Steering/Popping/Confusion

[jmack]

Ok, do I have a horror story for you guys. My 2001 PT LE starting making a Popping Noise when I turned hard left or when I was making stiff turns (backup, pulling into spaces, etc).

Took it to our local mechanic, who has never steered me wrong in the past. Has always diagnosed any car I had's problems. He said that it was the front bushings were very severely worn (an apparent problem in early PT's) and they needed to be replaced. He said that the Tie rods and the Rack and pinion was fine. I was worried and thought I better seek a second opinion.

I took it to my 5-star dealer. They said that I needed a new Rack and Pinion, and steering gear. Total cost 667.00 estimate. The next day the family mechanic called back to see what they said. I advised him and he told me that he put the car up on the rack and there was no way the rack and pinion was needing to be replaced. He also said the tie rods were NOT worn, and that all that needed to be done was he bushings.

I went ahead and ordered the Bushings today, (they are only 85.00 for the pair) but now I have this lingering thought in the back of my mind: "will this really alleviate the popping noise?"

I just hope that someone in here can give me some advice. I am so totally confused. It is just very disheartening that after having a piece of junk Mazda for 5 years, and then I get a great new car that I get so many compliments on, and enjoy to drive, that I am starting to have some more issues. Cany anyone offer any advice?
[xx(]

[RallyDRock]

aww too bad he ordered the crappy chrysler bushings that will fail again soon.
For less than $40 you couldve gotten poly bushings from www.suspension.com or cruiserbits.com that will last indefinitely and give you more precise control.
see if its too late for him to switch

[jmack]

Hmmmm. Think I may do that, but do you think this is really the cause of the popping noise? He said they were 40.00 each. So if I call and order them I need to order two sets? Sorry I am very literate about the inside of the car, but not the engine/suspension

[Mike-in-Orange]

jmack, if this mechanic has always been good to you in the past I'd give him a chance first with the bushings. If that doesn't fix the problem I'd still discuss it with him before letting the dealer get a hold of it again....a dealer is always going to charge more (well, maybe not ALWAYS but 99.994% of the time) and they often tend to replace groups of parts rather than just what's gone bad - hence their desire to replace so much. Yes, in certain cases you need to replace associated parts, but if the mechanic you know and trust says this isn't one of those times, I'd be inclined to trust him.

Again, if new bushings doesn't do the trick, talk to him about it first.

[jmack]

I think I will go home tonight and order the parts from Cruiserbits. Yeah, I really trust him. Hes never led us wrong with our cars. So when Cruiserbits lists those as 36.95, do I just need one set, or a set for each side?

[redrum]

ask cruiserbits when u order them, they will know.
redrum

[quicksilverdon]

From what I've read, it's the bushings. The UK Cruiser club has LOTS of posts about them. Your mechanic is right, but to put the bushings in is hard labor - it is much easier to replace big parts with new bushings already installed.

[jmack]

Thanks guys. I went ahead and ordered the Poly Bushings. I guarantee you though, that even with labor I am going to come ot cheaper than 700 bux. Now I can actually start working on modding this thing.

[RallyDRock]

Good work J.
If the bushings werent the cause they would fail soon anyway so best to take care of now. With the poly ones you will never have to think of it again. Let us know how it works out and if you have any other questions orr concerns, i love suspension/ handling stuff so ill help you out.

[jmack]

I hope so RallyD. I keep sitting here thinking thats what it is, cause it doesnt do this popping sound when I am driving down the road; it only does it when I am in tight backing/cornering situations.

PS> just ordered a TON of stuff from Streamlinedesigns.com. LOVE the little mods that make the car special!