Light banging noise

**Dadillac** · 01-13-2014

So yesterday my son says that the brakes are grinding. So after inspection, the front rotors, pads, and rubber brake lines were changed out. While doing the passenger side I noticed that the sway bar end link had lost the bottom nut, hit the lower control arm, and had been bent. So I changed out the two end links. Today he tells me the car is making noise. I took it for a short drive and noticed a light banging noise that can be felt a bit in the floor board. Seems to happen whenever the suspension compresses. So I do a "strut check" but cannot hear the noise. I got under the car and looked at all the usual suspects (control arm bushings, sway bar bushings, steering rack mounts, tie rod ends, ball joints, strut mounts). I feel that the movement I was seeing was minimal and normal. I could not reproduce the noise while the car was stationary. So I decided to remove one end link and told my son to drive it to see if the noise went away. He returned and said the noise was indeed gone.

So does this issue sound familiar with anyone? I do not feel like replacing parts until I get it right. If anyone has any info please share. TIA

Don

**Fivefingerdeathpunch** · 01-13-2014

What year car?

**Dadillac** · 01-13-2014

Sorry. 2004 GT

Don

**Scottydoggs** · 01-13-2014

check the sway bar bushing in the cap on the frame around the sway bar.

**ChrisL** · 01-14-2014

^^^^^^What he said. Don't just look at the edges. Pull the bracket off. I have seen bushing worn through in the middle where it's not visible unless you take off the bracket.

**Dadillac** · 01-14-2014

Yeah the bushings look in very good condition. But I guess that would be the least expensive place to start. I am just going to change them since once I remove them it just seems silly to not put new ones in. The car is 10 years old with 176k miles afterall

Don

**Dadillac** · 01-18-2014

So this morning I replaced the sway bar bushings with Moog poly ones. Noise is still there. So I just ordered AC Delco strut mounts. Hopefully this will solve the issue.

Another question. Just in case the strut mounts don't fix the issue I will be doing lower control arms next. It seems there are two types. Sport suspension and ride quality suspension. Is there a difference in the two control arms? Or are they interchangeable? The sway bar end link attaches to the strut on my sons car not the control arm. So if the difference is only a mount for the link then I should be able to use either? Would this be correct? Thanks

Don

**Dadillac** · 01-23-2014

Okay so I received the new strut mounts today. I purchased AC Delco parts that came with new bearings. Now my question. Do the other parts that are associated with the mount assembly usually go bad? The plastic ramp looking thing and the rubber cover specifically. I wouldn't think so but figured it would be better to find out before doing the tear down. TIA

Don

**Dadillac** · 01-24-2014

Seems like the issue is corrected. Changed the strut mounts tonight, well my son did with my instruction, and the noise is gone. I told him to drive it for a few days before calling it done though.

Don