well like about a week ago i was driving on the streets and the light turns yellow so i punch it just to make it. i was going about 55 when i noticed that on the other side of the road i was crossing there was a big dip. i braked but couldn't stop fast enough and blammo i hit that @!#$ hard. now i hear this noise coming from the front of the car. let me try and describe it for you guys. i hear it from the front driver side wheel. im not sure if its in the inside of the car or the outside. it sounds like it tire noise but 10x more. sounds like something metallic banging agains each other (ex: a crowbar wrapped with a t-shirt hitting metal) kinda loud but not the full effect. really hard 2 explain. are there any ideas on what it might be. it really worries me since its a little loud even at low speeds and once again it only happens when im driving and i hit a little bump, pothole or anything that makes my car move up and down. it doesn't happen when i turn or anything like that (unless i hit a bump or something while turning). please help me find it. if not do you guys think if i take it to a shop they would be able to fix it.?? thanks in advance and sorry for making this long. one more thing. say i hit a bump on the road i hear it more when it hits the front wheels and it sound a little less when i hit the bump with the back wheels which leads me to believe that the issue is in the front of the car somewhere.
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struts
ball joints
tie rod ends
bearings
axle CV joints
could be any of the following, and probably more
I'd have a shop check that one out
Well considering you posted on here about the problem you probably want to fix the problem yourself. When do you hear it...When you hit a bump when your driving, turning, when. WE can narrow the problem down if we know when it does it.
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'96 Cavalier Good ol' Pushrod 2.2
-24X,000 miles on factory build
-Some oil loss between changes, me thinks it be rings.
Increase in "tire noise" I would put money on two things. Jack the car up, and grab the front drivers side tire in the 12 and 6 o'clock positions. Push the top, pull the bottom; push the bottom pull the top. Does it wobble? You screwed up your wheel bearing. I nailed a curb sliding sideways (don't ask) at about 20-25, and that killed my wheel bearing.
Second guess is it just got knocked out of alignment. Either way, you probably do need an alignment, but check everything else first.
Banging metal would indicate something is broken
Sway bar bushings and tir rod endlinks would be my guess.
IMHO though, start simple....things like making sure your lugs are still tight.
"The Blue Bullet"
I'm going to agree with Jon... wheel bearing
Jon wrote:I nailed a curb sliding sideways (don't ask) at about 20-25, and that killed my wheel bearing.
haha I did the exact same thing... I was trying to be super cool drifter in my FWD Cav in the snow.
Rob
Sold 2/2/05
Not sure if you hardtop guys have this.. but once i did the same thing.. hit a pothole really hard and i guess its a subframe brace or something, its a peice of metal that goes from right under the motor and connects to the bottom of the radiator on the driver side. Long story short that thing came loose and was dragging on the ground. I ended up having to use a huge washer to reconnect it... just my .02
-justin
~Go Navy~ Accelerate your life... Right into the persian gulf!
Petty Officer Justin Hegenbart, USN
ZeroSunfire wrote:Not sure if you hardtop guys have this.. but once i did the same thing.. hit a pothole really hard and i guess its a subframe brace or something, its a peice of metal that goes from right under the motor and connects to the bottom of the radiator on the driver side. Long story short that thing came loose and was dragging on the ground. I ended up having to use a huge washer to reconnect it... just my .02
-justin
your convertible did that too??? thats weird
wheel bearing, I hit a big hole (!fucin school bus took a corner half way in my lane!) blew the tire, bent the rim, 4 wheel bearings later and a new strut and it was fixed. go to NAPA for the bearing the first time $140 lifetime, autozone bearings suck.
yea try the wheel bearing
Ever one lives 1 page at a time, some stories are longer than others. R.I.P to one of my many best friends. Keep all the tuners safe. See you soon, Love ya man.
I swear my frame is bent.. my driver side window doesnt line up and ish.. that might be part of why that thing fell down.. it was such an irritating sound LOL!!
-Justin
~Go Navy~ Accelerate your life... Right into the persian gulf!
Petty Officer Justin Hegenbart, USN
David Jones wrote:Well considering you posted on here about the problem you probably want to fix the problem yourself. When do you hear it...When you hit a bump when your driving, turning, when. WE can narrow the problem down if we know when it does it.
it happens when im driving. only when i hit bumps small or big. i don't hear it when i turn unless i hit a bump. it sounds to me like its coming from the front but my friend that was riding with me said it was coming from the back. so now im like
lol. im gonna take it to a shop this Friday and have them figure out what it is. i just hope its nothing big. thanks guys for all your help. i did look for some damage but didn't find anything. the only thing i found was that my fender where you roll it instead of facing in it was facing out. i will try to post a pic once i get some batteries for my damn camera.
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