I finally got tired of hearing my right front wheel sound like an old shopping cart every time I went up my gravel driveway. So I debated whether to replace the CR bushing or the whole rod. I ended up buying a new rod from an Infiniti dealer on e-bay. I'm glad I did. It turned out that the bushing was OK. The ball joint was shot. Now the G is it's old self.
Except, now I can hear the left front wheel bearing going out. It howls on fast right handers.

 

Can you describe the 'howling' you're mentioning?

I hear creaks ALL the time in my set up.

 

I'm glad the first post in this thread recommended to buy the whole rod...I've been telling people to do this all along...the bushings are usually shot but if you have miles on your car that ball joint is shot too!!!!!!!

 

I think this is the route I am going to end up going. I'm just not sure where the best place to purchase them would be. Or, if I can do the install myself. Everything I've read makes me think it is possible to do so.

 

The howl is a high frequency buzz that I can hear and feel in the steering wheel and on the floor. When going straight or left I only hear it.at a lower volume.

 

what noise were you getting w/ the ball joint being bad?

 

Driving over small irregularities, like going up my gravel driveway, it reminded me of an occillating front wheel on a shopping cart. A rapid tapping/knocking sound.

 

Yea it's a very distinct popping noise

 

Interesting. Is it a metal clunking sound? I think I might have a bad ball joint there and have had a nightmare of a time isolating it.

 

Yea sounds like something is def hitting, you can only hear it at slower speeds over even the smallest bumps. Sounds like something is gonna fall off. If I were you- I would take the compression rod off and jiggle the ball joint end, if it seems really weak then you should replace it.

 

I'm just gonna get a new one - replace it and see how it is. Gonna have to swap my whiteline bushing into it though

 

The ball joint on my compression rod was so bad that it had about 1/8" verticle play in it.

 

lol - i have a new compression rod on its way - I'll post up my findings. I'm pretty sure its the ball joint on this causing my noise - since I've removed everything else possible and not been able to isolate the problem.

 

Well, i was wrong - my compression rod ball joint is fine. After replacing I know that this is not the cause. I have nothing else to swap.

I have changed...LCA bushings, shocks, springs, shock mounts, lower ball joints, compression rod, a-arms, a-arm ball joint, end links...

sounds to me like a spring compressing at weird times, but i can't isolate it

 

Did you ever find the problem? I'm getting a light "pop-like" clunk from my passenger side when I brake at low speeds.. I just replaced my CR bushings with energy. My lower ball joints are leaking pretty bad so I'm hoping its those, but you said it didn't help yours. I REALLY don't wanna do the CRs again so I hope its not those ball joints. I hate chasing suspension sounds.

Recently replaced LCA (main and strut mount) bushings, CR bushings, upper control arms (kinetix v2), shocks, struts, springs (eibach pro), and soon the steering knuckle joints. Thanks for any insight.