Tapping sound when turning wheel left and right.

[Matahoe]

Hello guys. Can someone help me narrow down a noise I hear when going about 20mph. The sound is a rapping or tapping sound coming from left wheel well area. I can get it to make the noise by going slow and quickly jerking the steering wheel back and forth a short distance. It sounds like metal on metal. Ill take a loook at it tonight. Im thinking maybe a bad outer tie rod. Wouldnt imagine a ball joint sounding like that. Has to be related to steering linkage is my best guess.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Tap? Or tapping?

Is it speed sensitive?

 

[Randy Whistler]

I've got a hub giving me fits, and it "tap tap tap tap . . . " at slow speeds, but turning or moving the wheel doesn't make it do it, nor make it quit. Just a thought. I have confirmed it's a hub by putting it into Auto 4WD - the tapping stops, but it starts squeaking instead.

May not be the problem, but . . . .

 

[Doubeleive]

could be a few things, brakes/calipers, wheel hub, axle. a tie rod wont tap or squeak (might squeak if it was bare metal to metal and when turning) but I think you would notice some pretty bad play in the steering before it go to that point.

 

[Matahoe]

I will try turning the wheel back and forth while stopped but for the most part it only makes a single tap in each direction of turning steering wheel left and right quickly when vehicle is rolling.

 

[Matahoe]

Tap? Or tapping?

Is it speed sensitive?

Not tap tap tap. Just a single tap in each direction.

Strange...now its not making any noise at all. Weird.

Ive noticed the noise at the same time as a suspension squeak. Its the same drivers side at wheel well or below floorboard. Now im starting to think torsion bar crossmember.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Turning while moving: Sway bar links, mounts, body mounts, struts and associated bushings, control arms

Turning while stopped: tie rods, idle arm and bracket, pitman arm

 

[Matahoe]

... also makes noise going over little bumps in the road. Now that i listen to it more closely it sounds like the intermediate shaft. I just replaced it 3 years ago.

 

[Erickk120]

It could be several things, I would check the entire suspension, it could be as simple as a loose cross member bolt, UCA bolt, Torsion bar mount bushing or even a body mount. get under it an make sure everything is torqued to spec, That would be the second thing I would do, after a visual inspection. I noticed you said over bumps, which could be the bushings in the torsion bar cross member or cross member bolts in the front. I had something similar but only while turning in uneven and even terrain or while turning aggressive with speed. That ended up being #1 and #2 body mounts.

 

[Colby_e32]

I had similar issues. The alignment shop didnt tighten my upper control arm bolts back that tight... snugged them up, and the noise went away. mine was when turning, it sounded like a quick snap/pop of metal/metal