Something is letting go.....

Well,

I have been hearing a random clunck coming from my front passenger wheel for a little while, but it was so few and far between that I didn't notice...much.

But today....it changed. I flipped a bitch at a light, and there was a horrible horrible sound (and vibration) coming from the wheel.

In the words of the infamous "grey ghost" it was going..clunk clunk clunk clunk...

Anyways, it only happens if I turn hard left. If I go slow, it doesn't make a sound. If I turn right, it doesn't make a sound. But, if I turn left with a little oomph in it, it sounds like gears missing a tooth.

Anyways, it's either an axle (bad) or a wheel bearing (also bad).

I have all day tomorrow to try and figure it out...but can't afford to replace either one....damn.

 

Or a U joint?

 

In any event it doesn't sound like a good idea to keep driving it until you figure it out. Have you jacked up that wheel and tried all the usual wiggling? left/right, in/out, try to rotate the wheel forward and back?

 

thats a good one


while u are at it check your LCA

 

Unfortunately, this is my DD....I have no choice.

It will be up on jack stands all day tomorrow....So I will do all the checks.....Including the LCA.

 

Remember...its a FWD.....All the joints are part of the axle....

 

Well, I guess that's a good point now that I think about it. There isn't much to clunk on the actual axle itself. Unless you bent it and it's only hitting something when you turn left haha (j/k). One thing I always hated about FWD was those damned cv boots. You see that one of those rubber condoms is split and then you find out they cost about as much as the motor... they still got those?

 

yes but they're not expensive. $150 for an axle, not the end of the world.

if you're getting a clunk i'd lean toward the axle. a bad wheel bearing is usually more of a metallic grinding/rubbing type noise.

 

I was thinking axle too. They are the stock 03's in there. I already destroyed a set of DSS axles and had to put my stockers back in.:hypno:

 

stick with stock. the dss's are garbage. everyone i know that's tried them either snaps them in a few weeks or actually shears off the splines. horrible quality control. stock axles ftw. when you get new axles too they'll be the upgraded ones from the 04/05 and they can handle more abuse. s&p has them in stock, i just ordered three last week lol.

 

For a second there, Jeff, I thought you were letting the cat out of the bag about Drew's dentures falling out at lunch last weekend.

 

Sounds like a back axle to me, assuming so because of the noise you describe while turning and such. A bad wheel bearing you can hear while going down the road and it will get louder the faster you go, hard to describe the sound over the Internet but its definately not a clunk noise.

 

Well...I had the car up on jacks and the wheel off...there is no obvious issues. But, the clunk remains...so I'm now in the market for some new axles....again......

 

did you try popping the axle? did it look like one of the boots was shreded or leaking grease?

i would just pop the axle out really quick, pull off the CV boots and inspect the splines.

i wouldn't think wheel bearing.. would sound more like a grinding noise.

i have a small tear in my CV boot that i repaired with some RTV that is working great. its my drivers side axle but aren't the srt axles same length? if it would work, you could have it for the price of shipping and ill just pick up a new axle.

 

I didn't have time to actually pull the axle out. But the boots are still ok. No tears at all. They weren't loose, and didn't appear bent.

Even though the axle are the same length, they have different splines on the inside. One has internal splines, and one has external splines.

 

Update....it was indeed a bad axle. I borrowed one from a good friend and the problem is gone.

Now I have to actually buy a new one.....

 

damn you! I was really hoping it was nothing. I am having a similar sound from the front passenger corner.

 

Amy,
Could you explain to me why you feel DSS is crap? I have had no issues with them in the past (mind you in the mustang world) Just curious your reasoning. :whistle:

 

I stripped out my set of DSS axles. They are getting replaced for free because of a bad heat treatment.....

I'll sell them to you....I'm not going to put them back on my car cause I'm trying to sell it too.

 

interesting on the DSS, they used to be a long time vendor on MF :dumb:

I will think about it, the neon is going into the garage here shortly to throw in some treats I have been planning to install for MONTHS! Let me see how money is after I purchase my new daily and get back to you.