Front end issues

[blackbonney]

Keep eating up front wheel bearings on my 02 SSEI. Not using garbage ones. Been using Timken and GM parts. I have what's best described as what sounds like knuckles cracking when I make turns which could be the culprit but not sure what exactly it is. Instead of throwing money at it, can someone please lead me in the right direction?

[MKMike]

Sorry that you're having a problem.
Diagnosing things via the internet is much harder than checking them in person, of course, so this may or may not provide the answers you seek.

How do you know that the front wheel bearings are bad?
Typically, wheel bearings make a low pitched rumbling noise while driving, even if you coast into neutral.

The noise that you described when turning is more likely to be an outer CV joint failing.
Typically, the cv boot gets a tear, the grease leaks out and road grit, sand ,water and dirt get into the cv joint.
You can look on youtube and find videos of bad cv joint noises.

A CV joint will not cause the noise until the car is driven and turned.
You can take it to a large empty parking lot, etc., turn the wheel to the right and drive in a tight circle. Repeat this with the wheel turned to the left.
A bad left outer cv joint will make noise when the car is driven in a circle to the right (aka clockwise).
Obviously, if the right outer cv is bad, the noise will occur when driving in a circle to the left (aka counterclockwise).

FWIW, with cars, the left side refers to the driver's side and the right to the passenger's side.

If it's a bad cv joint, the repair is to replace that axle, not just the outer cv joint.
The axles come in left (driver's side) and right (passenger's side).
They are not interchangeable from one side to the other AND the axle must be for an SSEI, as the non-supercharged Bonnevilles use different axles.
Using quality parts makes the most sense.


Another possibility: when the bearings in the top mounting plate of the strut go bad, it makes a strange sound while turning, that also might be described as being like knuckles cracking.
You absolutely can NOT replace the upper strut mount without a spring compressor tool.
If you attempt to do it without the spring compressor tool, you risk getting killed or maimed.

How to determine if the noise is from upper strut mount bearings: Starting the car and, without driving the car, just turning the wheel will make the upper strut mount bearing make the noise.
The cure is to have the upper strut mounts replaced or the complete strut assemblies replaced.
You can buy the complete strut assemblies, which include the strut bearing already installed, such as the KYB SR4090 or the ACDELCO 903605RS , for example.
They come out of the box looking just as you see them in the pictures on Rockauto, Amazon, etc.
Always replace struts (and shocks) in pairs to avoid dangerous driving handling problems.
The complete strut assembly eliminates the need for a spring compressor BUT, you absolutely must avoid removing the center not at the top of the strut, or else you will have a gigantic spring flying at you or nearby people, pets, objects, with a great deal of force.
Yes. It really can kill you.
Read about how to do it and watch videos beforehand, if you intend to replace them yourself and have never done so before.
Paying someone to replace them is not always a bad idea.

You will need to have a wheel alignment done afterwards.

Some large chain auto repair places might check the front end for you , either for a reasonable fee or for free, and tell you which parts are in need of replacement.

[95naSTA]

Are you sure you're torquing the axle nut down to the correct spec?

Are you running aftermarket wheels that aren't hub centric?