whats that *SNAP* sound?, please HELP Options

[blackeclipse]

i recently put on new control arms including bushings and ball joints along with new inner and outer tie rod ends and my car does ride better........BUT every once in a while when im turning or downshifting and turning onto a small ramp or whatever ill hear a big SNAP from under the car....i'm guessing this is either the stabilizer links (with worn off bushings) or possibly(stupidly) could be the CV joints....... PLEASE HELP by telling me ANYTHING!

[BudmannG]

Usually when you here a popping in the front end while turning is CV shafts. Did you take them out to do the work? I would double check the equal shaft if it is awd. My mechanic had mine and done the bearings and didn't get the half shaft locked on to the equal shaft right. It stripped the shit out of the teeth on the equal shaft. Hope this helps.

[SCCA Stang]

if it were CV shafts it would be a clicking (multiple smaller snaps) while turning.... not one big snap.

I would say one big snap could be just about anything loose.... I say jack your car to the sky and look for anything halfway loose..... I would suggest going through your job again and make sure that all bolts that you touched are tight.... you might just find a broken end link or something, but piece of mind that shit isn't going to fall off is always nice too.

[turbohcar]

I agree with GSXRacer, it's not a CV shaft if it's one big SNAP. The last time I encountered something like that was while working on an 86 RWD domestic and that was because the rear sway bar wasn't tightened down all the way on the new control arms. Check the sway bar to see if it's loose and anything else you might think of.

[blackeclipse]

thanks alot guys... Vachon's Break Service in downtown Peoria told me that i could use some stabilizer links and bushings but i could only get them from the factory..so i am starting to think its not the cv shaft like you guys said...i didnt know the cv shaft would make clicks instead of a snap..thanks i also noticed that it seems to make the snap when being lunged or coming to a stop.. any more advice would be great too

[justooln2]

Hey dude I think its you lower control arm, jack it up pull the tire (assuming its only one side) get a large set of channel locks and start to try to twist all of the control arms. I am not sure what all you worked on but myself and a friend of mine had a similar problem,, do you hear any noises like a pop or clunk when you break just as the car stops and settles, usually in reverse. hope some of this has helped.. later and good luck

[blackeclipse]

thanks for your reply dude....i never really thought anything about the lower control arms because i assumed that since they were always straight (not being pulled down from it being lowered) that they wouldnt even be bad...but i will def. keep this in consideration...my only question is that it makes this pop sometimes when im goin slow, straight and on a smooth road...so i still have no idea what the exact problem is.......More advice would be fantastic!

[justooln2]

Ok um ya where do ya live, maybe go for a ride and hear it, sofar i have diagnosed like 3 different wierd sounds like yours and i am usualy on the money.. like where does it sound like it is comming from left mid right? fwd of eng or aft, here is another thing to try,, have a buddie try to look under nieth the car while you hold the brake (NOT E BRAKE) and thrtl the car kinda torque it a bit and see if anything moves more than it should there is only a few things that can make that kind of noise. it may be hard to see under the car. i understand but you can do the same thing on stands with no wheels on just make sure it is SOLID. Torque the car in FIRST AND REVEARSE.. ok hope ya find it and hope some of this has helped. have fun looking.

[justooln2]

OH ya can you feel the snap and if so do you feel it through the steering wheel or the floor board? can you get it to happen on demand? and if so have a competent friend ride in the passenger side and see if he can feel it through his feet to help feel it out..