Thread: Strange noise in the front end???

I've got a 91 with Tein SS coilovers, new control arms with new ball joints and new bushings. I've replaced the end links, bushings and sway bar bushings,
Tie rod ends have not been replaced yet. Axles havent been replaced since I bought the car either

About a week ago strange noises started coming from the front end when I first take off from a stop and when I bring it to a stop, some times in turns it makes some popping nioses. With the car on jack stands (un weighted) I cant reproduce this noise. Also all the CV boots are intact, no rips or tears.

I'm starting to think its the upper strut mount assembly but wanted to get some opinions from those who know more than me.


Thanks!

The axles half shafts boots dont have to be torn to be bad, but the car up on 4 jacks stands and have a buddy help you identify the issue

Yeah, I had it up on stands today poking and prodding, turning the wheels from under the car and generaly wasting my time. No matter what I did couldnt get it to reproduce the noise????

Also it may be irrelevant, but I've had CV joints go bad on me on other cars I've had and they were always a very deffinative "clicking" sound, this is more of "popping" sound??

How do your motor mounts look? Had a similar noise in my car, the rear mount was completely shot, so bad that the rubber had completely separated and when I took it out it came out in two pieces. The pass side engine mount was also shot as well. I put in new poly inserts and the noise is gone.

Full set of prothanes, mounted about 6 months ago with aprox 2k miles on them.

Sounds like it might be spring bind which could be caused by the top mounts binding up. Jack the car up, take the wheels off and put the stands under the ball joints to load the suspension up and try turning the wheel. See if you can replicate the problem that way.

Since the motor mounts are good that was going to be my next guess....I see a lot of upper strut mount issues on older Toyota's, they make all sorts of noises.

popping when turning normally means cv joints.

Does your shifter bounce? Could be a bad tranny mount