Whats up with the suspension on these Cavs!

I have a 2003 Cavalier and when I ride over bumps or turn right corners I get that clunking sound!!!!WHat the hell is doing this!???? I've taken it to several mechanics and they find nothing wrong with it??? Now the most recent thing that is pissing me off is squeaking, creaking, and grinding whenever i turn the wheel right or left in park, and the same noises when I am coming to a stop with vibration and pulsation in my brake and gas pedals! This is very annoying and worrying me since I drive on the highway everyday to get to work and I don't want something breaking that could cost me my life or my car, or lots of$$$$$!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone have any insight on this????? Please post as much as possible, as soon as possible!!!!!!!!

I have a 2003 Cavalier and when I ride over bumps or turn right corners I get that clunking sound!!!!WHat the hell is doing this!???? I've taken it to several mechanics and they find nothing wrong with it??? Now the most recent thing that is pissing me off is squeaking, creaking, and grinding whenever i turn the wheel right or left in park, and the same noises when I am coming to a stop with vibration and pulsation in my brake and gas pedals! This is very annoying and worrying me since I drive on the highway everyday to get to work and I don't want something breaking that could cost me my life or my car, or lots of$$$$$!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone have any insight on this????? Please post as much as possible, as soon as possible!!!!!!!!

that clunking sound turning right sounds like cv joint
well cavy's r notorious for not having a very smooth suspension

now the grinding could be brake pads or lack of lubrication in the suspension

also that sound when turning in park could be lack of lubrication or bad lower ball joints

about vibration could be motor mounts

now all these things im saying r only posible reasons

take some time to check em might be something really easy to fix tho

just take some time and make sure u find it good luck

you have warped rotors, possibly ovaled drums too. you need to replace the front rotors and pads. clunking sound is probably the age old strut mount problem. I had it and most people do but i have al 4 new strut mounts and now it's gone. not cheap though!

It can't be warped rotors or pads, or anything to do with the brakes because I have all new brakes in the front and back. I looked at it yesterday and it seems that the squeaking is coming from my rack and pinion system, preferablly my inner tie rod ends because when I turn the wheel right or left without it running I get the noise very loud coming from the boot that covers the inner tie rod ends. Is it just in need of lubricaiton if there is anyway to lubricate them? Or do I need to replace them all together? By the way I already replaced the outer tie rod ends because that is what a mechanic I had look at it said thats what was making the clunking noise. I am very upset about all of this considering the fact I have no warranty and if it is something major I am going to ge the shaft. It is hard trying to go to school and work a part time job and pay for the car, let alone consistently have things going wrong with it. If anyone has any insight on this feel free to post, I am in desperate need of help with this!!!!

Thanx

Like said before these are suggestions...im not a mech. not yet soon to be though but it sounds like the vibrations when stopping your car could be out of alignment...ive seen a car knock out of alignment by just clipping the back end of an animal so it dont take much...but like said before you make want to get the ball joints check and another thing that could be like qouted before is the rod and pinion becuase the cavs a recall on them not even a year ago....

Sounds to me like bad strut mounts. Gm hasn't fixed the problem yet. Rock the car side to side while feeling the upper strut nut. that's the big one in the middle top of the strut under the hood. If you feel it knock. Needs mounts. Also get someone to turn the wheel while you put your hand on the coil spring. If you can feel it winding up and jumping then you need strut bearings and or mounts. Pretty common. They also have a problem with the steering column coupler shaft losing it's lube and the slight play in the shaft can feel pretty bad.. kind of a bump bump bump while dry steering...Idle in park..left to right. you just pull it out and re lube it. Kit is available from your dealer $30. Now you should also look at the front lower control arm bushings. Mainly the rear bushing. look for the rubber seperating from the metal portion. this can also cause a clunk. let me know how you make out.

Question is where is this bushing exactly on the control arm? I am not that familiar. As for the steering column coupler...is this located right where the steering shaft connects to the rack or is it further u inside of the car. As for the kit...what does it include and is the job of lubing it hard? I want to make sure before I go taking things apart and have a mess on my hands? If i rock the car side to side I get a squeaking, crunching, grinding sound coming from somewhere by the strut or the outer tire rod end. Or could this be vibration from somwhere else that is traveling throught the tire rod end or the strut? This noise and sound are very annoying and makes me feel that something is going to break, a very uneasy feeling. Thanks for whatever input you can give.

Stock j suspension sucks ass. Nuff said.

I have an 03 cav with the clunk during corners. I took it to the dealer (1000 miles out of warranty)they said it was the strut bushings.Quoted me a $600 price on replaceing them. I havent had it done. They claimed it was safe but it will wear tires uneven if left too long.

Was looking the other day and noticed there is a TSB out on the 03 with a clunk during cornering as the discription and the cause on the TSB is the sterring intermediate shaft.

I have an 03 cav with the clunk during corners. I took it to the dealer (1000 miles out of warranty)they said it was the strut bushings.Quoted me a $600 price on replaceing them. I havent had it done. They claimed it was safe but it will wear tires uneven if left too long.

Was looking the other day and noticed there is a TSB out on the 03 with a clunk during cornering as the discription and the cause on the TSB is the sterring intermediate shaft.


Wow that is exactly what I hear, but I'm also getting noises from my rack and pinion or some other component connected to it. Thanks a lot for the info. Could you tell me exactly where you got the TSB from so I can go to the dealership and argue about it?

If you want to send me your email addy I will send you a PDF you can print out and take along with you. My address is scottfarcuz at yahoo dot com

meh well i think its your cv axels if your turning and it does that, thats just me tho

you have warped rotors, possibly ovaled drums too. you need to replace the front rotors and pads. clunking sound is probably the age old strut mount problem. I had it and most people do but i have al 4 new strut mounts and now it's gone. not cheap though!


Would you recommend replacing with the assembley kit that includes the bearings with the mount or just the mounts??? Mine is making bangs and even squeeking sometimes.

i say u just sell ur cav, get as much as you can for it, and get a honda or toyota...... a honda at 100k miles is more reliable than a cavy at 30k, if ur worried about having problems, get a more reliable car. its what im doing just my 2 cents

Sounds to me like bad strut mounts. Gm hasn't fixed the problem yet. Rock the car side to side while feeling the upper strut nut. that's the big one in the middle top of the strut under the hood. If you feel it knock. Needs mounts. Also get someone to turn the wheel while you put your hand on the coil spring. If you can feel it winding up and jumping then you need strut bearings and or mounts. Pretty common. They also have a problem with the steering column coupler shaft losing it's lube and the slight play in the shaft can feel pretty bad.. kind of a bump bump bump while dry steering...Idle in park..left to right. you just pull it out and re lube it. Kit is available from your dealer $30. Now you should also look at the front lower control arm bushings. Mainly the rear bushing. look for the rubber seperating from the metal portion. this can also cause a clunk. let me know how you make out. the steering colomn steering shaft you are referring to is the intermediate steering shaft re lubing is a waste of time and money (according to GM mech. it only lasts a short while) .if you are going to pull it out might as well put a new one in 100 bucks Canadian so it will be cheaper states side. I had mine done. that problem was solved. your discription for that was right on. just my :2cents:

Would you recommend replacing with the assembley kit that includes the bearings with the mount or just the mounts??? Mine is making bangs and even squeeking sometimes.

front mounts should come with the bearings. rear mounts are just one piece.

so if i get new struts and coilovers will this fix the notirous problem? or will i have to replace more shit?

new struts and coilovers wont fix the problem. strut mounts hold the two together and onto the car. they are the problem.

looks like this (front)
http://www.car-engine-parts.com/images/products/engineparts/l303034987kyb.jpg

^^ The creature stirrs... :wink:

Sup bud.

:screwy:im not a mechanic or anything but im with the dude about the ball joints. this happened with a friend of mine's car and it was exactly as you say it was, if it was the suspension it would only happen when the suspension moved unless he's only got 1 nut on his strut tower (and that would be really funny though wouldnt it?) although it could be your rack and pinion but it's definitely not breaks and rotors, why would breaks n rotors crunch when turning unless you are actually hitting the breaks around every turn? and yes cv axles do make a sound but not crunching more like a clock ticking really fast, most of the time when you are turning and just in case anyone thinks they can pull a fast one, it cant be the hub and bearings because that makes a rubbing sound, and only when you are going straight or turning opposite the direction of the side of the car of the bearing that is out. im sorry im just poking around, i know you are all knowlegable i just dont get the guy talking about breaks and rotors man... is he a salesman?!?!?:icon16:

Sounds to me like bad strut mounts. Gm hasn't fixed the problem yet. Rock the car side to side while feeling the upper strut nut. that's the big one in the middle top of the strut under the hood. If you feel it knock. Needs mounts. Also get someone to turn the wheel while you put your hand on the coil spring. If you can feel it winding up and jumping then you need strut bearings and or mounts. Pretty common. They also have a problem with the steering column coupler shaft losing it's lube and the slight play in the shaft can feel pretty bad.. kind of a bump bump bump while dry steering...Idle in park..left to right. you just pull it out and re lube it. Kit is available from your dealer $30. Now you should also look at the front lower control arm bushings. Mainly the rear bushing. look for the rubber seperating from the metal portion. this can also cause a clunk. let me know how you make out.
My problem is strut bearings and or mounts. Can I do the job myself, what I need special parets6

Thanks

My problem is strut bearings and or mounts. Can I do the job myself, what I need special parets6

Thanks

strut mounts is what you need part wise, compressor and impact gun, 13mm wrench and socket set, bloack of wood and hammer. if you're not sure best not to try, suspension requires you to know what you are doing it's pretty important stuff.