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2002 Lincoln Town car, rubbing/grinding sound when steering
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Juche
Novice
Feb 21, 2012, 8:48 PM
Post #1 of 4
(4207 views)
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2002 Lincoln Town car, rubbing/grinding sound when steering
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I own a 2002 town car, has about 101k miles on it. It didn't really have any problems with the suspension (I don't think at least) until I ran over a concrete divider at about 15mph last week. I was driving at night and after pulling out of a stop light, turned left and hit the divider (I believe it was a ramped divider, it wasn't a curb that was perpendicular to the road).
Ever since then I have had a rubbing and grinding sound that seems to come from the front left of my car. I believe it has gotten worse just over the last week.
The day it happened I did the shock absorption test.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzSWNHUIfcU
On the day it happened, I didn't get any creaking sound from the front left wheel. But now I do when I do it. So whatever it is I fear it is degenerating fast. I don't even think it made any creaking sounds until a day or two after I hit the divider. I hit it it on wednesday, and the sound (I think) started on Friday.
I took it to a mechanic and they told me it was the ball joints (upper and lower) as well as the idler arm.
But as I was driving home from work today a guy in the parking lot of my apartment complex who was working on his cousins car (his cousins car had been in a front end accident and he was repairing it, so I assume he knows a bit about cars to be able to do that) stopped me and told me it was the bearings. I can't get to my preferred mechanic (a guy I trust and have worked with for years) because he is 60 miles away and I'm having trouble fitting it in my work schedule. So I'd like a second opinion.
I am a car novice. I have no idea if it is the bearing, ball joint, idler arm or something totally different.
As far as the sound the car makes, if I do the shock absorption test and put weight on the corners it makes a creaking sound when I do the front left wheel, but not the other 3 wheels. When I steer the car I get a rubbing and creaking sound. When I drive straight I get the sound too (but it is worse when steering) and it may sound worse when I am driving slow instead of fast.
The power steering fluid levels are fine (I was told to check that, but that is within range).
Does anyone have any ideas?
I was also told that this could lead to catastrophic failure where the wheel comes off while driving. How big is the risk of this over the next couple of weeks? I would prefer to buy my own parts and have my mechanic fix it (whatever it is, I am going to try to get to him this week sometime). Would something like this be safe to not deal with for the next 2 weeks (by that I mean it may take 2 weeks to get a proper diagnosis, buy the parts and set up an appointment with my mechanic to fix it)? The people at the auto repair shop I went to implied it would probably be fine, but there was still a risk of catastrophic failure.
No matter what it is, would I need to replace parts for both front wheels or just the front left? If I needed new ball joints (as an example, if that is what it is) would I need them on both sides or just the front left side?
(This post was edited by Juche on Feb 21, 2012, 8:58 PM)
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Juche
Novice
Mar 4, 2012, 7:30 AM
Post #2 of 4
(4107 views)
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Re: 2002 Lincoln Town car, rubbing/grinding sound when steering
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Alrighty, I'll respond. Had a second mechanic check it out (a guy I trust). He said the ball joints were fine but the idler arm was damaged. He replaced the arm and greased up the joints. It no longer makes the rubbing sound. Total cost, about $85 in parts and labor (much better than the 1k I was being quoted by the first mechanic who wanted to replace the idler arm as well as the upper and lower ball joints on both sides). I still need an alignment, that is about $80-90 but meh.
So of the 3 people who checked the car (the first mechanic, the guy in the parking lot, the second mechanic) the second mechanic was right. The ball joints and bearings were fine, just the idler arm needed work.
(This post was edited by Juche on Mar 4, 2012, 7:31 AM)
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 4, 2012, 8:15 AM
Post #3 of 4
(4102 views)
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Re: 2002 Lincoln Town car, rubbing/grinding sound when steering
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You sure the only thing that needed replacement was the idler arm. Done many Mercury GM, Crown Vics, Town car and Continentals ball joints and sway bar links because the dust boot were ripped which allowed dirt and water into the joints.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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