Intermittent POP in the front end but can find NOTHING in the steering or busings so??

[Ascension]

Happens in a transition on a turn mostly when it's off camber a little. Just feel a slight shift and hear a pop in the front. Checked steering and all my bushings everything is in nice shape I can see and tight. I have had the car on a lift several times and darned if I can find any play or deteriorated bushings anywhere so??
Most would not notice what I'm speaking of but I do and it's bugging the heck outta me!!
What am I missing here?

 

[gsxr]

Double-check everything again for grins. I had a similar problem on my 400E recently and overnight the intermittent pop became a constant clunk... one of the inner tie rod ends (OE, unknown age) went from zero play to 5mm in less than 1kmi. The dust boot was intact, which makes it even stranger.

Anyway - also check all 4 sway bar brackets (and bushings), strut mounts, strut pinch bolt, and finally make sure the LCA eccentric bolt are torqued to the updated spec of 150Nm.

 

[Ascension]

Will do. What and where is this

and finally make sure the LCA eccentric bolt are torqued to the updated spec of 150Nm

?
Seemed to show up after the wheel tire swap also.

 

[gsxr]

Will do. What and where is this ?
Seemed to show up after the wheel tire swap also.

Double-check the wheel bolt torque also.

LCA bolts had been 120Nm spec, there was a TSB increasing this to 150Nm due to "knocking noises from front axle".

http://www.w124-zone.com/downloads/...ram/Chassis/Prog_Repairs/FrontAxle.pdf#page=2

 

[nocfn]

Might I add the bearings, properly greased and adjusted and also, the metal cover over the steering gear/tie rod junction. Lastly the idler arm bushing, check it with both wheels off the ground. Just the slightest loosness in bearing play and or idler arm bushing will give it away with wheels up. BTDT

 

[samiam44]

Spring can give a pop when it shifts. My 034 did that..

A little more explanation. I torqued and over torqued everything and to no end. We drove the car and the mechanic heard it- we put it on the lift and did a bunch. He got a long pry bar and we got a single pop and he thought the spring moved. Car has a new owner, so I'm not sure if it pops anymore. We did replace LCAs.

 

[gerryvz]

Might I add the bearings, properly greased and adjusted and also, the metal cover over the steering gear/tie rod junction. Lastly the idler arm bushing, check it with both wheels off the ground. Just the slightest loosness in bearing play and or idler arm bushing will give it away with wheels up. BTDT

+1 on the idler arm bushing. Often overlooked.

If that is the culprit...ONLY ONLY use the MB bushing kit, no aftermarket kit for this part.

 

[nocfn]

I used mb, and they were proud of it for sure!

 

[Ascension]

Double-check the wheel bolt torque also.

LCA bolts had been 120Nm spec, there was a TSB increasing this to 150Nm due to "knocking noises from front axle".

http://www.w124-zone.com/downloads/...ram/Chassis/Prog_Repairs/FrontAxle.pdf#page=2

Aftermarket wheels and yes the 1st thing I checked was the lug torque.

 

[Ascension]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Will be a week or so before I can get the car on a proper lift where I can really go over it. Will keep you posted.

 

[Ascension]

Spring can give a pop when it shifts. My 034 did that..

A little more explanation. I torqued and over torqued everything and to no end. We drove the car and the mechanic heard it- we put it on the lift and did a bunch. He got a long pry bar and we got a single pop and he thought the spring moved. Car has a new owner, so I'm not sure if it pops anymore. We did replace LCAs.

Sounds suspiciously like what I am seeing with a single POP when the car shifts weight.

 

[wf758]

Sounds suspiciously like what I am seeing with a single POP when the car shifts weight.

+1 in last couple of days. Always when turning and slightly off camber.


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[gerryvz]

Check the idler arm bushing for play -- it may need replacing.

Also check the seating of the front spring(s).


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[geraniumtr]

+1 in last couple of days. Always when turning and slightly off camber.

wf758: a front end pop or clunk "always when turning" is typical of worn sway bar bushings. Happened to me not too long ago in my E320. My other front end components are in excellent shape so I was stymied. I did some research which led me to these bushings. Did the bushings and noise is gone.

Regards,

Peter Weissman

 

[wf758]

Thanks Gerry and Peter. Now noticing under hard braking straight (loading front end). Going to check it this weekend.


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[gerryvz]

Any updates on what you found?!?


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[wf758]

I should have taken a picture, but didn't. When replacing my calipers, checked all the referenced parts. I've got new control arm bushings, sway bar bushings looked fine, and PO had put in new idler arms. I did find that the spring showed areas of wear on the top coil or two, where it was rubbing the housing of the seat. The spring appeared to have a slight bow in it. We bent out the housing a wee bit and problem solved (for about three days). Sound has returned, but with less frequency.

I think when the front spring is loading, the second coil is hitting that housing (due to the slight bowing). Anyone seen that before?

Thanks for asking Gerry.


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[nocfn]

makes sense, I will have a look and see if mine does that. Perhaps when one replaces spring pads, carefully cut the ring off the "OLD" pad that covers the circumference, extending the area covered within the upper perch. That way the entire portion of the spring is wrapped in rubber where the coil touches the metal upper spring.

Is this a sign of weak springs over the years?

 

[gsxr]

I think when the front spring is loading, the second coil is hitting that housing (due to the slight bowing). Anyone seen that before?

The coil spring bowing is normal on the 124 and may appear different from one side to the other. It can look quite scary, I've seen some which are barely a finger width space away from the strut tube. However, it's not likely related to your noise, unless the bottom spring coil is not fully seated in the LCA pocket... there should be near zero gap between the end of the coil spring wire and the LCA pocket wall. Klink may have more feedback on this.

 

[gerryvz]

Exactly what I was getting at with my prior comment re: spring seating. Thanks for clarifying/stating it better.


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[cole67]

I had the same problem last year after replacing LCA's; and re-seating the springs with zero gap fixed the problem.

 

[black-55]

Check inner sway bar brackets which has been told can crack under stress and make a popping sound when flexed