Clicking/ Popping sound while steering

[pwest15]

Hey y'all, recently this issue started occuring and it's been bugging the hell out of me. I replaced all of the front control arms and inner and outer tie rods about a month or two ago and got an alignment. About a week ago, when turning at low speeds, this horrible clicking and popping sound started happening. I also got popping sounds going over bumps so I just replaced my sway bar end links tonight with the solid 034 ones. Still getting the pops and clicks while turning...

I'm not sure whats causing it. I was able to get the car up in the air tonight for a little. I pulled the wheels and had the lady turn the wheel to see if I could see anything but the sounds weren't happening while the suspension was under load. Can't really load it up and turn the wheels at the same time so I'm not sure how to figure out what's going on. If anyone has any input, it would be greatly appreciated. I'll attach a video of the sound but it's hard to hear over the fans and the motor



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[Lucca M]

Check subframe bolts and bolt that holds the upper control arms in the knuckle. Had the same issue

[AllroadMass]

Not saying you're did it wrong, but just playing devil's advocates here. When you tighten the lower and upper control arms, did you do while the suspension was under load? If you tighten them up while the suspension was hanging in the air, then your bushings are junk. Get in the suspension with a flashlight and see if the rubber bushings are still intact and there's no rips,etc.

If you did them right and tighten all of the controls arms under load, then it's probably what Lucca M said. Upper control arms and tie rod ends will give you that click/pop noice. My wife's allroad was doing something very similar while turning at low speeds. Turn out to be the upper outter control arm ball joint and outter tie rod end.

Easy way to find which ball joint is bad. Jack up the car so that the wheels are a few inches off the ground. Grab the wheel at 9 and 3 oclock, push and pull at those points and vice versa. That will exert some force on the tie rod ends and if it's bad, it will click/pop in and out. Next grab the wheel at the 12 and 6 oclock position, push and pull at those points and vice versa. That will exert some force on the upper and lower control arm ball joints.

[jakeoboy67]

have you thought about the rack bolts coming loose and causing that popping sound ?

[jettaowner718]

Replace Axles


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[pwest15]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Few things, the axles are brand new and there is zero noise when I turn on them at full lock as long as the wheel isn't changing direction so the CVs are good. All three steering rack bolts I checked and they seem tight enough. The tie rods are brand new and so are my 034 Adjustable upper control arms but I'm thinking it is the upper control arms after all. I would've noticed if they pinch bolt was loose or the arms weren't seated properly but I would bet that it's a bad aurora ball joint or whatever they call it. On Tuesday I have a little time to jack it up and check the wheel for play so I'll report back with what I find

[AllroadMass]

Did you ever find out what the problem was?

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[pwest15]

Did you ever find out what the problem was?

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Unfortunately I have not. It's very hard for me to find time to work on the car because I have to drive about an hour and a half to get to my dad's garage to do anything. I did get down there again a few weeks back and I basically checked everything that I could. All bolts were torqued while the suspension was under load and I double checked them all so I'm sure it isn't anything I installed unless the 034 adjustable control arm joint just happen to make noise because of how they're designed. I didn't get a chance to look at the tie rod connections to the rack and I have a feeling that may be contributing to the problem because the tie rods are the only piece that the alignment shop installed so perhaps they screwed it up. I meant to check the sub frame bolts too but I didn't get the chance, although I don't think the shop would've touched them to do the alignment but who knows.

Kind of a frustrating issue because of the noise but the fact is that it doesn't affect the driving at all or the steering feel or anything, it's just a little stress-adder that's unnecessary. Perhaps next weekend I'll have the chance to go to my dad's place and take a look but it just sucks that I barely have time to work on the car unlike how I used to.

[oasis]

Did you ever figure this out (I know this is old :))?

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[Golfingewok]

99 percent sure it's the CV joint in your axle. I think your mind is going to all the work you just had done and overlooking the obvious.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh it's 2 years old lol.

[Jdsb6s4]

Waddup Phil!!. If the sound is coming from the front of the car its gotta be your subframe.. I had the "creaking/popping" sounds from the front of my car on bumps and low speeds and then I swapped out to a used (low mileage) subframe and the sound was gone ( well before the manual swap)... I have read into this before and it has something to do with the pinch folds getting loose over time... However, some of my buddies get some sounds off their end links from 034.. Just trial and error brother!!

[mtwallace85]

I’ve been tracking down this noise from the front right of my car for about 3 years now. Welded the subframe, replaced every suspension piece and tightened everything down including the 3 bolts for the steering rack, replaced both axles, replaced the brake pads, tightened the calipers, tightened the rotor to hat bolts, bled the brakes, replaced the bearings, and checked just about everything I can think of. Somebody just suggested it might be a busted abs sensor causing the car to think it’s skidding so I just bought a new one and will be replacing that. Hoping that stops my issue. I’ve had 3 shops (JHM, Avalon Motorsports, and 3Zero3 Motorsports) attempt to find the issue and all 3 came up short.

[pwest15]

Damn, this thread's like 2 years old now. Def missed the boat on updating but I don't get on here much anymore. Yeah I took my 034 UCAs off and replaced them with some SPC ones like a year and a half ago. No more noise. I get tiny clicks here and there but it's just from the heim joints in my 034 end links

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[oasis]

Waddup Phil!!. If the sound is coming from the front of the car its gotta be your subframe.. I had the "creaking/popping" sounds from the front of my car on bumps and low speeds and then I swapped out to a used (low mileage) subframe and the sound was gone ( well before the manual swap)... I have read into this before and it has something to do with the pinch folds getting loose over time... However, some of my buddies get some sounds off their end links from 034.. Just trial and error brother!!

Tightening the loose subframe bolts seems to have stopped the low speed turning/reversing popping. The dealer mechanic was the last one to touch it smh. BTW, anyone know if these bolts are tty?

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