Interesting Suspension Find on the Grand Am
#1
09-28-2016, 09:47 PM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,156
Interesting Suspension Find on the Grand Am
This is on my '04 Grand Am, but could be handy Monte info. The Grand Am front suspension is much like our Montes, just smaller.
I have had a clunk noise for a while in the front end of my Grand Am. I've replaced tons of stuff that appeared worn and in some cases used it as a chance for upgrades. Such as upgrade to the '99 FE2 aluminum control arms with new bushings and ball joints, new outer tie rods, new sway bar poly end links and new sway bar bushings. Over the weekend, changed all four struts on the Grand Am with MOOG quick struts (strut, coil, mount all pre-assembled). Some of the front end noise was gone, but something still there. Dropped it off for an alignment. The shop called and believed the noise was a failing lower ball joint (which is about a year old, under lifetime warranty). So I had Dad picked it up and insisted I drive it when I got home from work work. Turns were sloppy (did not feel like the wheels were tracking too good) and from a rolling start, goose to part throttle and it behaved like it had horrible torque steer. Had the shop look over it and they are confident the ball joint is my culprit.
Tonight, dad and I changed both front lower ball joints (which are under lifetime warranty). What a difference!!! I am still having the shop re-check the alignment as it feels it might need a tweak, but everything is MUCH better and my front end noise is now gone!! I can never recall a ball joint causing me that much grief. I suspect the struts may have been my original noise and during that time (as the noise got worse) the ball joints began to fail.
I am a bit concerned about how quickly they failed, but perhaps those worn out factory struts (with 138K miles on them) had something to do with it.
When the shop is done with the car tomorrow, I want to thank them for all their work. I feel they did an EXCELLENT job so far in terms of customer service.
I have had a clunk noise for a while in the front end of my Grand Am. I've replaced tons of stuff that appeared worn and in some cases used it as a chance for upgrades. Such as upgrade to the '99 FE2 aluminum control arms with new bushings and ball joints, new outer tie rods, new sway bar poly end links and new sway bar bushings. Over the weekend, changed all four struts on the Grand Am with MOOG quick struts (strut, coil, mount all pre-assembled). Some of the front end noise was gone, but something still there. Dropped it off for an alignment. The shop called and believed the noise was a failing lower ball joint (which is about a year old, under lifetime warranty). So I had Dad picked it up and insisted I drive it when I got home from work work. Turns were sloppy (did not feel like the wheels were tracking too good) and from a rolling start, goose to part throttle and it behaved like it had horrible torque steer. Had the shop look over it and they are confident the ball joint is my culprit.
Tonight, dad and I changed both front lower ball joints (which are under lifetime warranty). What a difference!!! I am still having the shop re-check the alignment as it feels it might need a tweak, but everything is MUCH better and my front end noise is now gone!! I can never recall a ball joint causing me that much grief. I suspect the struts may have been my original noise and during that time (as the noise got worse) the ball joints began to fail.
I am a bit concerned about how quickly they failed, but perhaps those worn out factory struts (with 138K miles on them) had something to do with it.
When the shop is done with the car tomorrow, I want to thank them for all their work. I feel they did an EXCELLENT job so far in terms of customer service.
#3
10-03-2016, 10:24 PM
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Mentor, Ohio
Posts: 12,156
I just like quick struts in general (be it Moog or another vendor). The strut mounts and struts should be replaced and having it all pre-assembled with a new coil spring, that makes life easy. Moog provided all new hardware (top and bottom nuts and bolts, I was not expecting the bottom spline bolts).
Admittedly, I chose Moog because their suspension parts typically seem to be a high quality. So far no complaints (other then I need new tires all the way around).
Admittedly, I chose Moog because their suspension parts typically seem to be a high quality. So far no complaints (other then I need new tires all the way around).