Very odd sound from front end of 87 Supra

[Grandavi]

Well, got the engine swap done on my 87 Supra just to have the alternator fail. Replaced that and everything seems good.

However, now when I was driving it (first time on the road with it in 2 years and I bought it dead... so no idea about any maintenance on this car) it began making an odd sound from the front driver side tire.

Its kind of a thump thump thump that increases in tempo as the car speed increases. Will continue making the sound if I take it out of gear and coast.
The sound gets sharper and louder if I turn to the right and will decrease a bit when I apply the brakes.

I don't have very much experience with these front ends and I do have a leaking power steering pressure hose (but I don't think its related to this).

Any ideas what might be the issue? Its kind of scary so I wont be driving it until I fix it because it seems to be getting worse with time. Almost sounds like its hitting something as the tire rotates but its not once per tire revolution. at about 40 mph (60-70 kph) it starts sounding almost as fast as a drum roll.

Thoughts about what I should look at first? I had the wheels off and the calipers/rotors looked okay but I didn't closely inspect the rack.

Just thinking.. are there u-joints in the steering rack? I have never taken one apart to look at the components, but there is a rubber boot I believe that has a rod that comes out of it. Wondering if I could have a bad steering rack...

 

[JimboScum]

Was the car on jack stands or on the tires through out the 2 years? Could very well be a square tire from sitting in one spot. Try rotating it to the back and see if it changes the noise.

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[Grandavi]

It was on stands the whole time and the wheels were off the car. Thought about that. I do have another set of 4 tires.. I will swap them and see what happens. I have never felt this type of thudding in a car before.. lol.. and I am fairly ancient.

 

[Rollus]

Is "thump" a steel sound or a knock sound?

If steel sound, check brake rotors, pad, and caliper, maybe it's a little rusty. Edit: it seems okay, I should have read ore carefully..

If a loud knock sound, it may be a bearing, check if play in the steering knuckle assembly: http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?S=FA&P=8

Steering rack and rod usually make clac noise only when steering, not related to speed..

 

[Grandavi]

Almost a knock.. more of a thud. Its odd. Best way I could describe it would be if it was a rubber coated steel rod and you were in my engine bay whapping at the inner fender to get out... lol.

It does get louder and more pronounced... when turning one direction...

Should also mention.. the car drives straight (no pulling) and there doesn't seem to be any drag. Will try the tires tomorrow... massive flooding in Calgary and area right now... so leaving it for tonight.

 

[Rollus]

When turning your front axle makes some chase angle, and put more stress on the bearing.
It is just a possible guess, without hearing the noise.

If it was tire I guess it would sound like when driving on a paved road.

 

[JimboScum]

One of my buddies had a weird noise coming from the front of his BMW 3 series, we check EVERYTHING in his front end for play and found nothing. Figured we'd rotate the tires to see if it changed anything, turn out he had a big half inch bolt stuck in his tire lol

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[Grandavi]

now.. that's a possibility... as soon as the rain stops and our city quits floating away I will swap tires and see if it clears it up

 

[Beals]

other thing is the driveshaft, two pieces can make some interesting sounds. I would think a bearing though in the rear if it's not your tires.

 

[Grandavi]

Well, here's a story.
I call the two truck to take the car in for an engine swap. Then I ask my son to throw the tires on the car so I can get it off the stands for a tow. Take it off the stands, flatbed truck comes... 4 days later I have a running 87 Supra.

So Rollus suggests tires and after all the horrific flooding in our fair city, we now have sun. So... I go out to take off the tired and notice one lug is almost off....

Apparently my son got them on as tight as he could but couldn't find the torque wrench.
At least 3 studs are now stripped thanks to weak arms.. Lol.

I was doing 110 kph with tires that could have flown off at any time. Kinda scary...

How hard is it to replace front studs on these cars?

 

[gsxr141]

glad no one got hurt.

 

[Grandavi]

Yeah, scary thinking about it... 110 kph with one lugnut holding the wheel... could have been a bad end to that one. Luckily it held. Have them all on properly now and torqued... will retorque after a little drive. No more thump.

I think the sound was the wheel moving side to side on the lug nuts and hitting them. Now I can identify that sound.. always wondered what the symptoms were prior to a tire leaving.. now I know. Drives smooth now. Not a bad car.

However.. 1987 7MGE.. good initial torque.. but a very different car from my turbo 88. Now I know why I own a turbo.

 

[Shane]

Well, here's a story.
I call the two truck to take the car in for an engine swap. Then I ask my son to throw the tires on the car so I can get it off the stands for a tow. Take it off the stands, flatbed truck comes... 4 days later I have a running 87 Supra.

So Rollus suggests tires and after all the horrific flooding in our fair city, we now have sun. So... I go out to take off the tired and notice one lug is almost off....

Apparently my son got them on as tight as he could but couldn't find the torque wrench.
At least 3 studs are now stripped thanks to weak arms.. Lol.

I was doing 110 kph with tires that could have flown off at any time. Kinda scary...

How hard is it to replace front studs on these cars?

Was going to suggest checking your lugs but looks like you found that out yourself. As far as studs, I would assume that like any car you would have to pull the rotor and hub to pound them out. As far as how difficult it is to pull the rotors and hubs, I do not know.

 

[Grandavi]

The studs themselves seem to be okay, the nut was the issue, but I have about 4 full sets sitting here. Not sure how difficult it would have been but I remember my odyssey was a pain when a tire shop cross threaded one stud.

 

[f00g00]

I had a front left tire come off my 1973 Mercury Comet when I was staitoned in Japan on the freeway. First I saw the tire then the car went down on the front left on the rotor and I slowly got over in the emergency lane. I had to walk about a quarter mile to get the tire. The Japanese that were on the road somehow avoided the bouncing tire.
I had to come up with a new rotor and wheel studs.