Okay so I have a 2006 Cobalt SS/SC. The car has a reconstructed title so I keep finding stupid issues that need to be fixed. About a year ago I replaced the suspension with MOOG endlinks, Pedders springs and FE5 shocks and struts.

When I go over speed bumps and hit pot holes my car makes a horrible CLUNK noise from somewhere in the front end. My car also pulls a little to the right. Last time I got my car aligned they told me I would need a new steering rack. Could that be the cause of the clunking noise?

 

Where was the car originally hit?
I have a clunk, same car but clean title, it is the steering column. The joints in it are a known fail point. Does the steering wheel shimmy under moderate to heavy braking?

 

It was hit in the front when the previous owner swiped a telephone pole. The steering wheel shimmies a tiny bit when I brake, but I just figured I needed to replace the brakes.

 

Steering columbs are a big thing to go.

You can get them for under 100$ on RockAuto Parts Catalog

 

I see that there is a recall for the intermediate steering rack. Would that the be the failure point or would it most likely be the entire steering column?

I can't seem to find them on RockAuto. You have a direct link?

 

More Information for DORMAN 425161



I dont think a recall was ever done on them.

 

My car friends seem to think it could also be the (rear) control arm bushings or the ball joints. I read that the OTTP spherical control arm bushings are the best but I don't see them on their website anymore. The Intense-Racing bushings are polyurethane so I was told to stay away from those. ZZP doesn't seem to make any. What would you guys go with?

 

Bump.

Did OTTP discontinue their spherical control arm bushings? How much are the Powell ones?

 

You wont feel anything in the rear suspension through the steering wheel. The steering column replacement is 65 bucks like what blackSS posted. Did you ever replace your strut bearings when you did the FE5 suspension swap?

 

Yeah, we replaced the strut mounts when we put in the FE5 struts and Pedders springs. We also put in MOOG endlinks. The strut mounts were making a creaking sound a month or two after installation so I cranked them down again. I actually checked a few weeks ago to see if they loosened up again but they did not.

 

Have you checked for play in your axles at all?

 

Ball joints.
Tie rod ends.
CAB bushings.
Steering shaft.

 

BUMP

Dropped off the car at the family mechanic yesterday afternoon. He checked the control arm bushings before I even left and they were fine. Hopefully he gets back to me today with what the issue is. If its something cheap I'll have them do it but if its going to cost half a grand after labor I don't have the funds right now so I'll probably have to do it myself and with the help of my friends.

 

Did LNF control arms, moog tie rods, moog cabs, moog sway bar links, moog strut mounts, and got a new alignment on mine. No dice.

 

You might want to replace the steering shaft.

 

Intermediate steering shaft, bearing is worn. Not part of the steering rack.

 

Which bearing?

The U Joint right above where the shaft connects to the rack?

 

http://www.1aauto.com/1A/ChassisSusp...Fc57Qgod1zgAAg
This piece

You can find it cheaper, just here for the pic

 

Mechanic just called and said the struts were blown. How the hell could that happen after less than a year? And how the hell could that cause my steering to pull to the right?

 

Huh, woulda figured thatd be noticable. Pulling to the right could b alignment.

 

I had just assumed the struts were fine since I replaced them less than a year ago haha. Are any struts better than the others? Because apparently the FE5 struts I got through CED were garbage.

 

Maybe something else was putting un needed strain on your suspension. Just a guess. Do you trust this mechanic? There is always a chance hes wrong, they are quite new. And finally did you get the steering rack fixed? I had this problem, will destroy your tires and other stuff

 

I trust him as much as any other mechanic. Maybe a little more since my parents, grandparents and uncle have been going there for over 5 years now. My car is actually a reconstructed title (I'm an idiot, I know) so there's always the chance that the frame isn't totally straight. I've had the same tires for over a year now and they aren't worn down anywhere noticeable. I'm going to replace the struts with KYB struts from ZZP this time and see how it rides.

 

Kyb suck, comparably. You might have a bent frame that is true.

 

KYB struts are worse than the stock struts?

When I take off from a stop going slow the steering wheel turns to the right. If I'm going faster, say on the highway its not as bad. Even if the frame is bent, I'm just trying to make the best of the situation, I learned my lesson.