Strange noises
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Dallas (Richardson), TX, USA
Strange noises Other than a pair of LCAs (rod/poly), my suspenstion and rear end are stock. One day a few months ago I ran over a tire on the highway at about 55 mph. There were a few noises that I noticed immediately after hitting the tire, but they were eliminated as I was actually omw to install my headers. The crosspiece that goes under the tranny and stock Y-pipe was destroyed, but thankfully I no longer needed it.
So, now I have a continuing problem that may or may not be related to the above. When I stop at a light and then turn right accelerating at a normal rate, I feel a strong vibration in the car, and occassionally a banging sound. It seems to come from the rear driver-side tire. In conjunction with this, when driving at low speeds (5-10 mph) through my parking lot I hear a constant suspension rattling sound. I've ridden in the back while my wife drove and it seems to originate from where my driver-side LCA connects to the frame (which would be the poly bushing, not the rod end).
The only other thing I can think of that might be useful info is that my front tires are severely feathered on the outsides and barely worn in the middle or on the insides. This could be due to alignment, how I drive, or who knows what else.
Any ideas?
So, now I have a continuing problem that may or may not be related to the above. When I stop at a light and then turn right accelerating at a normal rate, I feel a strong vibration in the car, and occassionally a banging sound. It seems to come from the rear driver-side tire. In conjunction with this, when driving at low speeds (5-10 mph) through my parking lot I hear a constant suspension rattling sound. I've ridden in the back while my wife drove and it seems to originate from where my driver-side LCA connects to the frame (which would be the poly bushing, not the rod end).
The only other thing I can think of that might be useful info is that my front tires are severely feathered on the outsides and barely worn in the middle or on the insides. This could be due to alignment, how I drive, or who knows what else.
Any ideas?
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,586
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From: Columbus, OH
Have you checked all the suspension components to make sure they're not bent (including attachment brackets) or loose? I'd check both LCAs, the shock mounts, panhard rod, and if your cross brace was destroyed, definitely your torque arm. While you're down there, take a look and see if there's anything that just sticks out as out of the ordinary. Shocks leaking fluid, metal shavings, anything bent (say, bump stop mounting points for example)...
How did you run over the tire? As in, where was the path of the tire underneath the vehicle?
How did you run over the tire? As in, where was the path of the tire underneath the vehicle?
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,294
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From: Dallas (Richardson), TX, USA
I haven't had the chance to get the car off the ground and take a look at it yet, but nothing looks out of place when poking my head under the rear end of the car.
The tire was just the tread off of a recapped semi tire. It didn't include the sidewall. I was able to jerk the car over such that it went between my tires so I didn't actually run over it. I strattled(sp?) it with the car. It came out the back dead center (according to the wonderful scratch it left on my back bumper).
The tire was just the tread off of a recapped semi tire. It didn't include the sidewall. I was able to jerk the car over such that it went between my tires so I didn't actually run over it. I strattled(sp?) it with the car. It came out the back dead center (according to the wonderful scratch it left on my back bumper).
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,586
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From: Columbus, OH
Hrmmm, I dunno if it would or would not have caused any problems if you straddled it... but definitely get the car up in the air and makes ure all the bolts are tight and nothing looks out of place. The vibration is most likely the feathering... which is a great indication that your shocks are toast.
Look around for that rattling though, and let us know.
Look around for that rattling though, and let us know.
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 0
From: Dallas (Richardson), TX, USA
I finally got the car off the ground (on jacks) and looked at it. I took the driver's side wheel off and started looking around. Nothing seemed out of place at all. I eyed the torque arm and panhard bars very closely for bends, tears, or damage. All bolts seemed tight. The only thing I noticed was that I could grab on to the bolts that hold the wheel on and jiggle them in and out (towards and away from the center of the car) about a sixteenth of an inch. The brake rotor wouldn't move, but these bolts would. I would assume that torquing down the lugs would prevent such play from causing any problems, though.
My shocks are stock at 63k miles and suck badly. Do you think a combination of that and a bad alignment (which I'm assuming I also have based on the wear on the outsides of my front tires, but it still drives straight) could cause this?
Thanks for the help.
My shocks are stock at 63k miles and suck badly. Do you think a combination of that and a bad alignment (which I'm assuming I also have based on the wear on the outsides of my front tires, but it still drives straight) could cause this?
Thanks for the help.
