95SC2 , 212K mi.

Performed the following suspension work + alignment (see below) and am getting a clunk/popping type noise when decelerating to /accelerating from a stop, and occasionally when turning the steering wheel more than a rotation while going over a bump.

If I coast the car to a stop or pull away from a stop VERY slowly, I do not hear the noise.

Put the front up on jack stands.
Checked tightness of all fasteners. Nothing loose.
Moved front wheels through entire range of motion (gently) no popping/clunking very smooth motion.

The noise seems to be related to forward/backward motion of the car.

I''m thinking the noise may be coming from the front sway bar/control arm area.....

Any ideas as to how to track this down and remedy?

All ideas welcome.....
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(Suspension work performed)
Front Lower control arms (both)
Front Struts (with KYBs)
Front Strut Mount/bearing packs (both)
Rear Struts (with KYBs)
Rear Sway Bar end links (both)
Rear Strut Mount bearing packs (both)

(All Saturn parts (minus the KYBs), car aligned at Saturn)

 

Derf ...


Can you locate the sound to one side of the vehicle, or is it across the front end in general? Did the KYBs give you a radically changed running height above the ground??

 

Are the springs seated correctly?

 

The bottom of the springs are correctly seated at the bottom of the struts, and the top of the springs were in the right location relative to the bearing packs when I assembled them.

The ride height is a little higher compared to 13 year old original struts. As for higher than stock-don''t really know. (I''ve been told by Saturn parts folks that the Saturn stock struts are actually private label KYBs....they actually indicated that I could go out and buy KYBs cheaper elsewhere so I did.)

I cannot isolate the sound to either side from inside the car....

Note that I did not replace the springs. Should I have? I saw no damage or distortion so I didn''t bother.

I was surprised by the huge difference in front toe with the new KYBs compared to stock (>3 degrees prior to alignment!)

 

Well, I could expect to see a change in camber with a change in the ride height ... but I am a bit concerned as to where the >3 change in toe came from. Since the alignment bay took care of it, I guess my worries are unfounded ...

 

Well, the plot thickens...

Ran the car through a car wash. No popping, clunking or other noises. Not a trace.

3 days later and the sounds are back.....

I am assuming that the soap from the car wash either acted as a lubricant for the bushings in the control arms, or the bushings temporarily swelled a bit from the soapy mix.

There isn''t much else down there to shift around.....

Could the >3 degree toe adjustment actually be an indication that my front sway bar was/is bent ( I have off-roaded the car a few times - not on purpose and with seemingly little damage).

It was such a struggle to get the old control arms out and the new ones in....getting the control arm onto the sway bar + aligning and seating the ball joint ends + putting in the cradle to control arm bolts (all at once) seemed much too difficult (with no toe adjustment).

The sway bar bushings holding it to the frame do not look damaged or compromised....

Any other ideas?

 

well, for the record, I have not yet sorted it out...haven't had the time....

I have read online that it might have been a good idea to put some inward pressure on the front way bar ends to release some of the tension when trying to remove and replace the control arms.

I did not do so , and I think this may have created a situation where everything is installed and connected tight, but is off kilter (misaligned) just enough that parts are shifting around ever so slightly.

The noises didn't start til after the alignment, so I am assuming the corrections required to get the proper overall alignment are compensating for the mal-alignment of my installation and although the car is aligned, the front suspension just ain't happy the way it is.

I'm considering a disassembly/reassembly with pressure on the front sway bar to see if I can reconnect everything to require less of a correction on the alignment rack.....

 

It's really a bummer when our time is not all our own ....

Didn't realize you were still chasing that squeek/rattle/thump .... By chance, did you try to loosen the sway bar brackets a bit with the wheels on the ground and pointed straight ahead - then bounce the front of the car a bit to see if the sway bar is off-true ??? Retighten the brackets, and recheck for changes in the steering geometry ....

 

I don't have the tools/means to check alignment, and I'm kinda afraid to loosen up those brackets lest I make a bad situation worse.

I'm getting now getting some loud pops at what appear to be where the strut mount bearing packs hit the mounting area under the hood. I THINK. I really need someone to stand next to the car while I'm moving slowly to pinpoint the origin of the noise(s).

Also, I'm thinking based on the way it rides that I should have replaced the coil springs....we'll see what happens when I get time to track this down in about a month.

 

wheel strait a friend measure grove of tire to grove of tire on otherside do it front and back of the tire will give you a slight idea of alignment....did alignment on a few old chevy's that way