Hello,
I'm trying to find out how to fix something..
Mostly in the morning, it feels like my front tires are a little bit too flat,
I checked the tire pressure, and it's good (around 35 or a little less, cold)
I replaced the front tires, and it seemed like the sidewall of one of
the tire was a damaged.
but even with the new tires, the same thing happen..
So I'm wondering if my struts are damaged or need to replace them ?
my car have about 60k, when does struts need replacing usually ?
could bad struts damaged tire ?
are neon struts bad?

all of that started a few weeks ago I think.. I went off road for a 3-4 miles for a shortcut.. and the road was worse than I though.. and since then I have that issue.. so I'm wondering if I damaged something while on that road even though I was going pretty slowly..
The tires seems fine so I'm thinking struts.. what else could it be ?

thanks,

 

Bad struts can definitely damage tires and bend rims. What does the noise sound like? When does it happen? How fast are you going when it happens?

 

That's the thing, the noise is hard to describe.. it's not too bad but enough to notice it.
The worst when it happens is at that corner at a stop sign where it's going up and I'm turning right. (early morning)
Even though I'm not going too fast, it feels like the tire is flat.. and like the rim is going on top of that flat tire..
and because the tires are fine, it feels like it's when the wheel is going
up and down, so I was thinking struts.. but after driving a while, it doesn't
seem to do it.

Do struts get better after a while driving it ? is it like tires ?
do they behave differently once they're hot ?

The thing I remember is during the winter, when it was very cold, everytime I went on speedbumps, the front wheels were
squealing when it was going up and down.
But at the end of the day, when it was warmer, my car had no problem going over the same speed bump.
It seems like it's the same thing but now it's happening when it's not cold..

I'm going to take it to a mechanic I trust for tire balancing (car vibrates at 60mph) so I'll ask them if they see anything wrong near the suspension or around there..
(I went to NTB to get the 2 new tires, and the balance thingy they put on the wheel snaped out while driving the same day!..)

Thanks

 

Could be a couple of your suspension bushings. Mine were crappy and they made that noise.

 

If you physically checked the tire pressure, and it was correct, may I ask how you "feel" they are too flat?

 

like it feel like there is no rubber and I'm driving with only the rim.. I feel
every imperfection on the road.
it's not that bad but it feel like the ride is a lot harder than it used to be..
so just trying to find out the causes..
I heard that if the struts are bad then it would be a softer ride, not harder so i guess it's not the struts.
I took the car this morning for tire balancing and the mechanic said
everything look fine on the front suspension.
I'm just going to forget about it I think..

 

If I am remembering everything I've read correctly, that is backwards. They can make noise when they go bad too.

One quick test you can do is the "bounce test:"
It's not exactly scientific, but it'll give you an idea of what's going on in the front or rear.

You also say you went off-road for a shortcut. I had to do that almost 2 years ago when the highway got shut down do to a bad accident. Turned out to be a washed out, probably high -teen miles long if not more. Tore my lower control arm bushings up. There's also a lot more dirt/dust. It's possible dirt got in there somehow, which isn't exactly good.

I'd also check, in addition to the struts, the lower control arm bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends and rear trailing arm bushings.

 

really good ideas.

An update on the noises :

The day I got the new tires (good year ls) I heard a Pop on the right and the left front tires. I stoped and the tires were fine.
The day after, I go somewhere else to have them balance, they told me the guys at ntb messed up one of the lug nut and I have to replace it.
The same evening, I hear another pop only on the front right wheel area.
(where the lug nut is missing, coincidence? I don't know..)

now, is that linked to my suspension issue or just something else.

from my research, it says if it happen after the new tires, then it must be something linked to the tires install, like some bolts were not put properly..

Otherwise the 'other' noise I first talked about, it seem more like a quick serie of pop-pop-pop.. when the car turn and go up and down..

So I'm going to check cv joints, wheel bearing, and the other elements you mentioned.

I just have to go to a mechanic I trust won't screw me..
That's going to be really hard

I'll let you know once I have an update,
Thanks

 

Another question,

if one of those elements would fail, would it be dangerous ?
I mean would the wheel seperate from the car ? isn't there the control
arm or something else that would hold the wheel in place ? and the
'only' problem would be that I can't steer the car ?

 

The pop is...ball joints, I believe (I've got to make a darn list somewhere of all this stuff, lol). I'd still check what I listed. I went through a whole suspension thing last year about this time. Aligned the car twice at $85. It wouldn't hold the alignment for more than a month. Worth checking it all, trust me.

If the ball joints or tie rod ends are bad, they have the potential to cause problems. The tie rod end much more than the ball joint. Ever see a car parked somewhere with a front wheel sitting like this \ instead of straight up and down? It's just something I wouldn't even let go long enough without inspecting to even risk it. A competent shop can pretty easily check all of those.