# Popping Noise



## Getyourgoat (Jul 1, 2014)

I hope someone can help me figure this out. I have a 1967 GTO that makes a popping noise that comes from the front of the car whenever I make a hard right turn while backing out of the garage. Once I'm on the road, I never hear the noise again. I have recently installed the following items...
Ball Joints (upper & lower, right & left side)
Tie rod ends both sides.
Sway bar links, both sides.
I also recently did a front brake conversion from drum to disc (that was fun).
I heard the noise before and after all of the above parts were replaced.
I also tried turning the steering wheel from lock to lock with the engine off and do not hear the popping sound.
Any ideas?:lurk:


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

The sway bar links that stand up at the lower control are are real close to the tie rod linkage when you turn all the way. You now have new rubber on those sway bar links, I have had mine just tip the top, and that is with new springs. Did you install new springs?

If not one possibility is that, new rubber on the sway bar tall connector on a hard turn.
Try stop to stop with engine running does it do it the? It may not when car is straight ahead, but when you turn hard right it leans, even at a crawl.


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## Getyourgoat (Jul 1, 2014)

Thanks for the reply. You may be on to something there with the springs.
I have 60 series tires that like to rub a little bit on the left front. I thought about replacing the springs or installing Mr. Gasket Super Coil Spring Spacer - part # 1287 to increase spring height. Here's a link, what do you think?

Mr. Gasket brand | Part #: 1287


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

Get, yes with the added tire rubbing info, I would say it is weak springs and rubbing top of sway bar link.,I would get new springs and not risers...

Because then you will just have old springs .....with risers!

If you can do springs yourself with a quality spring compressor, not a place for cheap tools, they are relatively inexpensive. MOOG springs from the local auto parts or one of the great Pontiac houses, Performance Years, NPD, Ames etc, even year one or Jegs or summit all supply those.

If you want a shop to do it price it out, with these classics you might even buy the springs and don't forget the rubber on top of rear springs and put them in the trunk and see if a local shop will install them at a good deal.

If bushings are original, good time to have that done as well.

Spacers will not help your ride quality and the old springs will continue to sag, old age, things sag. But springs are a very important part as you know and really are the absorbers of shock, while the shocks just stops the springs from oscillating! So not only a better ride height but better ride and handling with new springs.

Sounds like you did some great front end work, but alas one thing affects the other:banghead:


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Getyourgoat said:


> Thanks for the reply. You may be on to something there with the springs.
> I have 60 series tires that like to rub a little bit on the left front. I thought about replacing the springs or installing Mr. Gasket Super Coil Spring Spacer - part # 1287 to increase spring height. Here's a link, what do you think?
> 
> Mr. Gasket brand | Part #: 1287


Also sounds like it could bad A-arm bushings especially if only one of your tires rub and the other does not. I also assume you had your front end aligned after all the work you did in replacing parts? That should show up during an alignment. 

You don't want spacers. Just get the springs you need.


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## eeyore (Oct 23, 2014)

Check the two nuts on each side where the upper arm shaft is connected to the frame. They can work loose and the alignment shims can fall out.

On the lower A arms, check the through bolts for tight with the weight of the car on the wheels.


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## Getyourgoat (Jul 1, 2014)

I forgot to mention that I installed all new control arm bushings a couple years ago and they appear to be good as new. A couple of months ago, after the brake conversion and front end work, I did a ******* alignment with a string and some jack stands, just good enough to get it to the alignment shop without trashing my tires before I get there. I had each front tire sitting on to pieces of linoleum tile sandwiched together with grease in between the tiles. It made adjusting the tie rode ends a breeze and turning the wheels left and right as easy as it would be with the tires off the ground. I did a pretty good job I think as it drives a perfect straight line. I had the popping noise before I did any of this work and it continues to pop. Also, I never used a spring compressor when replacing the ball joints. I placed a jack about an inch below the control arm then removed the lower ball joint nut and then used a ball joint separating fork and smacked it with a heavy hammer. The ball joint broke loose and the lower control arm landed on top of the jack at which point I slowly lowered the jack to release the spring tension. Just as a precaution, I tied the spring to the control arm with a piece of chain so the spring would not come flying out if my jack failed. I think I will have a helper turn the steering wheel from lock-to-lock with the engine off while inspecting underneath to see if anything is hitting anything or if it is in a bind somehow. I did that same test when doing the ******* alignment and everything looked good as I recall. Maybe I missed something. When doing the test last time I don't remember hearing a pop, but then again I don't recall listening for it either.


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

Good idea, love the homemade slop plates, grease between two tiles...

Now that is ingenuity! Should work like turntable. I think your springs are suspect. I used moog station wagon springs on the rear of my hardtop, I thought the original ones rode too low for me. Those raised it an inch or so, I like it better, more even and a hair stiffer


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## Getyourgoat (Jul 1, 2014)

PontiacJim said:


> Also sounds like it could bad A-arm bushings especially if only one of your tires rub and the other does not. I also assume you had your front end aligned after all the work you did in replacing parts? That should show up during an alignment.
> 
> You don't want spacers. Just get the springs you need.


If I'm going to replace springs, I guess I should do it before I get an alignment.
I wonder where springs are made, probably China.
Do you think all spring manufacturers are the same?
Who makes the best?


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Getyourgoat said:


> If I'm going to replace springs, I guess I should do it before I get an alignment.
> I wonder where springs are made, probably China.
> Do you think all spring manufacturers are the same?
> Who makes the best?


Isn't everything made in China?:wink2: I don't know as there is a "best" spring manufacturer more than it is branding that we feel most comfortable. Even that has no guarantee because these parts are not factory GM produced, so fit and finish is not always up to par. I am using the front coil springs that are for a 1970 Chevy El Camino, Moog number 5400. I want to raise my front end up high. They have a free height of 17.06" with an installed height of 11" (Installed height is with the weight of the car on it). The spring bar size is 0.66", spring rate 358 lbs/in, and load rated at 2167 lbs.. The differing Chevelle blogs say the 5400 El Camino spring will raise a Chevelle 1.5 inches higher than the stock Chevelle springs they used. I have lightened my front up by using a 1 piece fiberglass nose, so my car should sit even by higher taking advantage of the taller free height. Haven't installed them as I'm still nowhere near that stage of my build yet.

I got mine at AutoZone, part # FCS5400S, and cost $109.99 for the pair. They are not sold as Moog, but Duralast. From what I gathered on the internet, Duralast is the Autozone brand name for other manufacturers parts. They re-box them, so they could be Moog, or TRW, or something else. 5400 is a Moog number for their front springs, so they might be Moog or not. They do have a lifetime warranty, so how bad can they be?:thumbsup:


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## Lemans guy (Oct 14, 2014)

Pontiac Jim is right, can't be that many makers of Springs for these cars.....bug Moog is likely the original manufacturer. Eaton Detroit Spring is a place doing it for years that has some top quality stuff, but may cost a little more. I think I paid $25 each for rear Moog springs.......some places even give them free shipping....


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## Getyourgoat (Jul 1, 2014)

PontiacJim said:


> I am using the front coil springs that are for a 1970 Chevy El Camino, Moog number 5400. I want to raise my front end up high. They have a free height of 17.06" with an installed height of 11" (Installed height is with the weight of the car on it). The spring bar size is 0.66", spring rate 358 lbs/in, and load rated at 2167 lbs..


Do you know the specs for the originals that came from the factory for my 1967?
I don't want to raise my front end any more than what it takes to keep tires from rubbing. My tires are BF Goodrich Radial T/A P235/60SR15 M+S 98S.


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