Strut Mounts on 99 Grand AM

I have a 99 Grand AM GT and I was looking for some advice. About 2 months ago I began hearing this popping noise whenever I turned the steering wheel from left to right. Sometimes it would creak a little bit too. So I put the front end up on jack stands and had my brother turn the steerign wheel so I could hear where it was coming from. I found that it was coming from the wheel well area and narrowed it down to the strut mount on top. I also noticed then when it makes the noise the coil spring kinda jerks. So I think that kinda shows that its a problem with the strut mount. But which part needs to be changed? I was told from a friend it was the bearing inside the mount, or the bearing plate. Or could it be the spring seat or isolater? Please help. Thanks in advance.

sound like cv joints to me, if your noises were comin from when u hit bumps and pothole sin the ground i would suggest the strut mounts, but usually from turning the steeringwheel its the CV joints

YEah mjtr21 thier is a bearing in that plate as its called a bearing plate. :D
Probly needs replaced is why is making noise.
If you can get any light wieght oil in the bearing part it might be saveable if it hasnt been too long.

good luck

yeah i took the strut out yesterday and compressed the spring and tok it off. it was all dusty and dirty inside where the little balls were. so i blew that out with compressed air and put it back together and it worked for a little while then started with the popping nosie again. i went to ordered two new ones they should be in thursday and i'll put them in. besides just throwing new ones on, should i put grease in them? if so what kind of grease? i have some white lithium grease.

Dont do anything with the new ones, unless it says to most need nothing but installed and torqed down.
The reason the old one is poping is because one or two of the bearings probly fell out.

yeah when i took both sides out i noticed that they were missing about 2 bearings. the left side was missing like 3 so that could be why its makin more noise haha. so the part is supposed to be in either tomorrow or friday and i cant wait to put them in. this noise has been driving ne crazy for about 3 months. thanks for all your help xero.

oh yeah and i forgot to ask...wil i need an alignment after i change the two strut mount bearings? because i read that you need an alignment after you replace new struts but i didnt know if i had to if i am only replacing the strut bearing plates.

so does anybody know if i will need to get an alignment when i replace the strut mount bearings?

sorry for taking so long to get back to you.

Yes I would recomend getting an alignment.
If its not out of alignment and no adjustments are made they should not charge you an arm and a leg.