popping sound

crashpaq · Post by **crashpaq** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:12 am

Ok my 2000 makes a popping noise when i take off now and as i am driving it starts to thump and my steering wheel bounces back and forth while making the car pull to the right. I bought this car used and it does have high miles 160,000. Could this be a ball joint or the axle.

Thanks
Nick

00Neon RCR · Post by **00Neon RCR** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:56 am

pull off both wheels and look at the tie rod ends. sounds to me someone (possibly a mechanic) did work on this car at their own place and might have say stripped the threads on the tie-rod end and now the nut is not tight to hold it down. so what is happening is the tie rod is bouncing up out of its position causing the car to vear right. i could be wrong but i had the same problem lol. its not cool when your going around a turn and hit a bump and it pops out. it will cause you to oversteer you have to actually prepare for it/expect it. let me know if this helps.

Adam

hansken_yo · Post by **hansken_yo** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 1:25 pm

Okay, I've had this and have help several people with this problem now

check three things in particular.

1st Check the wheel bearings. (Lift the wheel and see if it has play on the hub/knuckle. One way to do this is to see if the top/bottom of the wheel moves in and out)

2nd Check your Ball Joints. If you can lift the knuckle separate of the LCA (lower control arm) then your ball joint is muffed.

3rd Check your LCA Bushings. Mainly the Vertical or the ones towards the rear of the LCA/K-frame. Those are most likely to go versus the Horizontal.

Chances are all three of those could be going.

Easy way to check if it is your axles is to put the car in reverse, have the wheel cranked hard one way or another and go in circles. If you hear a consistent popping sound then it could be your CV joints going.

Good Luck!

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:21 am

Sounds like it could be an axle problem, especially when you say it thumps as you drive. Does it pop a lot when you turn the wheel all the way? Does the thumping only happen under acceleration? Does it stop while coasting or in neutral? Those are symptoms of a bad cv joint.

The wheel moving back and forth could be bad inner and/or outer tie rod ends. Does the car always pull to the right, or is it only under acceleration?

Most shops around here will put your car on the rack and do a visual inspection for free. Some shops will take you in the garage and show you the problem, knowing if they're lying is a different story. Doing your homework always helps.

crashpaq · Post by **crashpaq** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 8:41 am

Thanks for the input guys, i took it in this morning to have it checked. Doing stuff like this during the day is hard since i work midnight shifts and have two kids. but any ways there wasn't anything wrong with the ball joints or anything suspension wise it was a broken belt in my tire. I don't know how i missed it when i was messing around with the tire. The shop gave me a tire off of the owners daughters 04 sxt that just got new rims so free tire ftw.

Post by **racer12306** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 9:12 am

Sounds like you have a good place to go to. Hard to find places like that.