Loud Noises!!!

[SonicRiot]

Wheel to the left or on center: High pitched click-clack at road speeds. Metallic sounding. Occurs at all speeds. Sounds like your grandmother on crack rocking super-fast in her old rocking chair. The noise virtually disappears when the wheel is turned past center to the right.

Wheel slightly off center to right: Disturbingly loud thumping, throbbing noise matched with a vibration in the floorboards at road speed. If the wheel is brought back to center or further right, the noise disappears. It only seems to happen above 50 MPH.

I have a diagnosis, shooting from the hip. I spun up the wheels while I was doing an oil change (I noticed the squeeling clicking noise yesterday and suspected a wheel bearing). No noises or resistance from the wheel bearings.

Just want to see what you guys think. Shoot some possibilities off too me before I tell you what I think it is.

Thanks in advance.

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

If it isnt wheel bearings, the next thing I would suspect would be CV joints

 

[Rob94]

I would check the CV Joints for a torn boot. Also check the tire for cupping. An abnormally worn tire can make one **** of a racket.

 

[SonicRiot]

Boots are all ok, and the tires are poorly worn, but that is due to a bad alignment and tie-rods. This is a metallic sound, scraping, and has become horrifically loud. It pulsates with road speed. I'm going to pull the axle next week, because the car wont make the noises on the lift and I can feel play, but I'm unsire if it's the ball joint, wheel bearing, axle, or differential.

There is also a large clunk on decel, I thought it was the rear motor mount, but now I hear another clunk, which may be the inner CV. The click-clack is now gone and is now the sound I described above.

The car is parked... and now it's snowing again. She's not going anywhere for a while.

 

[Mels]

Junk that wreck!

 

[SonicRiot]

Thanks for the encouragement Mels...


NEVER!!!

 

[SeanMc]

When it's up can you move the wheel from side to side? If you can, it's bearings.

 

[qiksho]

How many miles on your SHO??

Have you ever replaced the hub bearings?
I have noticed they usually fail between 120-150k on the SHO's I have owned.

How about c/v joints??

I would also inspect your strut rod bushings, Motor/tranny mounts, and subframe bushings.

 

[SonicRiot]

When it's up can you move the wheel from side to side? If you can, it's bearings.

Yes, there is play, but it's not the bearings that allow that, it's my tie rod ends that are in need of replacement. Moogs are in the trunk, awaiting a nice day for installation.

How many miles on your SHO??
Have you ever replaced the hub bearings?

103,000, but the wheels bearings had 30,000 miles on them when I replaced the knuckles for the '96 upgrade at about 88,000 miles. So the bearings have around 45-50,000 miles. I do not suspect a bearing because they make no noise when I spin them, but I won't really know untill I pull the wheel.

How about c/v joints??

This is what I suspect, but I won't know untill I pull the axle. I've tried spinning them, shaking them, running the car on a lift... next step is pull the axle and look for play.

I would also inspect your strut rod bushings, Motor/tranny mounts, and subframe bushings.

AL SFB are tight and in tact. The rear motor mount looks busted. Strut rod bushings are dried, but OK. TPRs are in the trunk, awaiting install. But even though this is contributing to the problem, it wouldn't make sense that the noise pulsates at road speed

Thnaks for the replys. I guess I'm on the right track. Hoping classes will be cancelled so I can pull my axle (and start Spring break early!).

I'll let ya'll know

 

[qiksho]

The inner c/v's are "usually" the culprit for road vibration, not the outer c/v's. That being said, its is farily easily accessible to check these for play while in the car. You can put a hand on either side of the joint and twist opposite directions. Now keep in mind some play is normal, and it can be very hard to distinguish a bad joint.

When I recently had a bad inner passenger side joint in my 92 I could actually feel a little bit of hanging up, or metal on metal roughness when I was twisting the passenger side c/v. My dad also checked it and said he couldn't feel much difference between my driverside and passenger side axles. On a hunch I ordered the passenger side, and bam...fixed my problem.

If you do find a bad axle a good place to get a replacement is www.raxles.com I have had replacements from others that were supposedly rebuilt that crapped out in under a thousand miles. Raxles puts all new joints in their axles and I was very impressed with their customer service.

 

[SeanMc]

Ok, not side to side. I meant tilt / \ . Don't write messages when you are exhausted, lol.