02blue1

I need some help please. My wife has a 2002 cavalier Ls. the car has been great so far. lately she complains of a noise up front drivers side. I drove the car and the noise is coming whenever you hit a bump but the car has to dip with suspension in order for it to make the noise. my first thought was the strut but i push up and down on the car as hard as i can and can not get the noise from inside, the car must be moving and hitting some kind of dip. It's a crunching, squeeking kind of noise. car only has 55,000 miles on it, not sure of the lifespan for GM struts but car does not bounce so i doubt it's the struts. I've lubed the front sway bar bushings and also sprayed a bunch of wd-40 into the strut mount bearing plate. Niether have eliminated the noise. then i thought maybe it was the ball joints drivers side but alignment is perfect, no pulling to either side or popping noises when turning wheel or excessive play in joints. The only other thing that is left would be the A-arm bushings which i did not lube. what are the chances of it being a bushing with this kind of mileage? I'm at witt's end here and it's bugging me that i can't find this noise. Anyone have this happen and what did you do about it? any ideas would be great cause i'm out of them!! i'm soon going to break down and take it to the dealer but i trust no one! They'll say it's one thing and actually it's another just to make money and tie you up with a couple hours labor just to find nothing and give you a bill for a couple hundred! I am very mechanically inclined and do all my work myself and WILL find this noise with everyone's help and tell the dealer to stick it!! A CAR LIFT WOULD BE NICE THOUGHTO GET UNDERNEATH!!

jlenko

If the noise only comes from hitting bumps while moving, then I'd say it's a bushing... if the car has FE1 or FE2 suspension on it (check the spare tire cover sticker, the RPO code listing).. then there's a front sway bar which has D-bushings on the top of the subframe. Hard to get to... but those are usually the ones that make noise... they dry out and fall apart... could also be the control arm bushings... the rear ones like to break apart, if you jack the car up and look into the rear part of the subframe, where the rear bushing in the control arm is (there's an 18mm bolt that goes up into the subframe which holds it in), you might be able to see it sitting sideways... happens on these cars and Dodge Neons pretty commonly. You can replace the bushings with a urethane set from Prothane.. cheaper than stock, beefier, and helps cut down on the wheel hop too

If the noise were coming from the strut mount, you'd be able to sit at a stop, and turn the wheel side to side and make the same noise... if that's the case, it's the upper mount in the strut.... the GM ones are crap, they die very quickly. I'm using Monroe mounts on a lowered 2000 Cavalier, and they're just awesome... never make a squeak!!

...j

02blue1

yeah, she has that sway bar. i made sure it was tight on both ends at the a-arm, also lubed it real good at the D-bushings and lubed all bushings in the a-arm itself. it has not helped at all. i don't get the noise either when i turn the wheel. the noise is coming from up high, almost sounds like it comes through the firewall but up high around the strut area. it sounds like something is loose along with a slight squeaking. i've checked ball joints, tie rods, hub bearing, rack, and for anything loose inside and outside on the firewall and all is good. I've nothing left to think it could be other than the strut just making noise. what is average life span for factory struts? it's sporty suspension so it always did ride a bit stiff so i can't really tell if the strut is bad or not. i can't push the front end up and down very easily though and alignment is dead on!

cavyone

have you checked if you have a bad wheel bearing. I used to own a 92 saturn and everytime i was to make anykind of turn it would squeek really bad even when not turning and hitting bumps. One way to find out if you have a bad bearing is, Jack up the front of your car, put one hand on top of the tire and the other on the bottom and kind see if the tire moves up and down. it wont take much to notice if it does. it should be very solid and not able to wiggle any. If it does wiggle its because you have a bad bearing.

to change one out is hell your ganna have to take it to someone to take out the bearing because that bearing is compressed inside the hub.

anyways hope i helped

cavyone

02blue1

no, i'm certain it's not the wheel bearing. this is only when going over bumps even if they are slight or any slight raised asphalt or dips. when driving on smooth roads i can make turns and no noise at all. no play in wheels either. this is not anything that i feel through the steering either. i'm just not certain it's the strut and to spend the money for another one you might as well do both struts. then to have it still make the noise after new struts would really tick me off! just wish there was a certain way to find out.

mdmckee

tie rod?