i have a 92 camaro RS305TBI...lately ive noticed that when im making sharp turns, either by backing up or making a u turn i can hear loud popping noise comming the front of the vehicle, sometimes i can even feal it in the stearing wheel...does anyone know what it could be .
thanx

 

Well, since you say you can feel it through the steering wheel, I'd check out the steering linkage. Idler arm, centerlink, tie rods, you get the picture. Also - maybe balljoints? I know I get a popping sound now and again, and I *know* my BJ's are toast...

 

You have the infamous frame crack! Get it checked asap!

Right next to where the steering box bolts onto the frame rail, probably underneath, you will find it is cracked, looks like a split in the metal. Best way to see it is to put the car on ramps, (not on stands, suspension needs to be loaded) get a good light shining on it, and have a friend turn the steering wheel back and forth a few degrees. Don't let them really crank on it a lot, because the car might work itself off the ramps with you under it (definitely bad!)

Alternatively, bring the car to front-end alignment shop and have them show you. I guarantee they will know exactly what to look for!

That is one of the problems associated with these cars unfortunately. Fortunately, it's not all that difficult or expensive to fix. Get someone good at welding to fix you up, and you won't have any more problems!

Hope this helps...

 

WOO Now!! Let's not go scaring the guy into thinking his frame is cracked. Everytime someone mentions that there car is making a poping noise, someone else jumps in and automatically assumes that it's their frame that's cracked. Before settling on the worse possable reason check your ball joints, If there was a chance of it being the frame the sound would only be coming from the driver side, and the cracks usually develop around the mounting area of the steering box. Jack the car up and take a look around in this area and see if any cracks are visable.

I use to develpe the same poping noises in my 91' , but I would get them from both sides when making sharp turns during parking lot speeds. I found that it was the steering stops. There is a part of the wheel spindle that contacts a steering stop on the A-arm on both sides, These contacts should be coated with a thick grease. I used some left over ES grease that I had and the problem went away.

 

I get a similar knocking noise..... and it was suggested that it was most likely my ball joints which in fact are loose considering that everything else on my front end has been replaced. It knocks when making sharp turns..

 

It could be ball joints. But just because a Poping sound developes, we shouldn't just automaticaly assume it's the frame being cracked. Take into consideration how many miles are on the car and what your driving habbits are like.

I've also heard that you can get a poping sound from worn strut mounts. The poping sound I had came from the wheel stops.

 

check out your ball joints with the weight on the control arms.

 

well when my ball joints were toast they would pop flying around corners struts were shot to so that might have helped with the pop I dont know 1.5 hours each side to replace struts and ball joints not hard

 

would that sound almost like a rattle? I got a bd - almost rattle kinda popping noise coming from FR side...

 

I had same thing, turned out to be ball joints. then a few months later a very faint popping noise, mainly felt through the steering wheel, and usually when turning left... that was the idler arm.

go with Moog stuff if you can, few more bucks but well worth the insurance... they make great products.

 

ok i need to add to this. i have a similar problem with my '87 Formula WS6. but i seem to get the LOUD F***IN POP only on hard stops and not every time then, what is causing this?