Hope I posted in the right place this will be a little longer post. So I've had some creaking and eventually a popping when turning right. So first I did with help quick struts from autozone while it helped it didn't fix my popping. Got it diagnosed said lower control arms so I got duralast lower control arms with ball joints. I put them in had to take out the strut bolts so I could lift the hub/rotor area and slide everything in. After completion I drove it thought I heard maybe something small but dismissed it my right turn popping had completely vanished. Other than that on my short test drive I was overall pleased my ride quality improved immensely. I got it alighned at firestone drove it home and heard a pop this time on the left. Fast forward after driving it I've noticed it will pop on both sides mostly when rocking doesn't have to be a turn. It's done it braking and accelerating typically at a angle or maybe slight turn. I did try to pre load the bushings by lowering the car with the tires on onto some bricks about 6inches high give or take a inch or 2 then fully tightening. Any ideas would be appreciated 1.8L Sonic LT
Lower Control Arms
- Thread starter GeoffB
- Start date
Edit sway bar links are new and everything has been checked for looseness to the best of my ability
ozonetrooper
Member
Are you sure the popping noise is a arm related ?
Bad CV joints will pop and creak when turning ...
Bad CV joints will pop and creak when turning ...
Took it to firestone because that's where I got the alignment done. They found my control arm bolts were loose even though I know for a fact I tightened them. I felt a immediate difference driving home. Although Driving later in the day after firestone trip I felt like it was starting to slowly happen again. As far as cv axle goes I don't see any grease or leaks on the outer boots. At its worst the popping could happen when I braked hard if the car rocked the right way. Is there any chance the alignment messes with the arms where they need tightened and firestone just doesn't bother to check? Will re tightening mess with the alignment?
ozonetrooper
Member
Re-tightening should have no effect on alignment. If they need re-torquing, that is the problem, I would be concerned with.
They should not be backing out ...
They should not be backing out ...
SuperS13
Sonic86
So my 1.8L hatchback auto had pops and creaks, I redid the swaybar end links, did the control arm balljoint assemblies and converted to the RS suspension. The popping noise was a combo of swaybar endlinks and strut tower bushings. The swaybar end links seem to be a high wear item since 68% of the weight is on the front subframe. I recommend the uprated metal swaybar endlinks and tap holes on the backside of the joints for grease fittings.
The control arm torque is ball joint 65ftlb
Rear use blue loctite as these are torque to yield bolts 85ftlbs and 15° extra lash.
I recommend the following parts:
CV joints- ac Cardone
Lower ball joint/control arms:TKQ
Struts/shocks: Sonic RS conversion
Wheel bearings: National/timken
Swaybar endlinks :zzp or moog
The control arm torque is ball joint 65ftlb
Rear use blue loctite as these are torque to yield bolts 85ftlbs and 15° extra lash.
I recommend the following parts:
CV joints- ac Cardone
Lower ball joint/control arms:TKQ
Struts/shocks: Sonic RS conversion
Wheel bearings: National/timken
Swaybar endlinks :zzp or moog