of these without removing the entire LCA (and everything that needs to be replaced with it). I do have a ball joint press if necessary.

Also, is there a safety issue here if this joint fails when I'm driving?
I just threw this in for the hell of it just in case I missed something obvious here.

Jr.Samples

I have a 158K on my 97 and my bushing pretty much looks like yours. I do not have any poping noises but will soon be replacing all the front end bushings because they look like yours..lol.

I would think the a arm bushings or sway bar bushings. It's a matter of sinking money and time until run out of one or both.
Good luck.

CHADsterss

Same thing happens to me except on my left side

6898camaross

Well I don't have a sway bar on the front of mine and I have replaced my bushings on the upper and lower controls arms on the passenger side and I have no clue where my noise is coming from

ccrook19

Id take a look at the front shocks.. my best guess...

jam01

how are the wheel bearings?

reservoirdogs12

Not a clue, to be honest. I did think of that, but I dismissed it after being told the symptoms of bad wheel bearings don't fit this. This could be wrong for all I know.

FiredUpZ28

Yea wheel bearings will make noise when you turn usually but more of a rotational noise. Usually noticeable when your sweeping across lanes on the highway. I'd have to hear this one im stumped at the moment.