Wierd clicking sound from driver side front tire area...

[87gninpa]

When turning either way, there is a very distinct clicking noise coming from the front driver side tire area, almost like the tire is hitting something plastic. got under there and everything look ok, tire, suspesion, etc...then i thought maybe wheel bearing, but they are all brand new along witht he pads and rotors about 3k ago......any ideas?

 

[FlyinGN]

control arm bushings shot??

 

[Topjimmy]

Check your inside wheel weights for signs of brushing against the outer tie rods. Very close to the wheel lip on some offsets.

Let Us Know - Jimmy

 

[need boost]

I second Jimmy, if your upper or lower bushings are worn then your tire might be leaning some and the weights are hitting when you turn . Look and see if the weights have ANY marks on them from hitting. I would almost bet thats your problem Daniel Ray

 

[87gninpa]

ill check that out today, but i just installed a complete front poly bushing set last summer......

 

[Mac in SD]

Two thoughts:
1. You don't have Weld ProStar wheels do you? If so, that happens a lot.
2. Wheel bearing.

 

[87gninpa]

its funny you mention that mac, the noise started when i put my welds on, but i have draglites, not pro-stars......what would cause this in the wheel?

 

[Topjimmy]

Welds have a tendancy to have loose centercaps; click, click, click.

 

[Mac in SD]

its funny you mention that mac, the noise started when i put my welds on, but i have draglites, not pro-stars......what would cause this in the wheel?

I've had the Welds for about 11 years, and they have always clicked, especially when turning. I even called Weld and they were aware of it, and said I could squirt graphite in there. It helped, but also leaked out and got the wheels dirty. Lots of people will confirm the "Weld Click." Annoying.

 

[turbosam6]

Rock in the tire tread?

Also I've owned many weld wheels and have never had one make a noise.

 

[Reaper]

Jack it up and tighten the lug nuts!

 

[BlackBeauty]

Jack it up and tighten the lug nuts!

I agree with Reaper... check it out!

 

[Reaper]

I agree with Reaper... check it out!

I lost a wheel on my jeep in traffice cause of that. i thought it was a loose tail pipe........... that could have been serious but it was not!

 

[daviss]

Check for loose center cap, especially if you run a wheel spacer. I had that problem with weld alumastars and actually had to put on Bogart centercaps to make it go away. All of the prostars I've had were noisy anyway.

 

[JDSfastGN]

like posted loose center caps are common. I assume since you just put the welds on there that the tires are new and everything, i remember a few years ago my sisters Z28 was doing that and it was because of horrible inner tire wear and the damn metal chord was starting to come through and clicking.

 

[soundguy]

seems like most forgot the first half of his original post. It clicks when he turns wheel. Centercaps, cord showing, and other similar causes mentioned would happen all the time, not when turning. More often then not a clicking when you turn the wheel is a bad tie rod. Usually when they go bad you will notice a slight to hard pull to one side if you let go of the wheel. Also the bad side will wear the tire oddly.

 

[streetknight]

Does it do it just while driving or will it do it sitting in park in the driveway?

Asking because I've been fighting a clicking that was causing huge amounts of knock counts on DS. Turned out to be the upper a frame bushing nuts were a little loose. you could bounce the front of the car and it would "click click" Tightend those and it went away.

It you have weld drag lites definately check you lugs. The way the unilug thing is made in the wheel it moves when there off the car. Mine made a noise for a while and the lugs were just a hair loose.

 

[Gary Wells]

Centercaps would quit making noise at some particular speed as the speed of the vehicle increased due to noise increase & inertia, the rotational speed of the wheel(s) would keep the caps from hitting the side, virtually the same as when a u-joint goes. For the same reason, you only notice a u-joint clicking when you are changing front to rear direction, or when going around a corner. When the vehicle goes faster, road noise picks up as does the inertia will now only allow the bad u-joint to travel a little, or none at all. It will self-center as speed due to the inertia of the u-joint.
HTH

 

[Gary Wells]

Centercaps would quit making noise at some particular speed as the speed of the vehicle increased due to road noise increase & inertia, the rotational speed of the wheel(s) would keep the caps from hitting the side, virtually the same as when a u-joint goes. For the same reason, you only notice a u-joint clicking when you are changing front to rear direction, or when going around a corner. When the vehicle goes faster, road noise picks up as does the inertia and will now only allow the bad u-joint to travel a little, or none at all. It will self-center as speed due to the inertia of the u-joint. And fwiw, I have on more than one occasion had a u-joint go out but it sounded like it came from the front end, so i chased a ghost for a while till I lookked at the u-joint. Put the vehicle in park and rock the vehicle from front to rear, or alternate putting the car into drive and then reverse very slowly, listen for the infamous click-click. U-joint click is reasonably audible, though, almost a clack or light clunk.
HTH

 

[Gary Wells]

Oops, sorry for the almost double post.