I'm getting a crunching noise from the left front of my car and that I can't seem to figure out. The noise only comes while braking and turning right. The noise is not there while breaking straight or braking while turning right, or just turning right without braking. All the front end components are less than 9 months old - Tokico Illuminas, strut mounts, strut bearings, and inner and outer tie rod ends. The noise doesn't seem to affect performance at all, and doesn't seem to do it under any other conditions - like bumps, etc. Do the Illuminas eat up strut bearings? I'm using them on stock SE springs. What about wheel bearings, etc.? I've also had the front CV joint boots replaced in the last 3 months, could it be an early sign of CV joint failure? Any ideas?

 

goldmax - you contradict yourself...

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Regardless of when it happens, I would suspect the wheel bearings.

 

I had a strange noise that I tried forever to figure out. It's a long shot for you having the same issue, but maybe worth looking into.

It turned out to be the plastic inside of my wheel well. It was cracked and had enough play that it would sometimes graze my tire when turning. You could put the front of your car on jack stands (with the wheels on) and move your wheels back and forth and spin them. See if there's anything rubbing. Check out the plastic inside the wheel wells and your mudflaps if you have them.

Strange stuff b/c you replaced everything else. Good luck!

 

Sorry ....I should have been clearer...I get the noise only with the combination of braking AND turning right...like into my driveway or onto a side street. If I brake while turning left, I don't hear the noise. I don't seem to hear the noise at higher speeds, only when going fairly slow...less than 25 mph. I'm also wondering if the steering rack was messed up during the change of inner tie rod ends....but I don't really feel anytihing strange in the steering.

 

Thanks man....I've looked at everything, and can't seem to find anything like that so far. Will jack it up this weekend and see if any of the plastic is rubbing. It shouldn't be since i'm at stock ride height. I need a link for figuring out strange suspension problems!

 

I also get that sound also while only turning right and braking, I jacked the car up and moved the left front wheel in and out and there is DEFINANTLY some play in the outer tie rod end. I am going to change it out and get an alignment within the next month.

 

I hope that's your problem since that would be pretty straight forward to fix ...at least the outer tie rod ends. Mine has turned into a steady squeak plus the usual clunking noise while turning right. It's all coming apart this weekend, so I'll figure it out one way or another. I'm suspecting a strut bearing or spring isolator. I've noticed the bottom spring isolator looks pretty beat and may not be giving complete coverage where the spring meets the strut mount. I won't know if that's really the case until I tear it apart. I'm thinking that one requirement of my next car is that it won't have McPherson struts - it's too weak of a setup and too dependent on puny parts like sway bar links and tie rods. Hope you get yours fixed!