Do ball joints "pop"?

I've been hearing a metallic "pop" or noise when I hit a certain type of bump. If I hit a small speed bump, or frost heave directly head on I hear a small pop from the front right. But other bumps do nothing.

Buddy at work says it might be ball joints. Anyone have this happen?

Just curious.

Thanks,
N.

could be control arm bushings, strut, strut mount, ball joint, sway bar bushing or end link... any of those parts which move.

yeah it's weird... just started. So cold outside I can't even get under the car to check....

I had the same thing happen to me recently. Thought it was either the tie rod ends or lower ball joint. Turns out the one who installed my front strut bar was not tightened down on one side so the bar moved up and down on the non-screwed in bolts. Once fixed, I had no problem other than the fact the place that did my alignment (Big O) broke off one of my carter pins from my passenger tie rod end and did not notify me nor try to fix it (carter pin center was lodged in the bolt and ends were shaved off). Basically the nut was able to rotate thus falling off which could cause a catrostrophic breakdown. I found it while I tightened up the SB bracket and immediately replaced my tie rods. I have once again promised to let nobody but me work on my car unless I am there. F$*! O@# Big O!

warmer weather and the noise was gone.... Maybe ice getting where it shouldn't be.

I think I'll grease chassis.

If you've replaced the front struts recently, check under the hood that the nuts are tight holding the struts to the car.

THREAD MOVED TO: SUSPENSION & HANDLING

OEM struts I think... still work.

cold again and it's popping.... I need to investigate. looked at ball joints on bottom and they looked fine....

Odd

This reminds me of something my Riv has been doing since I've had it. When you turn to the left somtimes (Sharp turn) it makes a popping sound. I have no idea what it is but it's always done it and hasn't done anything other than made that noise. Sounds like something in the front end but I'm not sure what it is and I've looked around. Any idea?

Even after tightening everything I can hear a slight pop every now and then. Come to think about it, it happend before my suspension mods too...cold weather. Only turning out or in a parking place. slow speed and sharp wheel angle.

It could be loose steering parts. In that case, it would be more felt than something you hear, and it would only happen during a turn.

Shintsu wrote:

This reminds me of something my Riv has been doing since I've had it. When you turn to the left somtimes (Sharp turn) it makes a popping sound. I have no idea what it is but it's always done it and hasn't done anything other than made that noise. Sounds like something in the front end but I'm not sure what it is and I've looked around. Any idea?

The guy I am getting my Riv from said it was doing that when he got it, the dealer replaced the rack/pinion and solved the problem.

Bert

yeah it could be something like inner tie rods... replacing the rack would inherently include the inners.

Ah, so any idea what that's gonna run for parts and labor?

$$$$$$$$$

My friend had the rack & pinion replaced in his Dodge Intrepid. I think it was $800-900.

I would imagine you can have them rebuilt. I will be checking today.

I found the rack and pinoin with inner tie rod ends for 350. That is for the Magna- something pack and pinion. Option NV8 from the factory.

And I'm sure that's just for the parts. Hell with that, I'll just deal with the popping. Oh and I'd expect about that from an Intrepid. They cost a lot to fix everything on and everything does break. My cousin has one as well as three he's bought for parts (His house looks like an Intrepid graveyard).

Agree. Intrepid = biggest lemon of the 90's, maybe ever.

Amazingly, some years were good. Not sure of the method to that madness.

i have a "popping" in my right front. it feels like it could be part of the strut but i'm thinkin that its the ball joint. any ideas on how to diagnose?

Jack up front of car on the side you want to check with floor jack. Jack it so as to leave the lower control arm hanging. Jack just high enough to get a crow bar or other suitalble bar under tire. then lift up and down in a quick motion. If balljoint is bad you will feel the play (shouldn't be any) and possibly hear it. Also, while wheel is up off the ground grab tire at 3 and 9 o'clock position and move left to right, back and forth. This can expose a bad tie-rod and even a bad control arm bushing. It helps to have a second person on the ground looking at each component with a flashlight to see if anything moves an excessive amount. You really don't want to be able to see any play in any of the mechanical joints.

Typically ball joints don't 'pop' without you feeling it change in the suspension. I'd be more suspect of a broken sway bar end link (very common).

its been like this since i bought it and other than that annoying sound i don't notice any bad changes. is it bad to leave that unchecked?

Well, if the ball joint fails, your wheel could fall off, so you should check that out. Most alignment shops will do a 'free' front end inspection...

i can just have them check it out with no charge without an alignment?

Sometimes. Be ready for a heavy sales pitch though... "Oh, you shouldn't be driving this car until that xxx is replaced..." If you are going to do the work yourself, don't admit that until after they've inspected it already. Bring a more experienced mechanic with you if you can...


edit: don't admit at all that you are going to do the work yourself. Just say you don't have the money right now and need to think about it, or that you need to talk to your dad first, or something.

edit 2: If you can't diagnose this problem, are you confident about fixing it? What's your mechanical experience like?