bigmacjuiced

Have a 93 thunderbird lx w/88,000 miles..here are my symptoms:
1) when driving even at lower speeds 35 and below here a slight
"rattle or clunking" noise. maybe even "popping" sound (not like a
balloon. more like metal tapping noise. the sound doesnt really change
depending on road surface, its pretty constant...my wife insists she
hears a "grinding" noise also...which I know could be breaks.

2) car pulls to the right slightly when holding steering wheel, and
more so when I let go.

3) the car was in a accident by previous owner and front bumper is
loose, he tried tying it up w/coat hangers around tie rod. so I sorta
got it a little more secure by using nuts and bolts ( where original
ones where) but it is still a little loose and the noise is still
there. previous owner says there was no other damage done but Im
starting to think this is not the case because the noise has gottin a
little worse since we bought a few weeks ago...we've only put about
300 miles on it.

I wish I could record the sound for all to here.......LOL

what could problem be (I know these symptom could probably be a lot of
things ) but maybe someone could gimme most likely problem.......I was
told tappin/poppin/rattling noise sounds like ball joints or struts/
tie rod??

how can I tell if the ball joints are bad?? tie rod?? The shocks I
know need replacing because the car bounces several times when I push
down on front end....and probably needs an allignment. the breaks are
fine, I"ve inspected them and there is plenty of meat on the pads and
the car stops good... I was hoping someone could give me instructions
on testing ball joints...could greasing them perhaps help if they are
the problem? or is it too late for that now that the noises have
started and have been goin on to long????

P.S. sorry the message is sooo long but my daughter is primary driver
and cant afford mechanic to do work especially considering most wont
even give free estimates...thankyou

chazg32

To Check Ball Joints - jack up the front end by lower control arm and
then take a prybar and put it under the tire and lift up on the tire
if it feels loose replace ball joints on that side.

Also check tie rods (shake tire side to side gentle and feel for play/
extra movement)
if you can take and wiggle tire up and down and side to side and it is
a grinding noise it is probally a hub bearing

I would also check U joints on drive shaft if it is rear wheel drive

Struts can make funny noises and do funny things though I would check
above and if all is good think about replacing struts

backyard mechanic

The lower balljoints on that car dont usually 'clunk'on bump when they
are bad. However of there is a squeak or growl when you turn steering,
the lowers -which are the really important ones- are bad and need
replaced. They are press-in.
DO NOT rely on factory lube in the replacements. Have grease zerk
installed.
In order of likelihood, after 250,000 mi on my current, 189,000 on prev
93....
Where you USUALLY find a 'clunk' is in the lower control arm radius rod
bushings. thats a Big thick bar from frame through lower control arm.
They wear out earliest of all the susp parts. That would also affect
'pull'

Next look at the swaybar link to the knuckle

OR the upper ball joints may be bad. Any looseness when pressed down or
top of tire pushed in and out means replace. They are integral and you
must replace entire control arm.

The shocks could clunk if loose. {You dont have struts}

Dunno if you drive that much but it's worth fixing, IMO.. ask your
daughter.

--
Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
you pay..DEAL with it!

jim warman

1)... other areas to suspect... sway bar end links and bushings.... Some of
these end links can be particularly misleading and can appear to be tight if
we support the car in a way that can "preload" the sway bar. One way tyo
check... disconnect and tie the end links so they don't interfere with
steering and suspension movement.... Drive the car over a known "bad section
of road" and see if the noise is gone....

2) car pull to the right.... MacPherson strut ( and modified Mac Strut)
front ends are usually pretty forgiving when it comes to caster split and/or
camber split. All the same, have the alignment checked by a COMPETENT
shop... "in spec" and "right" can be two different things.... Tiores can
also be a big factor in "pulls to one side" concerns.... Rotate the tires
regularly....

3) just blows me away... the car was in an accident and somebody bought
it.... some obvious repairs were hacked..... with coat hanger wire,. no
less... and somebody bought it... one must ask what hasn't been noticed....
what would an experienced eye see under this thing?

FWIW.... I could spend my entire day giving 'free' estimates....
Unfortunately, it becomes very difficult to feed my family when all I do is
free shit. I do know of a few shops that do give 'free' estimates.... they
always seem to be full of easter eggs... for the shop... once you're in to
them for the first bit you will feel inclined that they are "good" guys and
blindly follow them from mistake to mistake (oh, but you needed that
anyway)....

A good shop will charge for a comprehensive inspection... They will
endeavour to make sure there are no surpirses..... They will understand what
sacrificial parts should be considered during any repair to avoid repeat
labour costs in the very near future. They will prioritize these repairs,
recommending those that affect vehicle safety and/or dependability
first.....

Even better, these shops will inspect a used car before you purchase it
(again, for a fee..... that pesky 'free' thing) and advise against buying
some vehicles that may be better off in a wreckers yard....

People fail to understand how a service industry (such as auto repair) truly
works..... without "production", there is no revenue... without revenue,
there is no store.... One "customer" (never saw him before in my life) gave
me an ass-reaming I wont soon forget.... It was late at night... I was
slaving to get a promised job out the door "on time".... He needed 10 feet
on 14 ga wire, I stopped what I was doing - got him what he wanted (even had
the colour he asked for) and demanded the princely sum of 50 cents.... "F#ck
you.... for ten Jesus feet of wire? Bite me" and he left..... Without the
wire.

I'm gonna leave that hang for a while..... I invite anyone and everyone to
comment on how they feel this should have played out....

aarcuda69062

I'll comment...

I'd have followed that asshole and strangled him with the wire.
;-)

Another great and entertaining post Jim, I only wish you'd hook
up with one of the trade magazines as a contributing editor.

tim j.

I think I would have insisted he take the wire, and he would have
spent the rest of the night digging it out of his ass.

shawn

Raise the vehicle on a lift, remove the front tires & jerk the wheel back & forth,
up & down. Any worn suspension component will reveal it's self more easily &
can be inspected more closely too.

shawn

Considering that you stopped what you was doing, retrieved the correct
gauge & color & asked for a measly fifty cents & he blasted you with the F-word
like that after you bent over backward for him. I'm surprised he didn't get struck
by lightning the next day.

Hell, your time was worth more than that. I wouldn't hesitate to pay $2.00 just
for your quick response & then the 50 cents on top of that. What an A-Hole.