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Clicking frontend in a 2wd????

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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 01:35 PM
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From: Port Crane (Binghamton) NY
Clicking frontend in a 2wd????

What could possibly be clicking in the front end? I know u-joints do this when they go bad, but im neither 4wd or Fwd. It is directly related to wheel speed, im thinking bearings and races??? Worse when I turn to the left. Heres the best part:
Stack project: $400
Full tank of fuel: $80
ALL BOUGHT TODAY!!!
and now I click!!!!
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 01:44 PM
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Possibly a cracked brake rotor sometimes caused by rusting from the inside out?
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 01:45 PM
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If it is the bearings they are only like $30 a side from Autozone. I just replaced mine the other day with the front brakes.
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 02:35 PM
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From: Port Crane (Binghamton) NY
thats good to hear they arent too much.
A cracked rotor however, that kind of would make sence. It goes away when the brakes are being engaged (stepped on). I'm going to go install my stacks, yep 2 of em! n when I finish that project im going to investigate the click, im hoping to hear back from some reinforcements (Greg: G1625S)
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 03:36 PM
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From: SW Pennsylvania - Greene County
You might want to check the caliper mounting bolts too. Have you looked at the pads lately?
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 03:51 PM
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If you have wheel covers, a piece of gravel in there will make some weird noises.
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Old Dec 22, 2006 | 05:41 PM
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Check your lower control arms carefully, they're known to crack. I had a clicking sound once, my steering box bracket was cracked, but that was on a 4x4.
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Old Dec 23, 2006 | 12:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Cowboy_Customs
What could possibly be clicking in the front end? ... im thinking bearings and races??? Worse when I turn to the left. ...
I'm with you (bearings) since it is related to wheel rotation (tho it could be brake. That is ez to tell, (usually changes pitch or goes away, or you can feel in the pedal with application of brake)

Part of our 'old school' PM when I was a rookie truck driver in the '70's
was to have someone walk beside the front wheels listening for clicking while we slowly drove around the yard, and did full turns Left and Right. I preferred to run this test BEFORE heading out across Wyoming, SD and Nebraska on a cold winter night. (in my 63 Studebaker with factory 4-53 Detroit, and 3 million miles..., nicknamed 'the dinosaur')

I still test my Front CV's and bearing this way on my VW fleet. I even made up a long hose with a 'rare earth' magnet, that I can attach to brake backing plate or A-Frame, and listen for clicking while I test drive, since it is tough to find someone to run 30 mph beside the vehicle and listen. (kids left home...)

The 'left turn' noise would indicate a right outer, or a left inner bearing, tho I got fooled recently and changed both frts, and later found 'left turn growl' to be a right rear bearing (and (of course) a much cheaper bearing than the frts...on my 'car' application... ) It could just be that they are loose, better to catch sooner than later.
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Old Dec 23, 2006 | 11:11 AM
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From: Port Crane (Binghamton) NY
Hmmm..... This sounds like it'll be a fun one to figure out. Greg (G1625S) and myself are going to see what we can come up with today. It just started all at once too, nothing gradual about it. I stopped n got some parts, and as soon as I pulled out of the driveway at Cook brothers it started this clicking noise.
I dont know just how much truth there is to this....... but i have heard that a Posi rear end will kick out to one side or the other when u break the tires loose, well I can do that easily, and the clicking is kind of like a gear locker in a turn, I do not feel it in the steering wheel, but rather in my feet in the floor board, and can obviously hear it.

I will try the "walking person" method today n see what we can dig up. I do have the, infamous, "death wobble" but not consistantly though. Plus i need steer tires pretty bad too. She's got issues, But it was SUPPOSED to have been parked for the winter by now! (the ford diesel is still down)
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Old Dec 23, 2006 | 09:17 PM
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From: Port Crane (Binghamton) NY
Well, I pulled off the left front wheel n had a good look at everything, I didnt find anything. However, the clicking is gone. ???????
By the way I do not have the simulators. I amost bought some the other day too.
What is a good maybe best brand of bearing, n seals. Im going to rebuild/replace that stuff anyway. Thanks!
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Old Dec 23, 2006 | 09:34 PM
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Regular parts store stuff should be fine. Just get seals and do some exploring before you buy bearings. If the bearings look good they are fine for reuse, just clean and repack with good high-temp wheel bearing grease - and don't fill the whole thing up with grease.
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Old Dec 23, 2006 | 09:35 PM
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BTW, Summit Racing has the best price on the simulators. Get the ones that go under the lug nuts.
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Old Dec 23, 2006 | 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by janb
(in my 63 Studebaker with factory 4-53 Detroit, and 3 million miles..., nicknamed 'the dinosaur')


Man, you must be old as the hills.
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Old Dec 24, 2006 | 08:01 PM
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Originally Posted by BearKiller


Man, you must be old as the hills.
Easy there pup, My second car was a 1951 Chevy Tudor Sedan that I bought in 1966. It had 27,000 original miles on it when I went into the Navy and had to sell. It was one that I needed to fill the crankcase and ckeck the gas.
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Old Dec 25, 2006 | 10:22 AM
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exhaust leak

Have an exhaust leak , not real bad and I had it in the shop twice. Cannot find. Here is the problem, it only leaks when it is cold and stoped for a couple of minutes. I think that it may be where the exhaust pipe connects to the turbo. Any ideas?

Charliex25
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