Whats up everyone. Got a problem with my girls car and cant seem to figure it out. I'm thinking it might be the axle but not sure and want a second opinion. Car is a 1991 GS teg. It has been making noise when turning in gear for a while, i noticed that there was an axcessive amount of play in the differential when pivoting the axle, so i replaced the trans, and no more play. Noise is still there. Axle nuts are tourqued to 124 foot pounds. No play in the front end whats so ever, tie rods are tight, no wheel bearing play, no ball joint play. Lug nuts are torqued to 95 foot pounds. The noise is not a normal clicking noise from an axle, but is related to speed. I broke the passenger side axle launching at the track with the old trans, and replaced it with a new advanced auto parts axle about 6 months ago.

Recently It started making a new noise, it feels like the brake caliper on the front passenger is locking up, so I replaced the caliper. It will jerk the steering wheel clockwise when it starts acting up, and makes the car pull to the right. Problem is still there. It is very loud popping type of noise, It feels like a wheel wants to come flying off. I had a brake caliper on my accord go bad and it felt just like this. Could an axle cause the same kind of restriction?


Any one have any ideas?

 

a cv joint could cause the same problem if the joints inside of the housing are binding or sticking.

Does the steering wheel turn clockwirse/car lock up at random times when you use the brakes or after turning the wheel?

being autozone axles its possible you are seen premature failure, but you could also have a brake issue as well... I'm going to say your problem is in the axle being you said its making a noise.

 

Autozone axles don't have enough splines on them so your wheel bearings come loose. Not sure if this is your problem or not. Sounds more like a severe steering rack problem although I have never encountered that.

Also it caught my eye that you're over torquing the lug nuts. Spec is 80 ft/lbs.

Put the front end on jack stands and try to recreate the problem by turning the wheels by hand. Good luck.

 

I re-checked everything today. Everything is still tight, ball joints,tie rods, wheel bearings. The axle nuts have definatly not backed off any.


As far as the steering, is goes clockwise only when the noise happens. I have driven a little more today trying to isolate the problem. It doesnt seem to matter whether your in or out of gear. The noise doesnt seem to be affected by the brakes. As well as the brakes feel good, as far as operation, and pedal pressure.

I have had the car on the rack at work, lifted, and had a friend " drive" the car so I could watch below the car, but didn't notice anything. I figured it probably didnt act up because the was no load on the car.