Clicking Noise--need help

[sm00p]

I hear a clicking/thumping sound when I'm driving that's times with the speed of the car and is coming from the front right. I took the wheel off and tried to inspect everything. I found out that I need a new lower ball joint because it's got somewhere between .5-1 inches of vertical play in it. I don't really understand why this would always make a sound when the wheel is rotating and not just upon hitting bumps and such. I'm not sure if I have a bad wheel bearing also. Basically I'm saying that I heard a noise and found something wrong but not sure if that's whats causing the noise. I've heard the lower ball join is cheap and easy to replace. How much/how difficult is it to replace to wheel bearing?

My main question about all of this is how risky is it to drive with a shot ball joint/wheel bearing? That's my main concern so if anyone could answer that I'd really appreciate it.

 

[87witmoreboost]

0.5-1" of play? Hope fully you don't actually have that much play.

If you do, park the car. That would be enough to make me tow my car. If you're BJ fails, which at that much play is likely, you'll be replacing more that a lower BJ.

 

[sm00p]

hahaha It's parked right now and I haven't been driving it for fear of what you just said. I guess I'll replace it in the next couple days. Do you think that's what caused the noise though? If it's the wheel bearing, assuming I fix the ball joint and not the bearing, how risky would it be to drive then? I'm tight on cash. And for the record, I don't know if there was that much slop. That was an estimate from a blurry memory when I checked it a few nights ago.

 

[87witmoreboost]

hahaha It's parked right now and I haven't been driving it for fear of what you just said. I guess I'll replace it in the next couple days. Do you think that's what caused the noise though? If it's the wheel bearing, assuming I fix the ball joint and not the bearing, how risky would it be to drive then? I'm tight on cash. And for the record, I don't know if there was that much slop. That was an estimate from a blurry memory when I checked it a few nights ago.

That clicking was not a BJ. Even if your wheel was so unbalanced that it threw the BJ up and down in a cyclic motion, it wouldn't do that.

Sounds like it could wheel bearing, but that usually doesn't 'click'

 

[sm00p]

That clicking was not a BJ. Even if your wheel was so unbalanced that it threw the BJ up and down in a cyclic motion, it wouldn't do that.

Sounds like it could wheel bearing, but that usually doesn't 'click'

Sorry to use the word click. It was more of a thump. What else could it be if it weren't a wheel bearing or the BJ then? Nothing else in the area is loose, I checked the brakes. How much do wheel bearings cost and how difficult is it to replace?

 

[Facime]

it could be a separated cord in your tire. That can make a thumping noise. Look for a bulge on the sidewall or signs of the tread separating from the cords. A clicking sound can also come from a nail or even a rock jammed in your tread.

Start with the simple stuff first.

 

[Mk3runner]

for the bearings you need to pull the knuckle off and have them pressed out and the new ones pressed in. I got both front bearings for about $100 out the door.