hey haf people hows it going?
i have a few problems that ive searched and searched and cant seem to find any definitive answer so here i am!
i have a 98 accord ex 5sp sedan, about 260k..
so i baught the car a few months back at about 240k and when i baught it it ran like new. and when i mean it ran like new, there was NOTHING wrong with it. strong engine, strong tranny clutch the whole 9. However, i knew it was older and with the miles on it i wasnt expecting it to never need work, which was fine at the time for a little over 1k

we'll start from the beginning. A week after i got the car, all my lugs came loose on my left front while driving.. wheel fell off, car came crashing, and i got to know what it was like to drive on a rotor! fun fun! actually, it was one of the scariest moments of my life, but whatever. By some insane turn of luck there was NO DAMAGE besides a bent up fender and a scraped rotor. (still using to this day ) YES, they were the right lugs, and YES they were tight. but it seems as though regardless of tightness, they STILL seem to come lose occasionally. Now i tighten every morning and night and that seems to work. annoying, however.
To the eye, it seems as though my wheels are slightly bent inward. not sure if this is relevant.
after all this, i bought some used rims (tenzo white 18's). We all know that rims this size ride a little rough. A few weeks into owning the rims, a hard thumping began from the right front wheel. Had it diagnosed. Wheel bearing. Had the wheel bearing replaced. No good, issue persists. After hours of them looking around under there and driving my car multiple times, they come back to inform me that my rim is bent and i can have it repaired from a placed called rim doctor for less than $100. They jacked it up and had me watch the left wheel, spinning freely and quietly while accelerating on the lift, and then took me to the right side to observe a wheel thumping and shaking badly while spinning. So i decided to put my MINT stock 15's back on (NEVER gave e an issue before the rims). This turned into an all day process. Got the two fronts off, got the two stocks on the front. then i get to the back. The lugs seemed VERY tight, so i am torquing and torquing. snap. 6 broken studs later (4 on back right, 2 on back left) i began to think something more than that the tire place misthreaded 6 lugnuts? i mean, its possible that they did screw up royally, but i doubt it. I've been going there for years and never had a problem. Replaced 6 rear wheel studs in my driveway. (VERY VERY EASY BY THE WAY! 1 HIT OF THE HAMMER, SLIDE IN THE NEW STUD. GOOD 2 GO). Finally, midnight rolls around all the wheels are on snug (FOR NOW, lol, until they loosen AGAIN). So i give 'er a spin. Only to realize, that my front right wheel is STILL thumping, after a new wheel, new bearing... any ideas guys?? This happened before and all i did was tighten the spindle nut and it fixed it up tight for a month! Now it seems to be as tight as it goes and the problems still there! Heres a little description. It thumps when i drive, as i go faster it gets much worse and thumps much quicker. While the car is BEARING TO THE RIGHT... it rides perfecly smoooth. but only while bearing to the right. Im not much of a mechanic, but i try to figure things out on my own and i do know my way around a car for the most part. But here i am, stumped with this whole thumping ordeal.. and nobody can seem to tell my why my lugs are so tight and then snapping off, or why my lugs loosen themselves on a regular basis, nor why my wheel is making this wretched racket.
Also, when i take turns, especially on inclined turns, something on my front end sounds like a "bone cracking" if you will. I think CV, mechanic thinks CV but never checked it out that good.. and its not that big of a deal right now so im not too worried about that. I drive my car daily for work about 6 hours a day, so i am trying to stay on top of everything and keep it maintained to the best of my ability for a car of this age and mileage! not to mention theres no freakin' way i could afford another one right now
Any help, any input, and ideas will be greatly appreciated. thanks for your time.

 

The lug nut bolts should not come loose like that.

What happens if you switch the front right tire (the one making noise) to the rear? Does the thumping noise move to the back of the car?

Before rotating the tire, put the front of the car on jack stands and turn the steering wheel until it locks. Grab the tire at 3/9 o'clock and try to push/pull. Do the same for 12/6 o'clock. There should be very little movement when you do this. Only the play in the steering wheel. If there is noise or excessive movement, see what part of the suspension is loose.

 

It's exclusive to front right regardless or which wheel is there. 3/9 12/6 tests show no play.

 

Was the front passenger tire the one that fell off?

 

No, driver front. But that was months ago.

 

Sounds are tough to diagnose over the web. The clicking while turning sound is likely CV joint problem. I bought a new one from O'Reillys (masterpro brand I think) and it was of good quality and close to the price of a remanufacured one.

I would inspect the stabilizer bar endlinks and bushing (3/4 and 2 respectively). Also, check for play in the radius rod (#8) bushings (10/11). You may have to tighten #27 if there is play. Also check for play in the two bushings for the lower control arm (#12 and #16). Also in the upper. You may need a pry bar to see if there is play.

 

Thanks a lot! This seems like it may be helpful and that diagram really helps too. Going to check it all out tomorrow

 

"This happened before and all i did was tighten the spindle nut and it fixed it up tight for a month! Now it seems to be as tight as it goes and the problems still there!"

This is a bit concerning, so the spindle nut was not tight? When you tightened it, did you "stake" the nut.

How tight are you getting the lug nuts, what torque....