DosyBoy

iTrader: (1)

I've searched...


So my car is going to the mechanic Monday, for the dreaded creaking popping noise on the front end when going 3-5 miles over bumps, NEVER does it in reverse... I also have a torn lca bushing that is being replaced, now the car has been making this noise for 11 months now, 2 months ago it was inspected, my mechanic said my ball joints are rock solid, no play, and no play in my wheel either when moving up and down, side to side..
So is it the Lower Ball joints? Or am I waiting my money focusing on them imparticular?
It's a 98 Gs400 123k miles.

What should I do? Just get them replaced and cross my fingers?
I've never personally replaced the ball joints, nor am I aware if the previous owner has,
How can the ball joints be good but my car is making those suspension noises? Am I replacing the wrong part (ball joints) and waisting my money ? Their getting replaced with Moog tomorrow..



Thank you very much for any Informative info fellas....

JLAWS

I just changed out my ball joints myself to Moog and now it is making a creak/popping sound. I did thoroughly grease the ball joints I couldn't twist off and change the tierod so I am getting them done tomorrow. My mechanic told me even just changing the ball joints only will throw things out of alignment since they are not oem ball joints.. So I am hoping an alignment will fix the noise.

DosyBoy

iTrader: (1)

Wow I really hope these new ball joints fix my problem, luckily I'm still within Goodyears 6 month free alignment, can these be oem ball joints? That's crazy... I'll let u guys know tomorrow afternoon if it fixes mine..

GS4HUNNID

im assuming that it is your lower ball joints. i have the same problem that i need to fix myself on mine.

geeznuts

iTrader: (14)

Did you torque down the bolts? OP I would replace the ball joints because a fender is expensive to replace

sLOWaristo

iTrader: (4)

Been meaning to do this on my 430 too, saw some of the horror stories about lbj failures and it scared me straight, I got moog lbj's for my 240, how much did they run you flocko? And did they come with new castle nuts/ cotter pins?

sLOWaristo

iTrader: (4)

Oh and I dunno how similar it is to nissans but replacing those was a breeze, just rent a ball joint separator from autozone and it's a snap.

neegroy

iTrader: (19)

Just change it man, it doesn't really cost that much. Even if the alignment supposedly fixes it, there still might be a chance of it breaking!

DosyBoy

iTrader: (1)

Update*

It's at the mechanic now getting done, also a new lca w/ bushing (of course) and a new serpentine belt, mine is noisy and a little dry... slOwAristo you can buy moog lbj online for $35 a piece..

sLOWaristo

iTrader: (4)

Thx man, I'll look them up. That's a hell of a lot cheaper than oem replacements from Sewell...90 bux a pop without castle nut. Hope the popping noise goes away after all that work your getting done.

SaiyanGS3

iTrader: (8)

If your mechanic told you this, then he is a complete idiot. You don't adjust the lbj for alignment, it's adjusted by the tie rods. So is he saying that if you purchased new oem lbj's, then you wouldn't need to do an alignment again? You will need one Moog or Oem. Where do you guys find these type of mechanics lol!?!

DosyBoy

iTrader: (1)

Alright, apparently the parts that I can get online are like half the price of the parts they want at the auto stores around here, so I'm def gonna hold off and order the parts myself...

I was just under the car on the lift, my mechanic tried rocking my wheel back and forth, absolutely NO play in my ball joints, he said I def do not need them but he'll replace them if I want.. He said he's pretty sure the creaking popping noise is def coming from my sway bar links, I'm getting those replaced next week, anyone got part #'s? if I get the lbj 's I get em, what do u guys think? Oh and my steering rack bushings look great..

JLAWS

See pics, Moog LBJ are so much beefier than stock. A degree or 2 difference can throw things off.
I am well aware of how an alignment is done. It may be required going from oem to Moog. I noticed when I hooked the old tierod back on the steering wheel was not in the same place. After it was hooked up I could not twist the tierod back and forth like before. I bought new tierods and my mechanic will just throw them on for free when he does the alignment.

FYI, My mechanic is a 20 yr master tech and scored at the top in certification tests in the country, so I'll take his word for it

BayAreaLex

Easy there buddy.

The MOOG and OEM dimensions are not 100% identical and therefore an alignment is a good idea.

SaiyanGS3

iTrader: (8)

Ummm sir, I do know that the alignment is still needed. Did you not read my response to his statement based on what the mechanic stated. His initial statement implied that since the Moog lbj wasn't OEM, he needed an alignment (which is true) and if he had OEM, he didn't need to do the alignment. Basically what I was stating was that you will need an alignment done regardless of if it's oem or not.