popping and clunking

[cmhaah06]

With in the last two years, I have replaced: shocks, outer u-joints on the axle shafts (full c-clip upgrade), wheel bearings/races, ball joints, tie rods, cleaned and re-greased the manual hubs 4 months ago, replaced one front rotor (drivers side), new brake pads with AR clips and new slide pins. I have james duff long arms, so I don't have rad arm bushings and all the body mounts are tight.

I have not changed the axle pivot bushings, however, they did not look bad when I had the axle apart this past summer.

I have two usual noises coming from the front end. Popping and clunking. The popping only occurs while I am actively turning the steering wheel. Sounds like a popping or creaking noise coming from somewhere in the steering system. Once I am turned the popping/creaking doesn't occur as bad but doesn't go away all together.

I get a clunk sound when I stop and can feel it through the vehicle, like a bind is releasing. The clunk doesn't appear every time I stop though. Only when I stop very quickly and make the front end dip down (my front springs are VERY soft).

I dont know that this info would help. However, two years ago, I was in Gorman in the rock sluice and while turned some fluid began to squirt out from the steering gear box where the pitman arm is mounted. The steering gear box doesn't leak and the steering fluid level is always where it should be.

Does ANYONE have ANY OTHER IDEAS where I can look for these sounds?

 

[FR-425]

It's the brakes.

I know everything is new. This is just how they are.

More noticeable with over size tires. Most noticeable at low speeds while turning. (parking lot)

The spindles flex a bit and the calipers slip suddenly on the slides, makes a good solid clunk you can feel it come right up the radius arm to your feet.

It gets worse over time as the caliper slides wear, the caliper can get a bit off kilter between the slides causing it to bind slightly and then POP it moves suddenly.

New Knuckles and calipers are the fix. But it will still do it. Just not as loud.

I tried some Dry graphite lube and it helped a little, but didn't last long.

If you try the graphite lube you will notice the difference. Just as an experiment so you know I'm not pull'n your leg.

 

[cmhaah06]

Thanks for the idea FR. I'll try the graphite idea. If that works I guess I'll be replacing the spindles and calipers also.

 

[FR-425]

Not the spindles; the Knuckles and calipers.

Replacing the spindles won't fix it. New ones will still flex.

The Steering knuckles have the brake caliper brackets as part of the casting.

Even with everything spanking new the brakes are going to be clunky.

It's not a safety issue and is not something that needs to be fixed; or that can be fixed. This is just how they are.

If you swap in a Dana 44 solid axle it will be gone.

Other than that, you are chasing a ghost.

 

[Abramwithda1991fourdoor]

FR-425 Hey I am dealing with clunking noises and I think you really helped me out. I used the search function and I found this post. I will maybe try cleaning and inspecting the slides and see if that helps. You described the clunking up by your feet really well. I like my Explorer and now I have a better idea of where the clunking is yay.

 

[Abramwithda1991fourdoor]

So I have been working on the Explorer more and more lately.ok so I put new brake pads on and inspected the caliper slides. I dont think my brakes were causing the clunking noise after all (kinda?)but I am glad I started working on my brakes. So it pulls to the left under hard application of the brake pedal. I believe the popping is from axle bushings mainly,, so the axles pop back and forward when braking and turning. Also I think the coils springs have lost enough spring to where they move around and pop they might be whats popping when turning. I have wiggled the steering components so I dont think they are causing as much popping as the springs. I ended up buying some calipers from autozone and brake hoses from Napa and installing them yesterday. It seems not to want to pull as much if any thing like it was pulling now. The brakes feel way better.
I ran in to something else while bleeding the brakes. I went to drain the old and I mean old fluid out of the rear brakes but I couldnt get any fluid to come out of the bleeder holes. I removed both bleeder screws and even with intense pumping there was no drainage of fluid. So now I know I dont have rear brakes.

 

[92exp4x4]

So I have been working on the Explorer more and more lately.ok so I put new brake pads on and inspected the caliper slides. I dont think my brakes were causing the clunking noise after all (kinda?)but I am glad I started working on my brakes. So it pulls to the left under hard application of the brake pedal. I believe the popping is from axle bushings mainly,, so the axles pop back and forward when braking and turning. Also I think the coils springs have lost enough spring to where they move around and pop they might be whats popping when turning. I have wiggled the steering components so I dont think they are causing as much popping as the springs. I ended up buying some calipers from autozone and brake hoses from Napa and installing them yesterday. It seems not to want to pull as much if any thing like it was pulling now. The brakes feel way better.
I ran in to something else while bleeding the brakes. I went to drain the old and I mean old fluid out of the rear brakes but I couldnt get any fluid to come out of the bleeder holes. I removed both bleeder screws and even with intense pumping there was no drainage of fluid. So now I know I dont have rear brakes.

Yep, sounds like you will be doing wheel cylinders at the very least. I would get everything if you've never been in it before, that way you know what you have. Make sure too that someone hasn't cut and capped off the rear brakes before you got the vehicle. The lines could have rusted out and that was someone's fix before you got the truck.

 

[Abramwithda1991fourdoor]

Yep, sounds like you will be doing wheel cylinders at the very least. I would get everything if you've never been in it before, that way you know what you have. Make sure too that someone hasn't cut and capped off the rear brakes before you got the vehicle. The lines could have rusted out and that was someone's fix before you got the truck.

My plan of approach is to find a Rabs valve body probably from my local junk yard and replace it. I will probably try checking there maybe before I get a new valve to confirm that fluid is going in and not out the valve. Heres a pic of a parts vehichle at the junkyard. I got the rear glass gas springs and a double cup holder. Dont really know if the cup holder will work out to good. I might trim the center console a bit. The top two holes line up.

 

[92exp4x4]

I'd grab that brash guard, those are pretty rare these days. Man it's sad to these in the junkyard. But some must die so others may live..

The cupholders will interchange. The console plastics are the same up the the end of Ranger production in 2012 or so? Newer rangers reused a lot of first gen interior parts.