Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
#1
Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
I just bought this 90 Civic dx as a winter beater, but the thing is that it has a b16a motor in it and 4 wheel disk
I took the car for a test drive when I bought it and there is something wrong with the front end.
You can kick the driver side tire, and it makes a noise kinda like its hitting something, a little more movement than it should have, also seemes to move more when you kick it in the rear
When driving there is slop in the steering wheel, you can move it a good bit efore you start turning
Also wen driving there is a thumping noise, its basically a constant thumping but it doesnt seem to change depeneding on speed. Isnt to loud but its loud enough and I think you can feel it
I havent had the time due to weather and work to jack the car up, but can anyone give me pointed on what it could be and what to check
Thank guys
I took the car for a test drive when I bought it and there is something wrong with the front end.
You can kick the driver side tire, and it makes a noise kinda like its hitting something, a little more movement than it should have, also seemes to move more when you kick it in the rear
When driving there is slop in the steering wheel, you can move it a good bit efore you start turning
Also wen driving there is a thumping noise, its basically a constant thumping but it doesnt seem to change depeneding on speed. Isnt to loud but its loud enough and I think you can feel it
I havent had the time due to weather and work to jack the car up, but can anyone give me pointed on what it could be and what to check
Thank guys
#2
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
My 89 dx had the steering slop. Turns out it was because it was originally a power steering rack that someone disconnected and ran as a manual. I changed the rack out for a manual one and the problem disappeared. Kicking the tires sounds like maybe bad hub bearings or ball joints.
#3
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
Well I jacked it up and pulled the tire off and everything appears to be in dam good condition
I couldnt feel any movement in the tie rod or any spots on the ball joint but I was only pushing and pulling in different directions, all of the little busing boost seem to be perfectly intact
The only thing I noticed and dont know if this is normal is that the rotor and inner part of the caliper move a good bit
There is one screw in the caliper but I dont know if its rotted out or not
And for the caliper, its the inner part of it that has a good 1/4" play in it moving it left to right, slapping on the rotor
Need help
Also, I dunno if this car has a maual rack to being with or not. The slop doesnt bother me, as long as I get this noise/thump fixed
I couldnt feel any movement in the tie rod or any spots on the ball joint but I was only pushing and pulling in different directions, all of the little busing boost seem to be perfectly intact
The only thing I noticed and dont know if this is normal is that the rotor and inner part of the caliper move a good bit
There is one screw in the caliper but I dont know if its rotted out or not
And for the caliper, its the inner part of it that has a good 1/4" play in it moving it left to right, slapping on the rotor
Need help
Also, I dunno if this car has a maual rack to being with or not. The slop doesnt bother me, as long as I get this noise/thump fixed
#4
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
Originally Posted by Turblow
The only thing I noticed and dont know if this is normal is that the rotor and inner part of the caliper move a good bit
And for the caliper, its the inner part of it that has a good 1/4" play in it moving it left to right, slapping on the rotor
And for the caliper, its the inner part of it that has a good 1/4" play in it moving it left to right, slapping on the rotor
The Caliper and rotor will move a little bit when the wheel is off. The lug nuts hold it in place. This could also depend on your brake pads and if there is any air in your brake lines. The caliper piston should hold it unless your pads is worn way down.
Originally Posted by Turblow
There is one screw in the caliper but I dont know if its rotted out or not
#5
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
Yeah I meant the rotor screw, only one was there, I know there pointless just thought Id mention it
Heres the real info:
I dropped the car so that the wheel was touching and you can grab the top of the wheel and push it inward, i dont know how much, not very much but you can tell there is play somewhere, and the rotor seems to move with it
Then when you release all the pressure you just pushed into the wheel pushing it forward, you can feel it fall back out of play and contact something
You can basically grab the top of the wheel and go back and forth a bit making a little bit of noise
Thats what I was feeling when I was kicking it I guess
Heres the real info:
I dropped the car so that the wheel was touching and you can grab the top of the wheel and push it inward, i dont know how much, not very much but you can tell there is play somewhere, and the rotor seems to move with it
Then when you release all the pressure you just pushed into the wheel pushing it forward, you can feel it fall back out of play and contact something
You can basically grab the top of the wheel and go back and forth a bit making a little bit of noise
Thats what I was feeling when I was kicking it I guess
#6
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
Also if it is a wheel bearing, does it sound like it is?
What do you do? Just buy the bearing? Or do I need a new hub?
I need to order this tonight so I can have it for tomorrow and do it
Thanks guys
What do you do? Just buy the bearing? Or do I need a new hub?
I need to order this tonight so I can have it for tomorrow and do it
Thanks guys
#7
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
go to a shop and get a winter service done for 40bux and when they tell u whats wrong with everything u say ok I will call u u dont call me, then u know whats up. this is pretty simple
#8
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
I don have that kind of time, I wanna know based on what Ive said what it could be
#9
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
if teh rear end is lose it will make the car slopy aswell. you realy need to get the car on a hoist and have a good look over, it faster and alot beter in the end to know everything
#10
Re: Front End Trouble - Steering Play, Knock when driving, turning. Diagnosis
rear end is fine, its the front left tire, you can physically feel it unjarring in the if you push and pull on it from the top
Would a wheel bearing cause that?
Would a wheel bearing cause that?