grinding in front end when turning.

koldhearted1

Registered User
ok all ive been chasing ghosts one person says that i have ball joints going out the other says its just low ps fluid. the car has had a real bad grinding coming from the right front for a tad over two weeks now when i crank the wheel left or right at slow speed or at stop but when i get above 15 mph it quiets down.
 
so when im in there do i want to replace the upper arms as well? how bout the tie rod ends? would this be something a home mechanic can do or would it be better to take it to a shop?
 
My SWAG is lower ball joint as well. As far as the replacement....sure you can do the work just make sure you have an alignment done after you are done. Also make sure when re-torquing and pivot points that have bushings associated with them that you do it with the car on the ground so you don't get suspension bushing wind-up. I would suggest you replace the entire lower control arms. Get the TRW 10771 or 10772 (depending on side you decide to do) as they are the only ones I have been able to verify have the correct inner pivot bushings.
 
koldhearted1>car has had a real bad grinding coming from the right front for a tad over two weeks now when i crank the wheel left or right at slow speed or at stop but when i get above 15 mph it quiets down.

It might be worth the effort to get the front wheels in the air and take a quick look at both the upper and lower control arm ball joints and bushings before you go shopping, unless you're game to do the whole batch regardless. You can have someone push/pull on the top/bottom of the tire/wheel to check for freeplay while you watch for any movement, etc.

The rubber boots on the ball joints can be a give-away if they are torn and/or missing.

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Be sure to spin each wheel to check the wheel bearings if the control arms seem ok.

Ken
 
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don't overlook the strut rod bushing while you checking stuff too, its probably not the cause of the problem but if its wearing it'll put some wear and tear on the ball joints causing them to fail prematurely.

my .02

btw, when you change out which ever suspension parts you do change, make sure where ever you park the vehicle prior to parking you drive it straight forward with the steering wheel straight. That way when you have everything bolted back up you won't have a sideways steering wheel.

you can do an alignment yourself without using a machine. search google for diy alignment. believe it or not you can have better alignment doing it yourself than bringing it somewhere. trust me i learned this the hard way.
 
so got the car back from commercial tire today and the news is upper and lower ball joints link kit and strut rod bushing grand total has been around 1400 total and that doesnt include a kiss or lube.
 
At least Jesse James used a gun. Try having someone turn the steering wheel and put your hand on the strut tower one at a time and see if you can feel the top strut bearing binding.
 
Did you have them do the work? I'm in Caldwell and will give you a hand if you want at no charge. We would have to do it here, but I got a 4 car garage and most tools. It's not a hard job to do. give me a buzz at 454-0914 ask for Dale
 
so got the car back from commercial tire today and the news is upper and lower ball joints link kit and strut rod bushing grand total has been around 1400 total and that doesnt include a kiss or lube.
LOL!
That's essentially a new front end suspension. But a supercoupe with high mileage usually needsthe whole job. All of my SCs have needed every one of these parts at one time or another. If you're mechanical you can DIY. If not, thats not an unreasonable price. :rolleyes:
 
dale i will probably be taking you up on that offer just need to know what kind of beer to get ahold of. the car only has about 44k on the clock thanks for all the help yall, autozone said they could get all the parts in for around 300 to 350 all the lifetime warranty parts so hopefully it turns out good and im getting the little woman a 91 storm gsi with the 1.8 so she can quit driving my car!!! she loves it to much, her foots heavier than mine!
chris.
 
It's many parts, not one part, it mostly a compete rebuild, its not that easy on a older car even with low miles. and it's Won't not want.
 
Whenever your ready, give me a buzz. I'm not working right now so I got time. I may be swapping the engine cradle/ front sub-frame in a 2003 Honda Pilot this weekend, so just give me a call and we can work around it. The only thing I got going on during the week is my 1 year old. put her in the walker and let her watch :p I've already caught her playing with the wrenches.
 
right on if you need a cherry picker ive got a three ton ready to go thats awesome she may show us both up and know more about workin on the car than we do.
 
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