So a couple weeks ago i started noticing a popping noise coming out what seems to be the front drivers side of the car when I turned left. I thought it was the cv joints and noticed the boots weren't cracked but they were worn so I replaced them but the noise came back about a day later, and then I started to notice that it happened if I hit a rough patch of road or when i was breaking coming off of an offramp. I checked my tie rods and wheel bearings and they seem fine so I'm assuming that it's a bad strut but I wanted to get some opinions before I go out and buy an new set of coil overs. The car has about 100k miles on it and it is the oem strut.

 

get up under it and just compare passenger to drive side. make sure theres no missing bolts, washers, pins, any leaks or cracks.

 

Could always pull the wheel and check to make sure the strut isn't leaking.

 

So i pulled the wheel and the strut seems like it is barely leaking

 

I'm actually starting to experience this as well.

Started yesterday and noticed that my passenger wheel well had cracked and is rubbing on the wheel so I believe thats what causing it.

Did you look any more into this?

 

My 03 is doing the samething when turning left, its like a knuckle popping sound. Like shifting around... in for some answers.

 

Mine did the same thing and it drove me ape ****. Replaced ball joint axle seemed fine and everything. Anyway the problem was my strut and top hat. At first i didnt think it was the strut because if i hit a big pot hole i wont hear anything but the smallest stuff it would pop. I would check there.

 

Did you replace your joint axle or only the strut?

 

The joint was perfect. Just replaced the strut and the top hat and rode a thousand times better with no noise.

 

+1

I had a similar sound, and it was only when you drove over slightly uneven pavement. I replaced struts and top hats and the 95% of the noise went away, the other 5% went away when I replaced the sway bar end links.

 

I just picked up an IX and its doing the same thing, passenger side front. I inspected the whole front suspension expecting to find a broken end link or tie rod loose. I am thinking its the top hat. 73k miles. Where can i get just a top hat?

 

I'm also experiencing this. Is there any way you can see from the outside if the top hat is the problem?

 

Mitsubishiparts.net ask for richard

 

Mine was weird i could try to move the car back and forth and nothing. You could move the strut a little while the car was in the air with the wheels off. Mechanic replaced the strut and top had with one of his and it went completed away. But there was nothing i could see that lead me to the strut besides replacing the ball joint and my cv axle was perfect so i had no clue what else could be it besides that.