Clicking/ticking from drivers side

[drndrn]

Hey guys,

Been searching for a while for what may be causing this issue I have with my car, there's a ticking/clicking noise being emitted from the front drivers wheel when moving at slow speed (mainly reversing), with lock on and is made even more obvious when on a surface with an incline/decline.

The two possible issues I've found is it's either my CV joints or my center diff.

The reason I think it's the center diff is that I recently borrowed rims from a mate and failed to check the tyre sizes and only now realised that the tyres had different rolling diameters, which is a common cause of diff failure. However, the sound is only coming from one side of the car and is only emitted at slow speeds where as I've read that diff failure is evident when moving at speed too.

Anyways, here's a vid of the sound, any help would be appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn0EOVQVh1s

Darren.

[cruisn]

Id pretty confidently say CV as you have the common symptoms.

How much different were the rolling diameters?

I still say CV though.

[drndrn]

It wasn't much, front tyres are 215/45 rears are 225/40. But the fronts were much more worn than the rear. Fronts prob had about 30% left, rears prob had at least 80%.

I got under the car and had a quick snoop around this evening and saw no tears in CV boots or any grease or anyhting that may suggest the CV joint..

[cruisn]

Those two tyres sizes are 2% different in overall diameter, even worn I dont think it will make too much of a difference.

[drndrn]

Ahk, lets hope you're right. I'd much rather replace a CV than a diff.

[tkboi]

i dont think it would be a diff, from what I can see it could be a strut (loose bolt or something) or control arm problem (bush or something loose?) because when my CV joint went it made bit of a different noise then that =/ i could be wrong though haha

[drndrn]

Definitely not strut bolt, possibly control arm bush?

[sikvibration]

yep def sounds like the cv joint is gone my old 97magna did it under lock 180 bucks later was fixed my liberty thos has a weird scraping sound comin from the front left brakes

[cruisn]

a weird scraping sound comin from the front left brakes

Down to the pad wear indicator? Stone stuck in pad?

[sikvibration]

a weird scraping sound comin from the front left brakes

Down to the pad wear indicator? Stone stuck in pad?

nope pads are near brand new i got a feeling it has to do with the spongy brake pedal and the brakes not fully releasing its had the the prob since i got it cause the guy who own it first had it running in fwd for over a year cause he didnt know how to swap it to awd

[smythie]

Don't know that it sounds like a diff or CV from what I can hear. Sounds to me like it's only happening as the wheels of your car go up and down the gradient changes of the driveway/footpath/gutter and then as you grab the brakes at the end (i.e. as your suspension is compressing/extending slowly and your carbody is flexing a little in torsion). I don't hear it happening the rest of the time you have it moving which I would expect of a diff or CV joint. It also sounds more like a spring or something creaking against something metal to me.

Is this sound happening on a flat surface?

[Dropz]

a weird scraping sound comin from the front left brakes

Down to the pad wear indicator? Stone stuck in pad?

nope pads are near brand new i got a feeling it has to do with the spongy brake pedal and the brakes not fully releasing its had the the prob since i got it cause the guy who own it first had it running in fwd for over a year cause he didnt know how to swap it to awd

Stuck caliper slide could cause the brakes not to release, would wear down one pad very very quick, worth a check, I've had it happen on my old Skyline.

Spongy pedal is often air in the lines, old contaminated fluid, or very unlikely and rare a brake hose ballooning when under pressure. I would suggest doing a thorough brake bleed, and if it still occurs get a workshop to bleed the ABS system with the computer and correct procedure also.

[Dropz]

For the OP.

I would suggest getting under the car and checking how tight the swaybar links and D-clamps are, spray the D-clamp bushes with Silicone spray or another spray lube. It sounds to only happen when the body flexes, check out the LCA bushes too and check to see that your ball joints aren't split or damaged.

[drndrn]

D clamps have been checked, cleaned and re-greased last weekend.

I've been told LCA is on its way out, but didn't think the noise was a symptom of a worn LCA? Is it?

[cruisn]

When my original LCA bushes were nearly cracked through, there was no abnormal noise whatsoever.