My front passenger wheel makes a sort of clunking/popping sound as I turn the steering wheel from lock to lock. It always happens at about the same position. I got out and had a friend turn the steering wheel, and I could see the wheel jerk just a little bit when the noise happened. Obviously something somewhere is binding up and the releasing when the pressure gets high enough. I haven't had a chance to get the car up in the air yet and look around, what shoud I look for? How do I test the ball joints? What else should I be looking at in there?

 

Epic Get your shop manual out and see what play you can have in your ball joints. For a 66 its .20 on the top and none on the bottom. It should be in there I know it is in mine. When your car is in the air you push up on the wheel and you will see the play in the top. If you want to change the joints Let me know it's EASY and I'll walk you through. Ricm

 

Thanks, lemmie dig up the book and get the car in the air, and have a looksee.

 

Do you have grease zerks on them? If so, hit it with an ample supply of grease to see if that doesn't fix it.

 

i would go with the grease option also not to be mean but alot of people overlook prober lubrication on their vehicles not saying you do that but i would def do the grease first

 

Some of them didn't come with grease zerks though. If not, I would drill and tap so that I could put in a 90 degree zerk.

 

Well, it's not the ball joints. The problem is the bushing on the piece that runs from the control arm up to the body. The bushing is all worn out, so it's rattling around. Anyone know what the name of that bushing is?

 

epic2112,

I believe you are referring to the bushing that fits in the idler arm bracket that is bolted on with two bolts to the inner front part (passenger side) of the frame. If so, this is the upper idler arm bushing. However, this bushing is actually part of the idler arm and is pressed fit. I had to replace mine a while back and had access to a arbor press at work to insert it. I don't know how to without one. They are not expensive, 10 bucks. Remember, their is a lower idle arm busing too. You can buy the whole idler arm assembly for less than 50 bucks if you do not have a means for pressing in the bushings. Also, the parts are specific to power or manual steering. Good Luck.

 

You're right, I found it in the NPD catalogue. Two questions: First, this is what is used for adjusting castor, right? I can't drive around with them out fo the car like I could if it were a sway bar, because the wheels will flop around everywhere, right?

Second, I have access to a press back in AZ (I am in NY right now). Is there any harm in driving the car across the country like this to save the money? Will it do more than clunk and maybe make my tires wear funny?

 

epic2112,

Sorry. From what you described I thought you were talking about the idler arm. It appears from what you have circled in the picture from the NPD catalog is the strut bushing kit. This does not have to be pressed in. However you have to seperate the strut rod from the lower control arm after removing those couple of bolts. They can be stuck on pretty good. You are correct about driving it. It will be sloppy response and effect tire wear. The strut adjustment is part if your front end aligment. Replaced both sides at the same time and get a front end aligment. Sorry about the wrong part referal.