Kittamaru Posted September 18, 2008 Share Posted September 18, 2008 I have a funky noise coming from my front end - think my CV boot might be torn, but it looks intact. I know my front end is a LITTLE high, but it isn't distended as far as I can tell... How hard is it to check yoru ball joints and/or CV joints? And what would I be looking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Does it drive ok or does the steering act funny? Your suspensoin bushings may creek and pop a little going over bumps and making turns... maybe be a little more spcific about the noise... Whenever I have the vehcle off the ground (maintence, rotation etc.) I pull the front tires off and grab what I guess would be called the steering knuckle with both hands I try to rock it in multiple directions. then I grab the cv by the shaft, push and pull on it and try to move it side to side. pushing and pulling it shouldn't budge side to side I feel I wiggle a hair, can't really see it move but I can feel it. grabbing the steering knuckle I get even less wiggle (the vehicle moves more) I also do this to my centerlink and tie-rods (thats how I pinpointed my worn CL to be the cause of my bump steer) I don't know if there is a more prefered method out there or if there are anyflaws in my method but it's seemed to work for me so far... anyone else got a differant method? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nismojunky Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 Does it drive ok or does the steering act funny? Your suspensoin bushings may creek and pop a little going over bumps and making turns... maybe be a little more spcific about the noise...Whenever I have the vehcle off the ground (maintence, rotation etc.) I pull the front tires off and grab what I guess would be called the steering knuckle with both hands I try to rock it in multiple directions. then I grab the cv by the shaft, push and pull on it and try to move it side to side. pushing and pulling it shouldn't budge side to side I feel I wiggle a hair, can't really see it move but I can feel it. grabbing the steering knuckle I get even less wiggle (the vehicle moves more) I also do this to my centerlink and tie-rods (thats how I pinpointed my worn CL to be the cause of my bump steer) I don't know if there is a more prefered method out there or if there are anyflaws in my method but it's seemed to work for me so far... anyone else got a differant method? thats pretty much how to do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 ^^ and ^ That is how you start. Get under it, grab, shake and wiggle things. Then jack it up and do the same. Generally speaking, anything that has play in it is less than ideal. Loose in step 2=problem area. Loose in step 1=definite problem. You may have to refine things to determine what the major problem is if more than one exists. Look at the front end and see how it works. Jack up only one side and do the shake/shimmy routine. Do the same on the other. Use a cheater bar when in doubt, not to force things too much, but to get a visual reference (.1mm movement over 1 meter=alot), it is easier to see... Odds are that there is more than one worn component, but look around, the results are sometimes suprisingly simple... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted September 19, 2008 Author Share Posted September 19, 2008 The noise is only audible when moving slowly (under 5 mph) but it ONLY happens while in motion - no ties to steering direction or direction of travel. That's why I think CV Boots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 (edited) The noise is only audible when moving slowly (under 5 mph) but it ONLY happens while in motion - no ties to steering direction or direction of travel. That's why I think CV Boots. So it does it just when rolling? Or is it when going slow over bumps? You also, while you have the front tires off, should take a grease gun and shoot some grease into anything that has a grease nipple, my ball joints and outer tie rods had them. My grandfather showed me the other day. Much quieter up front now. Edited September 19, 2008 by redfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 The noise is only audible when moving slowly (under 5 mph) but it ONLY happens while in motion - no ties to steering direction or direction of travel. That's why I think CV Boots. CV boots do not turn unless you are in 4WD, or perhaps if your autolocking hubs are stuck. I'd guess more wheel bearings or control arm/trailing arm (whatever they are called) bushings. Does the front feel sloppy, excessively so?? B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhayseed Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 I'm for bearings. Bushings creak while turning/bumping at low speed; Bearings roar (that's a technical term. Look it up ) all the time... Does your truck sound like it's on a gravel road, even when you're on a smooth highway? My Subaru sure does. Bad rear bearing. Huge replacement cost. Sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhayseed Posted September 19, 2008 Share Posted September 19, 2008 (edited) Oh, and if the tension rods give (those front control/trailing arm things), you'll know. Both rusted apart in my first Pathfinder. It would shake so badly over 45mph that your teeth would chatter... No exaggeration. Check those things frequently! EDIT: Oops, wrong T-word... I just noticed that! Edited September 20, 2008 by crazyhayseed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 She drives and corners like a dream... I can take off ramps at 70+ and she'll handle it better than my fathers jeep or my friends Nova... It sounds almost like driving over gravel... but always while moving slow. Dunno if you can hear it when moving faster but I can't because of road noise and the noise of air moving past the windows. Happens bumps or smooth... and the front end has no slack to speak of. Like I said - drives like a dream, but I think maybe my auto-hubs are stuck... *ponders*. And I don't have a grease gun Nor do I have anything able to loosen the lug nuts and re-torque them... no torque wrench and no air wrench right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyhayseed Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 You don't have a lug wrench? How do you plan of changing your spare if you can't get the lug nuts off? You don't really have to torque your lug nuts... That's just being anal. If this is the case, you probably ought to take your truck to a shop to have it looked at. It may be expensive, but it could be unsafe to get further into this w/o prefessional help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted September 20, 2008 Author Share Posted September 20, 2008 I forgot about the one that came with the truck and jack XD I'm already shelling out ~ 500 for body work (having all the rust removed and true-to-form patches put in their place + prime and paint) so if I can check this on my own I'd love to Hopefully either tomorrow or next week I'll have time to jack her up and remove the wheels for a look see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 20, 2008 Share Posted September 20, 2008 (edited) And I don't have a grease gun Nor do I have anything able to loosen the lug nuts and re-torque them... no torque wrench and no air wrench right now. You can pick up a grease gun for very little $$ at a lot of places....Also you don't NEED an air ratchet to remove the tires, its just easier. I use a breaker bar and socket all the time. A torque wrench is good to have but you don't need it. I drove around for a month with my spare on, tightened only by the stock lug thing under the back seat. Also, I don't know if it was mentioned here, but have someone turn the wheel while your under the front end on the ground, and look to see if there is any abnormal play. I've been told they're allowed to have a little twist in them, but if it looks like its popping up and down that is a Edited September 20, 2008 by redfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted September 21, 2008 Author Share Posted September 21, 2008 You can pick up a grease gun for very little $$ at a lot of places....Also you don't NEED an air ratchet to remove the tires, its just easier. I use a breaker bar and socket all the time. A torque wrench is good to have but you don't need it. I drove around for a month with my spare on, tightened only by the stock lug thing under the back seat. Also, I don't know if it was mentioned here, but have someone turn the wheel while your under the front end on the ground, and look to see if there is any abnormal play. I've been told they're allowed to have a little twist in them, but if it looks like its popping up and down that is a No play in the front end I have a metric @!*%load of rear-end sway... bad bushings and such XD I'm hoping to fix those... soon... but that involves getting money and parts and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 I'm already shelling out ~ 500 for body work (having all the rust removed and true-to-form patches put in their place + prime and paint) so if I can check this on my own I'd love to smile.gif Hopefully either tomorrow or next week I'll have time to jack her up and remove the wheels for a look see. Not crapping on you Bud, and to each their own... That said, function over form. Body work before mechanical work is a form of idiocy in my book. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 21, 2008 Share Posted September 21, 2008 Not crapping on you Bud, and to each their own... That said, function over form. Body work before mechanical work is a form of idiocy in my book. B Yep. I got my truck safe and reliable before I started toying with the rust Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kittamaru Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 I know for certain I can't do the body work, and that's fine. I hope for now it's a once and done thing. However, mechanical things I want to learn to do. If it's possible I want to do it myself If it's not, I'll have a pro do it I'm hoping next week to start some more in depth stuff. I plan to do the oil+filter, plugs, wires, dizzy cap and rotor, jack her up and inspect the ball joints, grease everything up (my father apparently does have a grease gun, just need grease), check for any play, et al. The body work isn't going to happen for a while - just pre-planning that for my budget Mostly before that big hole in my ass end eats into my passenger compartment 0o' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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