Insight on popping noise after new suspension install

[josemateos]

so I replaced struts, shocks, thrust bearing, ball joints and sway bar end links...I did the front two weeks ago and the back this past weekend. I have been hearing a popping sound, sounds like end links to me. I figured they were just new and getting broken in. I hear it the very 1st turn of the day in the morning...normally only when I'm stopped or moving really slow and only when I'm turning the wheel. It's not the CV joint sound. Since it's been two weeks and I drive 85 miles a day I feel like it should be gone by now if they were just breaking in. I DO think I got the springs seated correctly against the tabs on the bottom and in the grooves in the top, and the ball joints seem fine...actually everything seems fine. I'm wondering if I'm hearing the sound because I installed everything at once without any weight on the front. Specifically the sway bar links were installed with the car on jack stands. I know that you are supposed to jack up control arm if you can't get them off but mine came off and on pretty easy, besides the nuts which were a PITA, I actually had to take a sawzall to the one of the lower sides. Anyways, I used KYB stock linear struts and sachs rear...the noise is coming from the front and I used new mounts and bearings so the only thing I can think of is end links...I plan on having a friend turn the wheel while I'm under the car to help diagnose it and then possibly re-installing the end links with a jack under the control arms if I have time. Have a 3wk old and 3yr old so time is luxury for me right now. I used Meyle end links that are much thicker than the originals, not sure if that's the issue, I saw lots of threads of people using thicker Moog links with no issues....its an 01 linear 9-5 TD04 swap tuned, but suspension I used was stock linear. Any help would be appreciated. thx

EDIT: I just don't understand why it would make a difference if they were on the ground or off?? I do understand how having one off the ground could cause an issue with uneven load and trying to get them back together, but it seems like once they are on they should be fine? They are tight and in the holes....

[GreghasaV4]

Just for fun, before you drive your car make the car go up and down by sitting or pushing on the fender to make the fluid in the shock displace any air bubble. I have a similar problem with a totally different car, I unfortunately have not truly identified the culprit, however I suspect an air bubble in a strut (shock) damper assy. Not sure if this will help, new KYB strut assys should not be acting like my old Datsun. I will monitor because I am curious what your issue is. Good luck...

[josemateos]

Any help would be appreciated. I jacked up both sides of my car on stands today and figured out the noise. Its actually the springs. When I turn the wheels it seems like the bearing doesn't want to spin on the strut mounts and the spring makes a little noise almost like popping doing doing as it moves the bearing, very irritating. It only happens the first part of the turn so if I barely turn left turn right the beginning of the turn it kind like the spring starts to turn the thrust bearing, then pop pop pop...I got underneath and its definitely a spring noise. I'm wondering if I somehow got the strut mount on wrong I thought it only fit one way and I left the bearing sitting in how they came which matched up with the old bearings and mounts. I'm trying to take a video or record the noise.

[zoli]

I would check/replace the strut mount bearing.
Did you check it?

[josemateos]

Those were replaced, it's the bearing, not doing it as bad but it still is some. Seems to have gotten better over time but I still may have to take it out and send it back or just regreasing