Clunking when turning left

[88lance]

Hello everyone, my '02 Z71 Tahoe has developed a random clunking noise that can be felt slightly in the steering wheel, only when turning or cornering to the left.

First thought was inner or outer tie rods.

But when I had my alignment done last year he said all of that looked good (although that was 10,000 miles ago).

The Tahoe was in the shop for a new AC compressor last week, and they checked into the clunk, and said "it's your front sway bar bushings, they are bad".

So this evening I got under and checked things out. So the sway bar bushings and link bushings don't seem compressed really, but the bars are also not loose.

I noticed the inner to rods are very greasy on both sides, so I jacked up the front and tried move the tires by hand, but there doesn't seem to be any play in either side.

So now I'm kind of torn between whether it actually could be the sway bar links, even though they don't feel loose, but since the bushings don't seem compressed, or whether it is actually the inner tie rods even though they don't seem to have play, just because it makes sense that it does it cornering in one direction.

Would be great to hear some thoughts on this instead of just throwing random parts at it.

Thanks!

 

[tom3]

Could be a top ball joint? Alignment guy should have noted that but you never know.

 

[88lance]

Could be a top ball joint? Alignment guy should have noted that but you never know.

I'll check into that tomorrow, I'll take the tire off and see if I can feel any play in the uppers.

 

[dps01]

Agree that a good alignment shop should be able to pinpoint the issue.. Ball joints, tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm, wheel bearing, shock mounts… all can make intermittent noise.

 

[OR VietVet]

You said, "has developed" clunking noise but the alignment and inspection was 10k miles ago. When did it develop the noise? Before or after the alignment?

When you "jack up" the front end for inspection, if you are checking the entire front end, you need to lift off the ground and then set jack stands as close to both lower ball joints as can get and when you lower the vehicle down you want to have about 1" to 3" clearance at bottom of front tires. That puts the front suspension in a "loaded condition" and allows for proper inspection. Use a long pry bar at 6 o'clock under the tires and rock them up and down to check ball joints plays. Grab tires at 6 and 12 o'clock and check bearing play. Grab at 3 and 9 o'clock and check tie rod play. Sight inspect and push/pull sway bars and check the frame bushings and links. Check steering gear mount at the frame. Check for slop in steering shaft. Check all control arm bushings for splits and slop/play. Watch a few you tube videos and compare. Not just one video.

Also, be aware, when you turn left, that is when you would load the right side. Pay particular attention to any right side inspections. Best also, to have help with physical checks and eyes.

 

[88lance]

Thanks for the replies. The noise started awhile after the alignment, so it's something new that is unrelated to the alignment getting done it seems.
I was going to mess with it but didn't have time yet, but I should get to try some of these tests this weekend

 

[OR VietVet]

Thanks for the replies. The noise started awhile after the alignment, so it's something new that is unrelated to the alignment getting done it seems.
I was going to mess with it but didn't have time yet, but I should get to try some of these tests this weekend

Again, I would highly recommend having qualified help, checking this out. Moving tires to check for loose components can be real hard to allow for you seeing the problem.

 

[88lance]

The Tahoe goes back to the shop for an AC compressor whining sound on Monday, so if I can't see anything obvious when I check it this weekend, I already told them they may need to look into it.
I'll probably just let them go ahead and do whatever it is

 

[OR VietVet]

It they lift it and let all tires sag, they will be lucky to find it. If they use a drive on rack, they should find it.

 

[Mudsport96]

Just fixed an issue exactly as you are describing. It was a broken left front sway bar link.
Fine going straight or turning right. But, as soon as I went left, the end of the link would pop back down into the sway bar and make noise and could be felt in the steering. So easy to check, look at the sway bar end links.

 

[88lance]

Actually just replaced those, I noticed that the bushings were loose on it so I thought that may be it, so I replaced them last weekend.
Unfortunately that wasn't the case on mine, but it was probably good to get the bushings swapped out for some tighter ones anyway

 

[88lance]

Got to mess with the Tahoe over the weekend, and had someone watch the tie rods while I moved the tire.
When I was by myself, I could tell the tire would move but it was hard to tell what was moving underneath or if the opposite tire was just moving with it.
With someone watching they was able to verify that the inner tie rod on the driver side moves around a lot before it moves the other tire.
Neither tire seems to move up or down like ball joints.
So I went to RockAuto and ordered inner and outer tire rods for both sides. I'll swap those out next week, that should get rid of the clunking, unless I missed something.

 

[OR VietVet]

Got to mess with the Tahoe over the weekend, and had someone watch the tie rods while I moved the tire.
When I was by myself, I could tell the tire would move but it was hard to tell what was moving underneath or if the opposite tire was just moving with it.
With someone watching they was able to verify that the inner tie rod on the driver side moves around a lot before it moves the other tire.
Neither tire seems to move up or down like ball joints.
So I went to RockAuto and ordered inner and outer tire rods for both sides. I'll swap those out next week, that should get rid of the clunking, unless I missed something.

Pay close attention to the spots that the inner tie rods attach at the center link and at the knuckles for the outer tie rods. They have a tapered fit. You want to be sure that the tapers are not wallowed out. Clean and look. What you ran in to was exactly what I was talking about. Needing a second set of eyes.