I did a search and "no joy". I have been getting a lot of popping noise from the front passenger wheel on my '89 GT. I jack it up and the wheel seems "loose". Lug nuts are tight so I figure it's just a loose bearing. I attempt to tighten it a little and it is still loose. I take the bearings out and notice the spindle is brownish on the lower portion. I repack bearings. Use the torque wrench, while spinning the disc, put it all back together and find it is still loose. You can grab the wheel and shake it back and forth and it sounds/feels loose. Not good. Spindle worn out? What gives? Thanks for your response.
Front Passenger Wheel Loose?
- Thread starter Stangar
- Start date
bubba-dough
Active Member
Shakerhood
20+ Year Stangneter 
DMAN302
My mom says thanks for the pearl necklace.
If you can wiggle the tire up and down....balljoints are worn and need to be replaced, if you can wiggle the wheel side to side, then tie rods need to be looked at.
http://members.shaw.ca/Notchmustang/Balljoint.html
http://members.shaw.ca/Notchmustang/Balljoint.html
Roland69
Sergeant Tangnet
+1
spin your wheel and if it growles or spins for a long time the bearing is worn....the tie rods and ball joints are what you would feel if you were pushing and pulling on the wheel side to side and up and down.....I some times place my hands around the 1-2 oclock and 7-8 oclock and wiggle and that is the way I check for play in the wheel bearing.
iwashmycar
20+ Year Stangneter
i vote tie rods or ball joints. I think my spindles look how you are describing and they are fine.
also maybe check the struts
also maybe check the struts
Juiced87Notch
Member
I'd say its something loose in your steering or suspension , if you spindles were worn out, there would be severe scarring on the actual part that the bearing sits on, and you probably wouldnt be able to remove the bearing. the best way to check is to roll your front tires up on ramps, put jack stands underneath and put blocks behind the rear tires, then have a buddy shake the steering wheel back and forth, while you crawl under the frontend. wrap your hand around one of the outer tie rod ends as he's shaking the steering wheel, if you feel any movement, it needs to be replaced, same with the inners, wrap your hand about 1/2 way down the bellows boot on the steering rack, if you feel knocking and movement, the inner tie rod is bad. I'd also check the rack bushings to make sure there not worn, cracked or just missing all together, If all else fails, take it to a good trustworth alignment/suspension shop and have them look it over.
Juiced87Notch
Member
The above mentioned wiggle tests are pretty much the best way to verify the problem. I've never seen/heard tie rods "clunking," so my bet is that it's your ball joints. Hope you have a rental ball joint press and a BFW (Big Friggin' Wrench) handy to crank those suckers out/in with, man.
If it were tie rods that were loose enough to clunk around, you'd be feeling a LOT of slop in the steering - something like 4 to 6" worth of "dead space" or play in the steering's center point where you can move it back and forth and the car's direction doesn't change in the slightest.
If it were tie rods that were loose enough to clunk around, you'd be feeling a LOT of slop in the steering - something like 4 to 6" worth of "dead space" or play in the steering's center point where you can move it back and forth and the car's direction doesn't change in the slightest.
I greatly appreciate the comments. One thing I forgot to mention is that it is more likely to make the clunk noise when it is warm outside than when it's cold.
Seems strange but in the morning at 24 deg or so everything feels great and is solid. In the afternoon it has warmed to the 50's and the clunk kind of comes and goes. Thanks, again.
Seems strange but in the morning at 24 deg or so everything feels great and is solid. In the afternoon it has warmed to the 50's and the clunk kind of comes and goes. Thanks, again.
