Got the alignment done on my car today

[Kroze]

After installing the struts, lower control arm, outer tie rods, and sway bar endlinks, I'm now one step closer to restoring the car

The tech at the alignment place was so surprised, he said "wow someone completely replaced the whole front end of this car"

Just three things left that I really wanted to take care of.

1. Replace the alternator because the current alternator have a bad bearing. I already ordered the replacement alternator that put out 160amps.

2. Replace the tires. Currently the car have 4 different tires from 4 different manufacturer

. It's making a lot of road noise because of this.

3. I heard this clicking/popping noise whenever I turn the steering wheel left or right, couldn't pinpoint it to any place specific.

It's not loud but you can definitely tell it's there.

Could it be because I didn't replace the rubber (or paper?) gasket that sit on top of the strut mount when I replaced the struts?

 

[Arkaign]

Inner tie rods can do that. Happens quite a bit on Hondas in my experience.

 

[Twista]

what kind of car??????????

 

[Kroze]

Sorry 99 Maxima

 

[overst33r]

what's your current total invested in the car if you don't mind me asking?

 

[Kroze]

In Process:
- 160A alternator $120


Done

21 Aug 2011
New Key & Keyless entry remote - $55

22 Aug 2011
- Cup Holder - $25
- Clock - $16.50

23 Aug 2011
- Front & Rear Speakers (Kicker DS65) - $109.98

26 Aug 2011
- Rear Struts - $207.54
- Front Struts - $203.25

28 Aug 2011
- Replaced (2) front wheel studs - $4
- Checked front brake rotors & pads (Excellent condition) & Applied anti-squeal on front brakes - $6
- Upgrade trunk spring from SE model - $10
- Removed center seat belt to fit trunk spring properly - $0
- Replaced broken rear driver side quarter panel - $10

31 Aug 2011
- Outer tie rods & Sway bar endlinks replaced.
- Hood Struts - $64

03 Sept 2011
- Lower Control Arms kit $98.95 + (2) Pitman arm @ junkyard $15 + $7 Nut

04 Sept 2011
- Rear brake pads and rotors - $55

07 Sept 2011
- GPS hardwired - $25

Gave up
- Antenna - $13.89 + $25


Total Costs: $1071.11

 

[LTC8K6]

- Replaced broken rear driver side quarter panel - $10

I think something is missing in this description...

 

[kaerflog]

No offense but do you really need to announce everything you do to that car ??
Its the 5th thread about the car already.
Its just an ordinary old car.
I understand the joy of working on a car you just bought but how about consolidating into 1 thread ??

 

[exdeath]

It's a car forum dude. People take pride in working on their own vehicles and sharing their experiences with others.

Besides, someone even explicitly asked.

 

[exdeath]

How long have the new struts been in the car? It will take a few miles before they completely settle in, usually the mounts and bearings will be noisy the first couple drives. They make the most noise when stationary and turning the wheel sharply, as in preparing to enter a drive way or back out of a parking spot.

Did you just replace the struts and use the old bearings/mounts or did you use quick struts? Have someone turn the wheel and feel around the lower mount plate to fender interface and see if you can feel it. Same thing with the tie rods. Sounds transfer very well as vibrations you can feel in the dense metal of suspension components.

Could just be as simple as the rack bushings are now showing their age now that everything else is new and tight again

Either way, don't expect TOO much from cheap parts. A $40 Walmart special tire isn't going to be a smooth and quiet as a $250 Michelin for example. Same goes with struts and everything else.

 

[slag]

You don't have pitman arms on this car. It has rack and pinion steering with your steering shaft going directly into the rack. Hence, no pitman arms.

 

[SuperSix]

Did the click/popping only show itself after the strut install?

 

[slag]

clicking/popping sounds a lot like strut bearings that are in the upper strut mount area. If the strut nuts are over torqued, the bearings will bind and not move as they should.

 

[Kroze]

How long have the new struts been in the car? It will take a few miles before they completely settle in, usually the mounts and bearings will be noisy the first couple drives. They make the most noise when stationary and turning the wheel sharply, as in preparing to enter a drive way or back out of a parking spot.

Did you just replace the struts and use the old bearings/mounts or did you use quick struts? Have someone turn the wheel and feel around the lower mount plate to fender interface and see if you can feel it. Same thing with the tie rods. Sounds transfer very well as vibrations you can feel in the dense metal of suspension components.

Could just be as simple as the rack bushings are now showing their age now that everything else is new and tight again

Either way, don't expect TOO much from cheap parts. A $40 Walmart special tire isn't going to be a smooth and quiet as a $250 Michelin for example. Same goes with struts and everything else.

Thanks for the tips on how to narrowing down the noise. Hopefully I can find it. Anyway, the problem is exactly as you described. It makes clicking/popping noise when the car is stationary (or driving slow) as you turn the wheel left/right. The volume is pretty low but you can feel & hear it click.

When I replaced the struts, it came pre-assembled. I just take the old one out, and put the new one in. No need to use the spring compressor or remove the strut mount/bearing. I guess you call them quick struts? The only thing I re-use was the paper or plastic gasket that sit on top of the strut mount as circled here in the picture.

 

[Kroze]

Did the click/popping only show itself after the strut install?

:hmm: Couldn't really tell. I installed everything within days of each other (Struts, control arms which have all new bushings and balljoints, tie rod ends, and sway bar endlinks.)

 

[Kroze]

clicking/popping sounds a lot like strut bearings that are in the upper strut mount area. If the strut nuts are over torqued, the bearings will bind and not move as they should.

:hmm:

 

[kaerflog]

It's a car forum dude. People take pride in working on their own vehicles and sharing their experiences with others.

Besides, someone even explicitly asked.

Theres absolutely no problem with that.
Thats why people like Fuzzy made 1 thread about all the things he does with his MR2.
You don't think making 5 separate threads about the same car is excessive ??

 

[AMCRambler]

Well this one seems more focused on asking about a clicking popping noise he's hearing, so no. This is more of a help me with this issue I'm having after I worked on my car.

Sounds like it all came pre-assembled so nothing to worry about over torquing. Could be one of the tie rod ends you installed was bad. Jack up one front wheel and check to see if there's any play in the steering by pushing/pulling on the wheel. Then check the other side in the same manner. Could be an inner tie rod maybe. Looks like they are a serviceable part on your car which is a good thing. Not sure how easy they are to get to. Worst part is you'd need another alignment if that was the case.

 

[SandEagle]

No offense but do you really need to announce everything you do to that car ??
Its the 5th thread about the car already.
Its just an ordinary old car.
I understand the joy of working on a car you just bought but how about consolidating into 1 thread ??

GTFO troll.

good job OP. i have no car skills. i can fill it up with gas drive in forward and reverse. that's about it.

 

[CraigRT]

Theres absolutely no problem with that.
Thats why people like Fuzzy made 1 thread about all the things he does with his MR2.
You don't think making 5 separate threads about the same car is excessive ??

 

[NutBucket]

Sounds like it all came pre-assembled so nothing to worry about over torquing.

I would not trust it just because its pre-assembled. And, being that they're likely Chinese made parts, there's no guarantee they aren't the source of the problem either....

 

[Kroze]

Got the alignment done the other day, it was way off. As far as the clicking noise, it comes and goes.

Some days it's dead quiet and others i can hear it faintly. Oh well, I can live with it.

 

[JCH13]

Got the alignment done the other day, it was way off. As far as the clicking noise, it comes and goes.

Some days it's dead quiet and others i can hear it faintly. Oh well, I can live with it.

I vote strut mount too. Similar thing happened on my Dad's car, it would clunk on turns, but when it warmed up or it was a hot day it pretty much went away.

 

[JCH13]

Theres absolutely no problem with that.
Thats why people like Fuzzy made 1 thread about all the things he does with his MR2.
You don't think making 5 separate threads about the same car is excessive ??

O teh horroz! The internet might run out of 1s and 0s

 

[Kroze]

O teh horroz! The internet might run out of 1s and 0s

:biggrin: