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What type of sound does a bad tie rod end make?

MalibuLX3

New member
Joined
Dec 24, 2011
Location
Arlington, VA
A little background information:

1992 Volvo 240

I replaced the tie rod ends and ball joints on my car about two months ago. All OE Volvo parts from Tasca.

Everything went fine, I got a alignment after the work and the car drove perfect, no noises or anything.

Then, a month went by and I decided to do the rest of the front suspension. I replaced the strut mounts, added strut mount reinforcement plates, and replaced both front and rear control arm bushings. Once again, all OE Volvo from Tasca. Did not replace the sway bar end link bushings as the original ones looked and felt fine.

Everything went well. I removed the control arms and had the bushings pressed in professionally at a shop. The only thing that might be worth mentioning was that when I was removing the tie rod end on the drivers side (I think, can't remember which side for sure), I first tried to just spin the nut off with an impact wrench. The tie rod just spun in the socket of the tie rod end. When I realized the nut wasn't coming off that way, I pulled out a box end wrench for the nut, and held the tie rod still with a small open end wrench. The nut came off, but now I'm wondering if I trashed the tie rod end by spinning it with the impact like I did.

The issue:

I'm now hearing a creaking sound when I go over bumps and sometimes when I make slow turns in a parking lot. Also, a noise came be heard when the car is sitting on the ground, and you wiggle the steering wheel back and forth fast, but not actually turning the wheels at all.

All the rest of the new parts went in without any issue whatsoever. All OE Volvo parts and rubber bushings. The control arms were properly torqued with the car sitting on the ground and the suspension reset.

The only thing I can think of is I messed up that tie rod by spinning it in its socket, but I don't want to just throwing parts at the car for no reason.
 
A little background information:

1992 Volvo 240

I replaced the tie rod ends and ball joints on my car about two months ago. All OE Volvo parts from Tasca.

Everything went fine, I got a alignment after the work and the car drove perfect, no noises or anything.

Then, a month went by and I decided to do the rest of the front suspension. I replaced the strut mounts, added strut mount reinforcement plates, and replaced both front and rear control arm bushings. Once again, all OE Volvo from Tasca. Did not replace the sway bar end link bushings as the original ones looked and felt fine.

Everything went well. I removed the control arms and had the bushings pressed in professionally at a shop. The only thing that might be worth mentioning was that when I was removing the tie rod end on the drivers side (I think, can't remember which side for sure), I first tried to just spin the nut off with an impact wrench. The tie rod just spun in the socket of the tie rod end. When I realized the nut wasn't coming off that way, I pulled out a box end wrench for the nut, and held the tie rod still with a small open end wrench. The nut came off, but now I'm wondering if I trashed the tie rod end by spinning it with the impact like I did.

The issue:

I'm now hearing a creaking sound when I go over bumps and sometimes when I make slow turns in a parking lot. Also, a noise came be heard when the car is sitting on the ground, and you wiggle the steering wheel back and forth fast, but not actually turning the wheels at all.

All the rest of the new parts went in without any issue whatsoever. All OE Volvo parts and rubber bushings. The control arms were properly torqued with the car sitting on the ground and the suspension reset.

The only thing I can think of is I messed up that tie rod by spinning it in its socket, but I don't want to just throwing parts at the car for no reason.

That sounds like strut bearings to me.
 
look on the "frame rails" on BOTH SIDES of the engine bay....two
largish hex headed bits of kit...(19mm IIRC)..20 odd in extension
and a 1/2" square drive socket and 24" breaker bar...snug them down
you'll be glad you did (they are the SUBFRAME MOUNT BOLTS)

check also to ensure your SPRING PERCHES are correctly oriented
(a common "slight miss" on front end assembly) - the spring "creaks
in and out of index w/the shaped perch"....
 
That sounds like strut bearings to me.

I hope not, as these were brand new, and OE. That would suck...

look on the "frame rails" on BOTH SIDES of the engine bay....two
largish hex headed bits of kit...(19mm IIRC)..20 odd in extension
and a 1/2" square drive socket and 24" breaker bar...snug them down
you'll be glad you did (they are the SUBFRAME MOUNT BOLTS)

check also to ensure your SPRING PERCHES are correctly oriented
(a common "slight miss" on front end assembly) - the spring "creaks
in and out of index w/the shaped perch"....

I'll check out the mount bolts you mentioned, thanks! However, could you further expand on the orienting the spring perches?
 
For the noise with the wheel, have someone listen under the hood while you turn the wheel? It's not uncommon for the steering column u-joint to have a bit of play. Not be 'bad' but have 1-2* play, just enough to make a bit of a sound. EVERY time I buy a new car, I borrow someone and check this, solely so that, in the case of diagnosis, I know what it sounds like.

When you installed the control arms, did you do so with the suspension compressed? Installed properly, the bushings should actually want to try to hold the wheel assemblies up when the car is in the air, because it'll be the stressing point. If you do not install the bushings with the suspension compressed, normal ride height will be the stressed position.
 
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