Bad bushing or bad balljoint?

[87Camry5Speed]

When I'm cutting the wheel to the left to, say, back out of a parking space, I have a groan/creak-like noise coming from somewhere in my right front. Sounds like it's from closer to the center of teh car than near the wheel but I could be wrong. There are no other noises apparent, I checked for squeaks, rattles, etc over bumps at varying speeds and it's nothing the average 160k '95 Camry doesn't do to begin with. Strut mounts seem ok and are not cracked, etc. I notice the noise at slower parking lot speeds and usually just on asphalt. Any ideas? As the topic line states I'm thinking a bushing or a lower balljoint...

Steve

[kazzXtrismus]

jack it up and rock the whell as if you were taking the rim off but have yer hands at the 12 and 6 oclock locationd if the wheel shifts like the joint on that geek in high school with the double jointed hip....its a ball joint.

[87Camry5Speed]

Nicely explained, will do...

My sister's Escort had a similar problem though, and the tie rod went bad on it... No wonder the car had like 2" of freeplay in the wheel so I'm gonna check that as well

Thanks, mang

Steve

[kazzXtrismus]

ya a tie rod end will do the same thing whe you shift the wheel from left to right at the 3 and 9 oclock spots.....bee sure to jack up the car with the wheel your checking completely off the ground.....
ball joints shouldnt shift at all by hand....1/4" = garbage
tie rods CAN shift a bit (1/4"MAX)... depending on the specific nature of the steering design (like old Chryslersa la non-rack&pinion)

[87Camry5Speed]

Thanks mang, I'll check it out ASAP (Dirt driveway + impending ice storm + snow = Better wait a while )

Steve

[Phobos]

Back from the rockies, and I got my 88 Camry going.

After driving it for a bit I found that I can turn left with no groans, creaks or clunking. However when I drive straight my steering wheel vibrates 1 cm (1/2 inch) left & right .When I turn right, it sounds like the right tire goes "clunk clunk clink... " depending on how fast I go, the clunking is faster.

I tested to see how loose the tires were at 12 & 6.. and the play is less than 1/8"... the 9 & 3 positions had about 3/4" of play. The thing I am not sure about is how much play I am supposed to have at the ball joint of the tie rod. It has no play at all... just tilts front to back. But where the tie rod goes into the car you get about 1/6" of play. so I tightened the tie rod... This got rid of some of the steering wheel shudder. But I am sure the wheels are not aligned.

The car was sitting for a year, and 2 of the tires were flat for a year. Tomorrow I will be replacing the two fronts with new ones.

The advice I would appreciate from any of you would be, your possible diagnosis of the clunking of the right tire? Any ideas?

Thanks
Phobos

[em_]

jack your car up and try to move the wheel if it has play the balljoint is gone (you have to do it hard ) if there is no play then a bushing needs change

[kazzXtrismus]

3/4" is too much play in any ball and socket joint...end of story......they shouldn't shift at all,.... ball joint or tie rod