clanking noise in my front wheel

[scubawrstlr]

As I was driving home form my girlfriends today, I began to hear a smacking noise, but I couldn't make it out over the other sounds. Anyhow, I later pinpointed the noise as comming from the front passengers side wheel. It sounds like metal on metal. When I am going slow and turning left it make the noise rather loud and it is horrible. Sometimes it does it while turning right, but I can hear when I am travling at high speeds or I'm just letting the car cost. But sometimes it doesn't do it at all, I'm very confused.

I think that it might be the brake pad, but can the pad come loose and make a noise like that? I'm not driving it anymore untill I figure out what it is.I'll take the wheel off tommorrow, (It is so cold here, 3 degrees) and see if I can't find out what is wrong, untill then anyhelp would be great.

[mpumas]

Check the CV joints on the noisy side. Maybe the boot is torn. That is a sure sign that you need a rebuilt axle.

[miss_sonoma]

Did you check to see if the brakes need to be replaced? My husband's car made those kinds of sounds, and after he replaced the front brakes it stopped. It's a warning for your brakes going out. Annoying, but yet a good idea.

[mpumas]

Yep, does sound like brake pads. I homed in on a smacking noise thinking it was a clanking noise. Been responding to too many posts,