I brake for nothing

Im getting some really messed up noises out of my 2001 Z06 and could use some help.

Symptoms :

Pop / clunk from front end when turning in parking spots or changing directions.

Wierd vibration/ pulse in the drivetrain even at very very slow speeds which has a pattern to it like a wheel going around, but at high speeds is more spaces out like 70% off 30% on and repeat every 2 seconds. I can feel this in my brakes and while cruising, coasting etc with the clutch in or out and even in the seat bottom and gas pedal .

Strange faint metalic grinding noise that comes from right rear wheel area which is noticeable with the radio off . One time after driving the car really hard and at HIGH speeds it was so loud and it sounded more like a rubber hitting something and repeated SQUEEEEk GRIND . . . . SQUEEEEK GRIND . . . once per rotation of the wheel. I MEAN LOUD !! but it went away. WTF do you guys make of this ??? One guy on site said it sounded like a wheel bearing but it was so rubbery sounding ( Tire isnt hitting I checked ) that I discarded his theory .

johnnyvettes

get it in to a shop up on a lift and have it looked at ?

I brake for nothing

I had it up on a hoist and was looking at everything , nothing "screams" out to me to be the problem . . . Im wondering what the symptoms of a messed up rear wheel bearing or half shaft are ?? I run drag radials and shift / launch pretty hard . . . maybe I messed something up

From doing some searches I think the noise in the front is either the sway bar end link bolts or the fact that my z06 has no front bolts in the leafe spring for mazimum drop.

DDsC5

I am getting the same sort of front end noise on my 99...especially on tight turn radius.(and over speed bumps etc) Let me know what you find out as this is driving me nuts too!!
thanks-DD

C5 KIDD

same problem here. been that way for weeks now. ive looked at all the obvious, and nothing seems wrong. but the noise is HORRIBLE!! you can feel it in the floorboard.

check your swaybar endlinks. chris's (stangkiller) was bad, and it made the same noise you are describing. im also thinking it might be the ball joint on the tierods??! i can actually duplicate the sound even when the car is stopped by just turning the wheel left/right. so mine has got to be in the steering somewhere i would think!! its always something!!

let us know how it goes.

boomer 33

You guys have any luck finding out what this noise was?

DDsC5

Well.... I had my mechanic at the Chevy Dealer go over eveything when he installed my Bilstein Sports....He had it on the alignment rack and after spending a couple of hours, told me that everything was tight, and he saw nothing out of wack. I am wondering if sway bar endlinks might be the culprit...I keep hearing guys talking about the bushings going bad. All I know is that when I crank the wheel all the way left or right, I can replicate this knocking noise EVERY time!! Very frustrating as there is definitely something amiss!!!
...Open for any good suggestions
DD

boomer 33

Thanks for the update. I have an 04 coupe with only 18,000 + miles on it. Just heard a similar noise for the first time this weekend. Twice when making a full lock turn crawling out of parking spaces and the one making about a 30 degree turn into a hilly store parking lot.

1-BAD-C5

mine had that problem,. check the height adjustment bolts,.. make sure the rubber bushing is still between the spring and the A-arm,.. mine made the noise because my rubber bushing had slid off and the metal end of the adjustment bolt was rubbing on my a arm. My .02 good luck

Vetish

Same problem, especially when turning LEFT....at under mph in my driveway. very irritating-but can't notice it otherwise, such as when I am on bumpy roads, speedbumps, etc.

Please let me know what you found it-just started on my 23,000 mile 2001-car has been quiet up to now-seems to early to be front end parts.

T

99FewteRC5

check the rack and pinion mounting bolts... may be loose...put a wrench on it....2 bolts hold it into the frame...

dude1579

I have a 2003 Z06 and a 2006 coupe with the same problem. They will make popping noises in the from the front end and it hops like I'm running over stones...especially when in reverse. Both cars have the same issue. They feel like bad U-joints in the front end, but I have no idea if the cars have such joints.
Any suggestions or ideas on what the possible cause of this irritating problem will be greatly appreciated. The 2003 has 55K miles and the 2006 has 25K. Thanks!

tbrowne

This is an old thread but I'll throw this in. The noise could be coming from the rear differential and can sometimes feel like the popping is in the front end. That's especially true when you hear a popping noise while backing with the wheels turned. The diff needs a limited slip additive after 40 to 50 K miles to keep the clutches properly lubed. Best practice is to drain and refill the diff with a high quality fluid that has the limited slip additive already mixed in or add a bottle of additive when refilling the diff. Any auto parts store will have what you need and the parts guys will know what you need when you tell them you want a limited slip additive. You need two quarts of oil shown in the link below. LS stands for Limited Slip that's already mixed into the oil.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/m...ontent=7070039

dude1579

Thank you for the prompt response. I changed the gear lube in both cars, but I inadvertently added LS additive and noticed afterwards that the synthetic gear lube I purchased already had LS mixed in, thus I may have over-medicated my cars' differentials. Is this excessive additive going to hurt my cars? Do I need to drain the lube again and only add lube without adding the LS additive? Any assistance is appreciated.

tbrowne

I think I would drain and refill. The excessive additive might not actually damage anything but there is a good possibility that the limited slip won't work correctly. That is you'll basically have an open rear end and only one tire will get traction under power.

JRODDVETTE

Definitely check those front spring adjustment bolts. Mine was making
the same popping noise at full turn of the steering wheel, slowly pulling into driveways or backing in/out of parking spots.

dude1579

tbrowne - thank you very much for your responses and suggestions. I will definitely drain and refill both of my cars. It appears that both cars are less symptomatic since I changed the lube, so this may be the cure to my problems. If not, I will try other suggestions, such as the one proffered by JRODDVETTE.
Again, thank you!

dude1579

I will definitely check the front spring adjustment bolts. It just seems kinda coincidental that both of my cars are having he same issue.

Thank you!