question for Gearworks

[g_lower]

well I am thinking that my problem is my ball jounts are worn out but I will see what you think...

well when I am driving and I turn left it sounds like my tires are rubbing on my wheel wells but I cant find any place where they might be rubbing.. I am using the stock 225 75 R15 tires. what do you think it might be?

 

[marine165]

Hmm...
Have you checked things like your front wheel bearing preload and such like that? I'm not sure that bad bearings would cause a sound like that, but considering their failure mode (wheel falls off) I'd say it is probably worth it to pull the wheel off and run an eyeball over at least the outer bearing (since you can get to it without taking the rotor off) to inspect it for spalling, surface fatigue failure, etc...
If your ball joints are bad you'd be able to tell by jacking your car up and wiggling vigorously on the wheel. If it goes clunk and moves around, it is probably a tie rod end or ball joint. In any event, you'd have a problem you need resolved.

Hope this helps!

Mike

 

[Charles]

I hear you on the wheel bearing. I had one self destruct on a 1971 Thunderbird I owned. Luckily I stopped the car prior to the wheel leaving. The only warning was a high pitched metal-to-metal shrieking noise. Althouhg I recall no noise prior to that, it would be a good idea to check them.

 

[g_lower]

well I will check the wheel bearings but, my drivers side tire leans in I am completely confused :rolle

 

[Gearworks]

if youre tire is leaning, odds are you got a ball joint going south on ya. as for the rubbing noise it could be a hundred different things. 1st fix the ball joints and see if it still does it.

 

[g_lower]

I checked for play in the tire that is leaning and couldnt find any :skep I will change the ball joints when I get paid next weekend... is there anything I need to know about doing this? Thanks Graham

 

[Gearworks]

2 words graham... SPRING COMPRESSOR!!

it looks like amonster task but take youre time and think it through, you'll be fine.

it maybe easier on you if you take the lower control arms to a shop and have them pressed out and the new ones pressed back in. they DO NOT come out easily!!

paul

 

[Charles]

ALWAYS ALWAYS a spring compressor. I saw one go through a front fender of a '72 Gran Torino Sport. The guy who did it became a true believer in the compressor method verses the 'All you gotta do is be careful with the floorjack' method.