Front end Bang????

[Rustang©]

Howdy y'all, i got another issue for ya!

Just recently i've noticed a loud bang coming form under the front end of the car when i make a right turn while braking hard, and I can't seem to find anything loose or broken, everything seems in order. And I also seem to hear a clicking noise when im driving with the windows down...
Any ideas?

And to eliveate any issues;
31 x 10.50s
3.55 gears
3 + inch lift
stock front end
Recently replaced all bearings & u joints
replaced the radial arm bushings 7 months ago
I do take it off roading

Thanks

 

[bikeboarder]

that weard mine makes a noise that might be the same as what you have. I thought it was the radius arm bushings, i replaced them but it did not go away.

 

[rcmann]

It could be the auto hubs (if you don't yet have manuals). Mine clicked in 2wd while going around corners until i put some WARN manual hubs on.

 

[Rustang©]

oddly enough its a similar sound to the autohub click, but i replaced mine!

Im not sure lol i guess i'll check the RA bushings tomorow, they might've melted again!

 

[Darrman]

Sounds stupid, but have you checked for rocks embedded in the tire treads? I have a gravel driveway and my truck will click like crazy till I get out and dig the rocks out.
As for the banging, I dont know.

 

[Xplorer9]

Rustang©,
I noticed the same exact symptoms at my 2 door 94 4wd.You sound just like you've been listening to my truck.I recently went to the mechanic and replaced front brakes and both rotors.Also they were opening up the hubs to replace the grease.I've read the reply about them automatic hubs,but i never drive it off road and hardly even use any 4wd except for the snow which there's not much around here in Philly during the winter time.Besides,i noticed that bangin while making sharp turns like you said,about a year or so ago.It wasn't any more or less significant,so i just didn't pay much attention til now.Last night even my girlfriend noticed that banging.This coming tuesday i'm going to the mechanic to see what he says.
Hoping to get some opinions,thanks so much,guys

 

[Rustang©]

I just replaced all of the front brake rotors and calipers, and we greased the manual hubs when we put em back. I have yet to check the RA bushings and for rocks but i'll update tomorow with my findings, thank guys!

 

[Rustang©]

checked the RA bushings, they seem to be in good order, but idk, maybe the bang is normal?

 

[CodePoet]

I'd check the RA Bushings. I had a clunk comming from the passenger side, upon removal of the ra bracket for my sas I found the cause, an ovaled out mount

 

[Rustang©]

Had that bracket replaced when we did the RA bushings, it was split in half and i alsmot got killed when the RA ARM came out!!!

But its all good now, i just can't see a cause for the noise, i've been under that truck 3 times and can't figure it out!

 

[Xplorer9]

Had that bracket replaced when we did the RA bushings, it was split in half and i alsmot got killed when the RA ARM came out!!!

But its all good now, i just can't see a cause for the noise, i've been under that truck 3 times and can't figure it out!

I just went to the mechanic yesterday and he changed the RA bushings,he put in the heavy duty red ones.The banging under the front end is gone,but it would still slightly clank at times at some really sharp turns.Maybe that's rather because of the brackets,though?But anyway,the truck feels and handles much better.
Speaking of that shattering sound going over speed bumps,my mechanic said that's because the wheel bearings need to be adjusted which he did for me also.What i did a couple days before going to the mechanic shop is i lifted up each side of the front end(however it's better to use a pair of jack stands for safety reasons) and tried shaking the wheel by hands - one on top,on at the bottom.Right side felt allright,but the left one went "click-click".I thought to myself,could that be the ball joints?I shook the wheel at once again while looking at it's inner side - no movement at the ball joints,but just around where the axle goes into the wheel,it was moving slightly.Ever after re-adjusting the bearings yesterday everything seems to be allright.How's it going with your truck so far?
Ray

 

[Noved87]

i am having the same problem new RA bushings breaks wheelbearings. i took it to my mechanic he said there is a bushing similar to the RA where the half qaxle things pivot and that is worn out.

 

[Rustang©]

Hey, took it to a mechanic today, i lifted it on a bottle jack and had the same movment in the front right tire. They are going to look at it tomorow and quote me on a price.

How much did he charge for your bearing alignment?

 

[Xplorer9]

Hi,guys!Thanks for keeping in touch.
Noved87,
Thanks for your post,i had no idea about those bushings that you mentioned and i'll ask my mechanic about them.
Rustang©,
It came down to the bearings when they were changing front brakes and rotors,and at the same time the bearings were re-packed.So it didn't have to do with any separate price(guess,it shouldn't be all that expensive).I had to go back to re-adjust them because of that issue with the noise.Even after the second time it still was shattering,so yesterday when they were doing the RA's there was one more re-adjustment.The shattering was gone but today it came back,not as bad,though.I suspect that my bearing just has to be replaced........

 

[Rustang©]

Kool, atleast you know what the problem is, hell I was going 100+ MPH with a bad wheel bearing and had no clue!

I'll let y'all know tomorow when i get a quote on the price, and if thats all, for all I know somehting else may be wrong!!

Thanks Y'all

 

[Arthur]

the same thing happened to my friends 4x4 cherokee and it just went away... i still dont know what it was

 

[Xplorer9]

Rustang©,
I found out something new from my mechanic.That low clunking noise has to do not only with RA's,but coil springs as well.He told me that when them springs are new,they come with plastic protectors up on top and as time goes,those protectors just break down and we're looking at metal-to-metal where the springs bear to the frame.So,they may be clunking at turns.
Speaking of rattling,it has to do with brake pads having been changed,because,as i understood him,the older the calipers are,the looser they get at both ends which causes the certain environment between a caliper and the old brake pads.Once we open up the caliper,it disturbs that environment.So it has to be tricked in order to avoid the rattling which actually is the brake pads playing inside a caliper.He said it's nothing special,just got to take the wheel off,open up the caliper and put some shims or silicone in between the caliper and the pad or give the pad a couple taps with a punch and a hammer.Anyway,i'll go back to the shop tomorrow and let you know.
Ray

 

[Rustang©]

I now know what caused both of the noises, the clicking and the bang. It was my wheel bearing retainer nut. I cracked both of them in the front tight hub assembly off-roading. I got it fixed for 50 by a local mechanic simply because I needed it done and didn't have the time.

 

[Jason94sport]

Rustang©,
I found out something new from my mechanic.That low clunking noise has to do not only with RA's,but coil springs as well.He told me that when them springs are new,they come with plastic protectors up on top and as time goes,those protectors just break down and we're looking at metal-to-metal where the springs bear to the frame.So,they may be clunking at turns.
Speaking of rattling,it has to do with brake pads having been changed,because,as i understood him,the older the calipers are,the looser they get at both ends which causes the certain environment between a caliper and the old brake pads.Once we open up the caliper,it disturbs that environment.So it has to be tricked in order to avoid the rattling which actually is the brake pads playing inside a caliper.He said it's nothing special,just got to take the wheel off,open up the caliper and put some shims or silicone in between the caliper and the pad or give the pad a couple taps with a punch and a hammer.Anyway,i'll go back to the shop tomorrow and let you know.
Ray

I get small clunking on my X & it seems the front skyjacker springs are the problem. They didn't come with any rubber for them. Or maybe I was supposed to transfer the old ones to the new springs? At any rate that's the source of my clunking.

 

[Naasau]

Well, I have a mostly stock X with brand new inner and outer bearings and new upper and lower ball joints and I just havn't been able to shake this noise that I hear up front. It's a thumping or banging sound that is pretty regular and is loudest right after i hit a bump, normally going at 35mph or so. much faster and it seems to vanish... wierd thing is that my brakes have been grinding a little too but when i check em everything looks great.

Also, it might be unrelated but when I'm in 4x4 i get the wierdest grinding noise that I had hoped would go away once I got some stuff replaced. I had an alignment done right after I put in the new ball joints and bearings, and they said that the camber bolts were too small to correct my align angles so I need to put new ones in. Could that be the source of all my problems, or do you guys have any other ideas?

Oh, and I'm going to check the plastic protectors on top and below the coils in the next few days, hope I see what's going on so that I can fix it before it gets out of hand.