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my suspension has been making noise for some time now. it makes noise when i turn the wheel to any direction. took it in to have it looked at and the guy had me drive it up that lift. then lifted the car and when i turned the wheel it didnt make any noise.. then he loweredit a lil to rest the wheelz on the ground and the squeek came back.. he sd it could be the lower or upper ball joint.. i started thinking back when i installed the springs that it only has a lower ball joint.. so he just didnt now the neons set up. anyways if it is the ball joint is it hard to replace, and what does it look like cus i want to be sure im on the right page. is this a common thing with the ball joint.. i already call the autozone and they quoted me $57.99 life time warrenty.

i also noticed that it doesnt have the lil pin to grease it with the gun like the other do..

It could very well be the ball joint. The reason it doesn't have a greese fitting on the bottom is because DCx didn't want the average customer to try to add greese in damaging the seal, instead they made it more of a sealed unit, which it still isn't. All you have to do is buy some greese fittings from your local auto-parts store, remove the stubs that are in there now, install the new fittings, and add some grease but not too much that it fills it to much blowing the seal.

If you need to replace the balljoing, you're goin got need to press it in and the easiest way to do that is with a hydraulic press.

Diablo0 wrote:It could very well be the ball joint. The reason it doesn't have a greese fitting on the bottom is because DCx didn't want the average customer to try to add greese in damaging the seal, instead they made it more of a sealed unit, which it still isn't. All you have to do is buy some greese fittings from your local auto-parts store, remove the stubs that are in there now, install the new fittings, and add some grease but not too much that it fills it to much blowing the seal.

If you need to replace the balljoing, you're goin got need to press it in and the easiest way to do that is with a hydraulic press.

so im assuming that doing it myself with home basic tools is out of the question..

is the ball joint the end portion that is connected to the steering pinion?

also by seals do you mean the ruber that covers it.. i havent heard that the zone sell the seals for it, ill have to call and make sure they do.. and if its grease that it needs then i can stop by and pick up some synthetic mutipurpose grease and apply some to see if thats all it needs.. how can you tell when its time to change the ball joint.. i dont want to have to replace it jus tcuz the shop says to..

Replacing the ball joint... without a press it'll be difficult. Putting mroe greese in, then yeah you can do that.

The Ball joint is the end of the control arm that connects into the knuckle.

On the control arm, the balljoint is the part at the top of this picture...
Control arm

Yes, there is a piece of rubber that protects the balljoint so dirt and debris can't get into it and you should be able to buy replacements at autozone since they do have a tendency to tear. If you take the seal off I'd apply greese that way but I'd still using a greese gun through a greese fitting at the bottom.

Easiest way to tell, I'd have to say that there will probably be some play in the joint if it's bad enough.

Someone correct me here if I'm wrong but the noise could also be coming from the upper piviot bearing at the upper spring perch since when the car is on the ground there is added pressure against the bearings and could be making noise. When the car is in the air and less pressure is on the bearings and the wheels are turned the noise isn't there.... just speculating though.. You'd have to get down with your ear and try to listen where it's coming from as you turn the wheel, try using a stethoscope to narrow it down more if you can't tell exactly where it's coming from.

unable to open link..
is it the joint that has a small heat sheel faceing the rotors..
my car has been making this whineing sound from the same front passanger wheel for about 8 months. im thinking it might be the hub bearings. do you think that might have something to do with it. i also called the zone and they have the part listed but not available. seems to be dealer item only.. the guy sd it was part of the energy suspention kit. funny thing is that i ordered the full kit 3 weeks ago from M/P and got the master kit, so i have that sitting in the trunk. would the seal be included in the master kit from energy suspension.
one reason i want to get this done is that i have the urethane bushings ready to go in along with new front calipers that i painted red including street heat cross drilled rotors.. ive had this stuff sitting in the garage for almost 2 months.. funny thing from the rotors is that they are listed for a 1st gen. but the part numbers for 95-03 are the same. only diff. is that the 1st gen rotors are about 1mm thiner..

ok well i have a similar problem in my 03 and it's kinda getting me worried a little. I was going to make a post, but i just assume add to this one.

My problem is i get a small knock/grinding noise coming from the right side of my car and i'm not sure what the hell it is. I do know it's not the strut though. Honestly my front suspension is a little shaky and the only real answer i've gotten was that neons have crappy bushings and that they wear out quick...I think it's the cv joint or the hub though i don't know what i'm looking for. I know that it could be a number of things, but can someone give me common occurances or some sort of idea where and what to look for.

Symptoms are basically a grinding noise when i go up on a curve or bump. I know that's not alot, but like i said any common thing.

sxt_003 wrote:ok well i have a similar problem in my 03 and it's kinda getting me worried a little. I was going to make a post, but i just assume add to this one.

My problem is i get a small knock/grinding noise coming from the right side of my car and i'm not sure what the hell it is. I do know it's not the strut though. Honestly my front suspension is a little shaky and the only real answer i've gotten was that neons have crappy bushings and that they wear out quick...I think it's the cv joint or the hub though i don't know what i'm looking for. I know that it could be a number of things, but can someone give me common occurances or some sort of idea where and what to look for.

Symptoms are basically a grinding noise when i go up on a curve or bump. I know that's not alot, but like i said any common thing.

does it happen when you turn the wheel cuz mine did the same things and mostly when I turned the wheel.. does the knocking sound appear while driving or during turns..

it's just mainly when i hit bumps...However if yours is doing it when u turn then that is almost DEFINATELY your c/v joint and it needs to be checked out asap. I know of two other cars that have or are having this same exact problem with the knocking when turning and both have been taken to the shop and are both c/v joint problems. Though both are Nissans, still. My friends civic did the same thing and it also turned out to be the c/v joint. I'd definately start there if i were u.