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get under the car and grab onto the driver’s end link, shake it around, beat on it some. repeat on the other end link. if the driver’s end link makes a different noise than the passenger’s, i would replace it. usually a pretty easy job. if it doesn’t make noise, that doesn’t mean it’s good for sure, but if you can make it clunk by shaking it, it’s definitely bad.
and if you see cracks in the rubber, that is a good sign that any grease inside is gone or will be gone soon (hence the clunk, metal on metal).
Here is a video by Eric on finding suspension noises –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scFbb43f … wY_5_I4%3D
Quoted From dreamer2355:
Here is a video by Eric on finding suspension noises –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scFbb43f … wY_5_I4%3D
++1
Guys this is what I found. The upper control arm bushings are in pretty bad shape. I will replace them and hopefully the noise would be gone. I could not reproduced the noise myself. But I think I need to replace this regardless.
Do I need to remove the whole upper control arm, or can I get away with just removing the upper portion? Thanks!
To replace the bushings, its usually easier to remove the arm if you have access to a press, or buy a new arm with the bushings already installed.
Do you have play in the control arms?
If you cant figure out the noise, you can use sometimes use some WD40 and spray one suspect area at a time then drive. If the noise goes away, you have found your problem area. Its not a fool proof method but gives you more options.
Also a good pry bar is always a plus C8-)
I does not seem that I have play in the control arms itself. I even stuck a pry bar, pried and saw very little movement. Should I not mess with the upper control arm?. Bushing look pretty bad though.
It looks like you have an oil leak to. If the oil is getting on the rubber bushings
they could be swelling. I would start with some bushing replacement. also
the stabilizer links. if you do the replacements. do them in sections to catch
the problem.don’t change all the parts at once. have you checked the ball
joints?Yes I have an oil leak that I need to fix too, but it seems a bit complex and I’m putting that down as another project as I will need quite sometime.
I’m replacing the shocks, so I will go ahead and replace the sway bar bushings as they are in bad shape too and is an easier job, and test.
Ball joints seem alright, although I will have to admit they had lots of grease accumulated around and had to scrap all that off. Now that I’m typing it makes me wonder if the dust boots are leaking grease, hence the cause of noise. I do remember last time I did a brake job I had a hard time getting grease into it. I believe the grease fittings were plugged.
I’m pretty newbie, so any help/advise is much appreciated. Thank you so much to all.
Good find I think that’s a great place to start even if you can’t verify the noise is coming from there. Anytime you have suspension noise and you find cracked or damaged bushings like that it’s a great place to start. You will have to remove the control arm to replace those bushings and you may be in for a fight unless you have access to a press, if you don’t you might consider taking it to a shop after you remove the control arm and have them replace the bushings for you. I’d also advise that you do both sides because if you only do one side it might create an alignment issue.
Thanks Eric. I have been doing research, and apparently there is a tool kit, pretty pricey though like $129.99 for this job. It says that I don’t even have to remove completely the control arm? Has anyone used this: ? http://www.autozone.com/autozone/access … 94806_0_0_
I wish I can rent it (no autozone here 🙁 ) cause is too much money for the job. I will look around for places locally.
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