Having issues.... who isn't?

[cavaliers60]

I'm not 100% sure what it is... All I know is I am having some knocking/popping/crackling like noise coming from the drivers front wheel area.... It seems to only happen when I'm turning and I hit a bump.... There's a turn I make a lot that takes me over train tracks and I really hear it then.... Trac light and such are not lighting up, so I don't know what it could be? Any thoughts? I'm at a loss.....

[AleroDrime]

loose strut assembly?

[cavaliers60]

I'm not sure.... It's never been "loose" before..... I don't know how old the assembly is... I got the car a couple years ago and never changed anything except for window clips and regulator, LIMG leak, and new brakes and rotors....

[jayson_waltz]

very likely is the cv joint. also could be a broken coil spring, or at the least a seized lower spring bearing (the bearing the coil spring rotates on when you turn).
when i had that sound it was a broken coil spring. But most people in here seem to have the cv joint problem

[cavaliers60]

and do you know how much that might run me to get it fixed???

[jayson_waltz]

CV axle, bout 60 bucks
Right here

Spring and/or bearing, bout 45-50 bucks the easiest way, which is a quick strut asembly.
Right Here

this is all if you do your own work of course.

[cavaliers60]

Originally Posted by jayson_waltz

CV axle, bout 60 bucks
Right here

Spring and/or bearing, bout 45-50 bucks the easiest way, which is a quick strut asembly.
Right Here

this is all if you do your own work of course.

lol last time I tried to fix something myself, I turned a simple $30 repair into a $400 repair.... I think I'll stick to having a pro do it. lol

[jayson_waltz]

well then for a pro to do it, figure about $250 for the axle plus another lots for labor.
a pro for the strut thing- bout 175 for the quick strut kit plus getting raped by labor.

[cavaliers60]

yeah.... I know I'll get raped by a mechanic... If it comes down to it, I'll have to settle for getting rid of her.... I don't want to though... I like my Alero.

[lonnie]

Originally Posted by cavaliers60

I'm not sure.... It's never been "loose" before..... I don't know how old the assembly is... I got the car a couple years ago and never changed anything except for window clips and regulator, LIMG leak, and new brakes and rotors....

Just because its never been loose before doesn't mean it can't come loose now. I would take it to be evaluated. Tell them what side its on, and see what they find. I never tell them what I think it is, because everytime they come back to me they say exactly what I told them..then get that fix and the problem reappears...All garages are con artist...LOL...good luck man!

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by cavaliers60

yeah.... I know I'll get raped by a mechanic... If it comes down to it, I'll have to settle for getting rid of her.... I don't want to though... I like my Alero.

uugh, dude, its not hard to fix a strut, if you want, ill walk you through the process over webcam or over the phone, DONT get rid of it

[jayson_waltz]

yea definately do NOT get rid of it. both of those jobs are very easy to do if it comes down to that. the strut ass. is 5 lugs nuts and 5 bolts, very easy. and maybe it isn't what i said, i'm just going over the internet.

[cavaliers60]

getting rid of her is a last resort........... and it may very well be an easy fix. The issue for me is, last time I did and easy fix, something went wrong and it became a $400 fix. I don't want to risk making this any worse for myself. I'd rather let a professional do it. The guy I'm taking it to is really honest. My family has known him for years. I might even get it fixed for cheap. But please respect my decision to take it to a professional.... It may be easy to you, but I've never done it. Thank you.

And thank you for helping me. I have a good idea of what I can expect it to be, and that's all I was after.

[Gr1m]

theres a few possibilities;

1. bad CV joint - it is much easier and less time consuming to replace the entire axle which includes the CV joint and isnt too much more after your core charge is returned, to replace this you have to take the wheel off, disconnect the lower strut mount from the knuckle and remove your caliper&rotor along with the wheel hub, then you get a prybar and pry the axle out of the transmission and just pop the new one in and put the rest back together in the opposite order of tearing down.

2. bad struts - struts could be shot and are squeaking when they go up and down from normal wear&tear

3. bad upper strut mounts - im leaning towards this one because of the symptoms you described. this is the part that hold the spring down on the top of your strut, it will take you about an hour if it is your first time replacing this and you will need a spring compressor that you can rent from your local autozone.

[clutch1]

Balljoint could be loose and clunking making noise, too. That one's more of a PITA (I assume they're prolly riveted in on the Alero, never actually checked).

[cavaliers60]

I drove her around today.... She makes a couple crackling noises when I'm stopped and just turn the wheel all the way in either direction.

My shocks have been squeaking for a while now too.... not to bad though... They really only do it if the car is loaded down or I go over train tracks.... They seem fine for right now....

[Gr1m]

its your strut and upper strut mount

[cavaliers60]

awesome... I figured it was about time something happened to it. haha Thanks everyone! She's going to the mech tomorrow.

[cavaliers60]

Originally Posted by AleroRacing

loose strut assembly?

good call on that one! I guess it is something with the strut assembly.

[Gr1m]

man...your gonna get raped taking it to a mech, you should just get your hands dirty and buy the new assembly for about 70 bucks