2002 Saturn SL1 somewhere by wheel area

ACARTER

MEMBER
2002 SATURN SL1
1.9L
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
190,000 MILES

We have replaced drive axel an control arm an ball joint. There is a ticking sound like something. Is hitting the ground byt here is nothing there. When going forward or backward by the drivers wheel there is a tick, long pause, tick, long pause. Faster u go worse in sounds

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,729 POSTS

Who did the work, a mechanic or a competent do-it-yourselfer? If it was a mechanic, they should have heard that on the test-drive and looked into it. If you did the work, the car must be aligned and the people at tire and alignment shops are real good at finding the causes of noises.

Some common things are the crimp in the band on the cv joint is hitting something and just needs to be tapped down a little, or the brake rotor was reinstalled in a different orientation and spots of rust are preventing it from sitting squarely on the hub. That will make the brake caliper walk back and forth sideways once per wheel revolution. Grooves can wear into the mounts the brake pads rest on, and they can catch on those grooves when the rotor makes them walk back and forth. That can set up a clicking noise.