suspension problems/sounds

[wpridew2]

I have several problems with my 99 camry 4cylinder. It is a high mileage 130k and has several suspension problems im working on.

1st problem. Took it to the dealer and they told me i needed to replace the strut mountings because of clunking noise in front right tire region. Took apart the strut assembly. Struts look like they need replacing but the mounts seemed fine. Anyone know how to diagnose a bad strut mount. And if I replace one should i replace both right and left front mounts? Can I go for an after market strut mount or should i stick to toyota.

2nd problem. they told me I had to replace a right inner tie rod end. I jacked the car up and tried to wiggle the tire around but it seemed tight. The only thing i noticed was a squeeking sound over bumps at slow speeds. Would i be better off just opening up the boot and attempting to grease it or should i replace it. Part is $100+ and then id have to do alignment.

Third a clicking noise has developed in the front right tire region as well. It doesnt increase in sound turning left or right. The sound continues in multiple gears at different speeds. Cant here the sound with the windows up so its not terribly loud. There is no sound when driving in reverse. I jacked the car up in neutral and spun the tire by hand, no clicking. I checked the tire for debris or to see if it was coming in contact with something like the brake line plastic bracket attached to the strut, nothing. All the boots in the vicinity look prestine. Im going to try and raise the front end and run the tires but its a bit dangerous. And its only rained once but I think the sound went away when it rained. Not positive about that one. Any ideas for checking anything else would be appreciated.

Sorry for the long thread I just think it they might all be intertwined or related somehow because its all from the front right. I was also wondering if anyone knows good struts. Im not looking for a performance strut just something a bit tighter than the stock ones.

[Kep]

The strut mounts are those circular looking things that you see in the engine compartment over the struts. When the mount fails and you jack up that side (like changing a tire) the wheel seems to drop a lot more than normal and you'll see the center nut in the engine compartment drop into the strut well (take off the dust cover to look). I suspect that you'll notice tears in the rubber before it fails but I am not certain. It looks as if you have removed the struts from the mounts already. If you didn't have to unscrew the mounting nut from the engine compartment the mount had failed. When mine failed the strut and spring just dropped out of the well because it had separated from the rubber mount.

When I replace my inner or outer rods they are already bad enough to notice a lot of play in the ball joints. If they are real easy to move then yes, consider replacing them. They should be firm, not sloppy. Personally, I'm cheap and would get them at a discount store but Toyota parts do last longer.

The clicking is probably a precursor to the CVC joint going out. Even if it happens in a straight line. Until the last one I replaced I always thought that you had to make a turn to hear them when they first started going bad but this last on didn't. It made clicks going straight. There is not likely a rush to fix it and it will get worse and easier to diagnose.

Kep