Obnoxious thump, varies with speed and direction.
Obnoxious thump, varies with speed and direction. So my car has had this loud thump that sounds like it was coming from the front wheel well. The faster you go, the faster and louder the thump. I needed an alignment, and as a result the front tires were shot, so that was my first guess. Well, not only did I get an alignment and two new front tires, I also replaces the outer tie rod ends-and the car still has this speed variable bump.
I've also noticed when I turn to the right, the thump disappears. But any time the steering wheel is in a neutral position or anywhere to the left, it has the prominent thump.
The car was in a bad accident in the car 2 years back where I fell asleep at the wheel and clipped an oncoming Explorer (the impact woke me up) and had to completely replaces the front end cosmetically (that Styrofoam wedge in the nose of the car saved my *** and my car) but no one who has done the body work on the car, done the alignment, or put tires on the car has mentioned anything the car needed other than the tie rod ends. Any ideas?
I've also noticed when I turn to the right, the thump disappears. But any time the steering wheel is in a neutral position or anywhere to the left, it has the prominent thump.
The car was in a bad accident in the car 2 years back where I fell asleep at the wheel and clipped an oncoming Explorer (the impact woke me up) and had to completely replaces the front end cosmetically (that Styrofoam wedge in the nose of the car saved my *** and my car) but no one who has done the body work on the car, done the alignment, or put tires on the car has mentioned anything the car needed other than the tie rod ends. Any ideas?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,074
Likes: 2
Upper and lower ball joints, stabilizer links, maybe even a wheel bearing although those are normally humming noises. Check the coil spring, I had one break before and I heard the clunk on small bumps and thought it was just a broken stabilizer link. To this day I have no idea how it broke, never hit a big pot hole or anything that would cause it to snap off the top coil. There are a number of things that can cause the noise you are describing, just got to get in there and look. A good way is to try to put a big 4x4 under the control arm then the car is on the jack and lower it down until it compresses the suspension, ( don't put all the vehicles weight on it, leave some on the jack and jackstands). Sometimes that will help pinpoint the noise.
Jack the car up, use a prybar between the ball joints and see if there is any play in them.
With the tire still on, put your hands in the 3 & 9 o'clock position and push/pull each side to see if there is any play in tie rod ends. Put your hands in the 12,6 position to see if the wheel bearing has any play. You should have 0 moment in both positions if the steering wheel is locked.
Does the thump happen on smooth roads? Is it for sure speed dependent or does it vary sometimes? If it truly speed dependent, the only thing turning up there is the wheel bearing, rim, and wheel. Thought balljoint movement can increase in vibrational sidetoside movement with speed.
With the tire still on, put your hands in the 3 & 9 o'clock position and push/pull each side to see if there is any play in tie rod ends. Put your hands in the 12,6 position to see if the wheel bearing has any play. You should have 0 moment in both positions if the steering wheel is locked.
Does the thump happen on smooth roads? Is it for sure speed dependent or does it vary sometimes? If it truly speed dependent, the only thing turning up there is the wheel bearing, rim, and wheel. Thought balljoint movement can increase in vibrational sidetoside movement with speed.
Jack the car up, use a prybar between the ball joints and see if there is any play in them.
With the tire still on, put your hands in the 3 & 9 o'clock position and push/pull each side to see if there is any play in tie rod ends. Put your hands in the 12,6 position to see if the wheel bearing has any play. You should have 0 moment in both positions if the steering wheel is locked.
Does the thump happen on smooth roads? Is it for sure speed dependent or does it vary sometimes? If it truly speed dependent, the only thing turning up there is the wheel bearing, rim, and wheel. Thought balljoint movement can increase in vibrational sidetoside movement with speed.
With the tire still on, put your hands in the 3 & 9 o'clock position and push/pull each side to see if there is any play in tie rod ends. Put your hands in the 12,6 position to see if the wheel bearing has any play. You should have 0 moment in both positions if the steering wheel is locked.
Does the thump happen on smooth roads? Is it for sure speed dependent or does it vary sometimes? If it truly speed dependent, the only thing turning up there is the wheel bearing, rim, and wheel. Thought balljoint movement can increase in vibrational sidetoside movement with speed.
Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll try them.
Sounds like the passenger side wheel hub/bearing. That the sound goes away when you turn it to the right is the telling side because all the weight shifts off of the bad bearing.
Just took it by the tire shop that did my alignment and replaced my tie-rod ends. The guy who did said work saw me and we took it on a drive. Back at the shop he jacked each side of the car up and spun each wheel. The drivers side made no noise. The passenger side made the slightest faintest scrape noise but nothing like the thump that sounds like a tire with a bad knot.
Anyway, he is convinced it is the passenger side hub assembly. I was quoted 420$ and 255$, the price difference being in the warranty. First of all, does the entire damn assembly have to be replaced? How the hell does something like that ever wear out? I'm not exactly sold on this guy being right either though. We're not exactly talking about an ASE certified mechanic.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 536
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver, BC
do you have in impact gun? if so do it yourself and save a **** ton of money. if the hub and bearing are one unit the whole thing has to be replaced. Like in a HD truck, you have to replace the whole unit.
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Brett Foote While I've not yet replaced one on any of my fbody's, I just replaced the second one on my TrailBlazer last weekend (they are pretty notorious for eating them up).
Anyway, it's not difficult and I'm sure there are some threads on how to do it. I'd just buy a new ACDelco one and do it myself. Actually, that's what I did (just not on the Camaro.... yet)
Anyway, it's not difficult and I'm sure there are some threads on how to do it. I'd just buy a new ACDelco one and do it myself. Actually, that's what I did (just not on the Camaro.... yet)
