ok, i'm having a popping noise similar to the noise when the upper mount in the 95-99 going bad...its really only when turning though...or coming out of first with the wheels turned a lil bit.....any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated....thanks...


p.s. I know its not the mounts cause they are the RK upper mount and lower mount, and the trans mounts are prothane inserts for the 5 speed, so i'm leaning toward the tie rod bushings or something along those lines...


THANKS FOR THE HELP.....

~Mike


2003 LS SPORT: suspension and brake upgrades for now...motor and boost coming son

2008 Cobalt SS/TC: the fast car

if it only does it on turns it could be a cv joint

Tie rods dont pop, tie rods dont have bushing.




- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

Do you feel the pop in the steering when turning? if so it is the steering shaft.

do you just replace the whole column or is it something else you have to replace. cuase i have this problem. i just dont know what to replace??

If you have driven through a hole or several in the street I will think it is the wheel bearing (hub). If you drive in slalom (as if you were Shumi heating the tires) and notice the popping sound that´s it.

Rob S wrote:Tie rods dont pop, tie rods dont have bushing.

Actually, if the ball in the end of the tie rod (or the socket it fits into) is worn, it CAN pop, but it would have to take a hell of a beating for it to do that. If the boot is all weathered and torn up, and won't hold grease, it CAN be worn.

Anyways, the popping noise COULD be a loose wheel (unlikely, as the whole car would shake), a bad wheel bearing, a bad ball joint (unlikely), or a bad CV joint.

Ok Mike and Wojo, here's what i got for you, in May of 06, GM came out with TSB on customers complaint of, "Clunk or popping felt/noise heard from steering column, steering gear, and/or front of vehicle during turning maneuvers and/or steering wheel rotation", applied to Cavaliers and Sunfires from 1997 to 2005 models, in the TSB, GM states that the cause of the noise is "Condition maybe caused by inadequate lubrication of the steering intermediate shaft which results in a slip stick condition possibly resulting in the clunk noise", per the TSB, GM came out with a lube kit (part number 26098237) that takes care of the clunk/popping noise. Now my 01 Cav had this problem and the repair shop applied the lube kit and it took care of it. Hope this helps you guys out, just one of the common deals with GM.