check the cv joints?

 

In addition to a good inspection of everything, when you have the car jacked up, try and move the front wheels and tires by rocking them sideways and up and down. If they have some play in them, probably a ball joint. I had to replace an upper ball joint in my 99 Accord recently. Going over bumps it would make a small knocking noise, and if you drove very slow in a parking lot and rocked the wheel back and forth, you could hear it clanking softly.

 

I raised front wheels and I tried to rock them back and forth in all directions and they are not loose at all.
Rack and pinion I tested when vehicle was still and engine off. When I’m moving steering wheel I can hear knocking which I hear when I drive over bumps. I’m more than positive that knock comes from rack and pinion.

I think I should replace end link first and later investigate a steering problem.

What is the way to test struts?

 

That's how I tested and all my knocks happen at low speed. I'm confused

 

The only way to do it that I know of is to pull up on the fender (be very careful not to pull in a place that could rip things off) and have a friend put a finger on the top of the strut mount...if there is a popping feel or a popping sound when the struts are lifted up and down, up and down then they're blown or defective. That's how I finally figured I had a blown one after 2 painful months of listening to a knocking noise in my suspension.

 

Ok, I got my vehicle today from dealership.
That's what they say:
Advised customer of repair/needs:
2 front sway bar link kits =$165.00
2 rear sway bar link kits=$195.00
2 inner tie rod ends =$377.00
Left outer CV boot=$189.00
front brake job w/rotors=$426.00
wheel alignment=$95.00

Total=$1447.00. :jawdrop:



I know that brakes can wait. It is not a time for them yet.
I checked inner tie rod ends and they were not loose. :hsdunno:
Also, I didn't notice leaking CV boot. I will check it tomorrow.

I decided to start with end links, CV boot, and I'll see if I really need to follow this list to the end.

How hard is to replace inner tie rod ends?

 

It's easy as hell to replace tie rods if you have an impact wrench...I don't so a friend of mine did mine for like $20.

The price on everything is pretty outrageous...you can do most of that yourself for 1/10 the price with some time, patience and a $50 Helms service manual.

 

Woah. Okay, you say you need to replace your left front endlink...how do you know you need to replace it? If it is broken, what makes you think that it's not the source of your problem?

 

I'm about to order all the parts and it comes to $200.00 + shipping.

I don't have an impact wrench but I think I can find one.

 

I think it is a part of a problem because all that noise comes from different directions. From left, right, and middle of front end. Left end link is severely loose. That is going to be my first target.