popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Topic: popping and squeek "SOLVED" (Read 17869 times) previous topic - next topic

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #45 – January 12, 2008, 11:55:35 PM

Quote from: Chuck W;197424

When I mentioned the saw-zall I was suggesting you chop through the whole lot, shell, bushing, sleeve and all. That would have cut down on the time to remove.

I looked in that direction but first off my saw zall blade is too big to fit in the 5/8'' inner bushing hole.
and........
if i was able to get a blade in there,, it was difficult for me to figure out "when to stop" perse'. you have to stop just in time or your cutting into the CA. The way i did it gave me more visual control cause i guess i was just being too careful.

so far i have about 6 hours of just g around doing it. Its not really that big of a job,,not fun but not hard either. If i had a press here, i would guess another 3 hours would wrap it up.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #46 – January 13, 2008, 12:20:26 AM

Quote from: jcassity;197416

i thought of that as well. I just think that is one of those things that look better on paper. you sure wouldnt get the spring to go back in doing the same process in reverse thats for sure. You'd raise the car off the ground before hand. Im not a wrench by any means by trade but i do know my way around tools and thinking about things and that process just has too many issues. I guess ill never kwow till i try. Ill stick with what i know,, safety.

Tell ya what...give me a few days and I'll let ya know about getting the spring back in. I already have my front suspension torn down because I'm replacing all my bushings with polyurethane and to switch to shorter control arms. Anyway...nice job so far on getting those bushings out.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #47 – January 13, 2008, 12:35:34 AM

Quote from: slicksport88;197435

Tell ya what...give me a few days and I'll let ya know about getting the spring back in. I already have my front suspension torn down because I'm replacing all my bushings with polyurethane and to switch to shorter control arms. Anyway...nice job so far on getting those bushings out.

I know for a fact you can do it. I just dont think i want to do it like that. I ran into a harry situation on the passanger side and had to raise the ca back up. I opps'd and forgot i had the ball joing nut off as a "kinda saftey". The ca needs to maintain this odd angle and such and also compress the spring as you jack up. Well, in my situation, i noticed that at that magic point, the car was getting lifted off the jack stand.

Your probably right though.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #48 – January 13, 2008, 12:53:19 AM

Quote from: jcassity;197428

Jeremyb et all
Here is all the information on the FLCA,, enjoy. Below is a lay out of the driver side ca.

Thank you.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #49 – January 14, 2008, 12:43:56 AM

well,,
Im not sure what i learned from this whole adventure other than

"that didnt fix it":mad:

Soo,, perhaps i should have already looked deeper into the advice i was given earlier about struts?. I inspected them and also the rivit on the top and it is not broken.

Here is what i do know. As you all could see, the old bushings really did not look bad. The new bushings allow the FLCA to shift in the same manner (about a half inch). I honestly took my time getting second and third opinions on this and everyone kept saying control arm bushings. I am very stumped at the moment and for this time being, I will get struts when i get struts. No big deal to change those but i am more interested in the strut tower mounting for the strut. If that is the problem,,, ill have to hunt that part down pretty good cause i dont know of anyone who's ever changed those either.

I do have this quesiton if anyone here can do this visual test. Can anyone verify that putting the car in D then R while smashing the brake peddal causes the CA to shift forward or back about 1/2'' there abouts? I just want to know if it is normal or not.

What an adventure to say the least.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #50 – January 14, 2008, 02:32:56 PM

Quote from: ZondaC12;197202

OH FREAKIN GREAT. I get the SAME thing practically. Its more sporadic but the SAME sound, I FEEL it through the floorboard. A local shop put a pry bar on every piece of the suspension and he said all was tight as could be......but Im wondering. Well I've read about THIS operation....yeah not happenin right here I'm gonna have to live with it for awhile.

have no fear,, im still plugging away on this.

You know how the universe seems to conspire to make a path for you to walk? Well, apparently i was suppose to take this long walk around the block. Upon reinstallation of my rotor, its pointless to not check the bearings. Well, three rollers fell out when i picked it up off the floor.
The bearings were suppose to be new as well as the rotors but when i did a visual, i saw new pads and rotors. Not sure what the deal is but ill be doing bearings also soon. I had a set on standby anyway so it was no real skin off my nose. I did not pop out the races although im sure they can wait a little while longer.

The good part of this whole thing?
If i have to inspect the strut tower mounting area (which ive never done before), i have to take off the fender skirts. That will kill two birds with one stone because i can probably pick up on the cruise control issue i have while i am in there.

wish me luck and such. until then, Anny is back on the road heading to spartanburg sc again,, then suffolk va then manteo NC sometime soon.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #51 – January 14, 2008, 02:51:19 PM

Quote from: CougarSE;197328

Did you have to do anything special to get the Control arm bolts out? Or are you one of the lucky ones....

i thought about you when i was putting the bolts back in.
The CA arm bolts are too long. I feel odd saying that but what i know about bolts,, the rule is 'Bolts shall pertrude no more than the thickness of the bolt diameter",,,
so they are too long just as the rack bolts are as well.

Anyhoo, I was putting the front CA bolts in and it occured to me ,,if i put the bolt in backwards,, and if the bolt were shorter, then there would never be a problem getting the bolt out or the nut off.

I had to fight the bolt out of the driver side so thats when i decided to cut some of the pan head area off. Only then was i able to muscle it out. The pass side is totally different but still has its own clearance issues with the rack.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #52 – January 16, 2008, 11:59:19 PM

FInally found the problem.

this factory part was to the bottom rear corners of the K member directly under the oil pan.

removed bar and poping stopped. Easy fix, diffucult noise to pinpoint. The pop noise was so loud you could stand at the strut towers and feel it transfer.

This has been a very long walk around the block but im glad the noise was nothing major.

If anyone thinks that bar needs to be there,, ill be more than happy to put it back but it seems to be one of those parts that gets tossed anyway.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #53 – January 17, 2008, 12:11:20 AM

Hmmmmmm,My car is squeeking.It only sounds like it's on the driver side.Probably a ball joint or bushing.My luck won't allow for an easy fix.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #54 – January 17, 2008, 12:54:01 AM

Im just glad this is over and problem solved.

I was out this evening preping the areas to swap out the upper strut tower mouting assembly. I removed the wheel well skirt also on the driver side to prep for troubleshooting the cruise.

the wife came out to help me locate the noise and falling short of getting a darwin award for being under a car while she put it in D and R,, i felt with my hand until the harmonic of the noise on the chassis felt most intense.

you can imagine how pissed and happpy i was but thats all history now.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #55 – January 17, 2008, 03:19:01 AM

That came off of a V6 or V8???
I've only seen those on the 2.3 cars...
I know either of my '88 3.8 cars didn't have 'em.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #56 – January 17, 2008, 07:08:03 AM

While the factory piece is pretty flimsy, it still serves a purpose. When you install an aftermarket brace in that location you can actually feel the improvement in stiffness as much if not more than a strut tower brace.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #57 – January 17, 2008, 07:31:36 PM

Quote from: FordTruckFreeek;198277

That came off of a V6 or V8???
I've only seen those on the 2.3 cars...
I know either of my '88 3.8 cars didn't have 'em.

My 88 sport has that bar as well.

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #58 – January 18, 2008, 08:12:19 AM

Quote from: Chuck W;198280

While the factory piece is pretty flimsy, it still serves a purpose. When you install an aftermarket brace in that location you can actually feel the improvement in stiffness as much if not more than a strut tower brace.

Chuck,
I understand what you mean but wouldnt it serve its purpose more precise if it had two mounting holes on each end?

The following thoughts are going through my mind when i visualize the torque/presure the K member is under.

The ends being flat alow for a flex at each end
The ends having only one hole alow for pivit
The shape of the tube is egg shaped on the horizontal plane (not easy to notice)

Improvement
The whole brace should be 1'' square tube steel with two holes on each end.
The would eliminate the above issues.

Yes, this is on a V8 chassis. I suppose the reason a lot of us do not have this is for two reasons.

A- it is a part of the optional sport suspenion package, for example my 87 20th got quad rear shocks while my 87 LS did not.

B- It gets tossed during the ownership phase(s)

popping and squeek "SOLVED"

Reply #59 – January 18, 2008, 08:31:08 AM

I never said it was an optimal design. I said it served a purpose.

Yes, it would be more effective if the bean counters hadn't been involved. The engineers installed it for a reason, but most likely had to make due with the "budget".