2012 Ford Explorer XLT Front Suspension Clunking Noise

[abengineer]

Hello everyone, I have a 4WD 2012 Explorer XLT with a 178,000 km (110,000 miles) on it. I have a very noticeable clunking noise coming from the bottom of my front end suspension on both sides. I looked at many threads in different forums, but really couldn't get the right answer/hint on how I should fix it.

The noise appears when driving over bumps and when the vehicle is rocking/tilting from one side to another on a uneven road.

What I have done so far was replacing the old suspension components on both left/right sides, including:
- Strut assembly with Mounts
- Sway Bars
- Stabilizer Link Bushings
- Complete Lower Control Arm assembly
- Inner Tie Rods
- Outer Tie Rods

All of the parts were brand NEW and from reputed brands. However, the clunking noise is still there, which is very frustrating.

Anyone with an idea on what the real issue is or tips about it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
Can you reproduce the noise when the vehicle is parked and you start to rock it? If so, then perhaps you can get it on a hoist and rock it side to side to try and pinpoint where the sound is coming from. Have you checked the CV axles? I don't know if the would 'clunk' or not. Did this just start happening?

Peter

 

[abengineer]

Welcome to the Forum.
Can you reproduce the noise when the vehicle is parked and you start to rock it? If so, then perhaps you can get it on a hoist and rock it side to side to try and pinpoint where the sound is coming from. Did this just start happening?

Peter

Hi Peter, Thank you for your reply.
I tried re producing the noise, but it didn't work out. The thing is when trying to rock a heavy vehicle as the ex, the car moves as whole and the load will primary be on the struts/shocks upon applying pulling/pushing forces on the sides, so you can't really get that tilting effect.

I feel that the clunking noise appears when one side is moving laterally (up and down) due to relatively high change in elevation on road surface and not necessary from small road imperfections.

I took it to 2 different mechanics, but they advised me to replace the above parts, but that didn't solve the problem. All of the old parts had still some life to them and weren't totally worn though. This has been going on for 3 months now.

Thanks again for your feedback.

 

[03WIExplorerLtd]

Hi Peter, Thank you for your reply.
I tried re producing the noise, but it didn't work out. The thing is when trying to rock a heavy vehicle as the ex, the car moves as whole and the load will primary be on the struts/shocks upon applying pulling/pushing forces on the sides, so you can't really get that tilting effect.

I feel that the clunking noise appears when one side is moving laterally (up and down) due to relatively high change in elevation on road surface and not necessary from small road imperfections.

I took it to 2 different mechanics, but they advised me to replace the above parts, but that didn't solve the problem. All of the old parts had still some life to them and weren't totally worn though. This has been going on for 3 months now.

Thanks again for your feedback.

What brand are the new struts?

 

[abengineer]

What brand are the new struts?

They were Motorcraft.

 

[runningonfords]

Have you looked at this steering rack washer nonsense here??
Popping/grinding in steering when turning

Are you sure the strut assemblies aren't turning and clunking on their stops in the mounts? I trust the control arm assemblies had ball joints? Have you done the wheel bearings/cv joints just for fun? Sorry buddy, I'd try to reproduce with convoluted driveway methods next if I were you. Make silly,uneven driving path out of long 2x8 boards, etc to try to get it to do it. Something like this maybe...

Be outside the vehicle while someone else drives, use a mech scope maybe? Try using floor jacks to get it do it, jacking under the wheel or under the arm, or the subframe. Get creative, if you can pinpoint it by reproducing you'll be further along, though that goes without it saying.

 

[abengineer]

Have you looked at this steering rack washer nonsense here??
Popping/grinding in steering when turning

Are you sure the strut assemblies aren't turning and clunking on their stops in the mounts? I trust the control arm assemblies had ball joints? Have you done the wheel bearings/cv joints just for fun? Sorry buddy, I'd try to reproduce with convoluted driveway methods next if I were you. Make silly,uneven driving path out of long 2x8 boards, etc to try to get it to do it. Something like this maybe...
View attachment 316369
Be outside the vehicle while someone else drives, use a mech scope maybe? Try using floor jacks to get it do it, jacking under the wheel or under the arm, or the subframe. Get creative, if you can pinpoint it by reproducing you'll be further along, though that goes without it saying.

Thanks for your feedback and the link provided, runningonfords!
The youtube video for CVX replacement is very helpful actually.
So just to give a quick run down, I initially replaced the sway bars, as they are the most common parts that go bad first based on online reviews. The noise however remained. So I took it a shop and the mechanic told me that the noise is coming from the struts, so I replaced them with Motorcraft ones. Then after a couple of weeks, I replaced the control arms, and finally had to replace the inner/outer tie rods. All of this was in a course of 3 months time. I kept replacing one part at a time just to isolate the root cause and check where the problem is coming from. I think the only thing left to check in the lower front suspension is the CVX. I will check it out, do the un-even driving test and report back.

Thank you so much.

 

[SHUMAX]

If you used other than Motorcraft parts, I have money on that. Sorry to report. I had the same issue on a 2011. Search my username and enjoy the saga. Ultimately, my noise was front the compliance bushing on the control arm. I likely will never forget that ordeal - went on FOREVER. Chased it in my wife’s Edge and used Moog parts. 8,000 miles later it came back. Put Motorcraft in and the noise was gone...

Good luck to you! P.S. that compliance bushing is now part of the lower control arm. Can’t buy them separate. I happen to have just the bushings - left and right, at home. OEM and new. Never used. I bought a second set in case it happened again as I knew Ford was revising the part so you had to buy the entire arm. If you need them, let me know as I no longer have the 2011...

 

[peterk9]

.................................... Search my username and enjoy the saga.......................................

That will produce 450 posts.

Peter

 

[abengineer]

If you used other than Motorcraft parts, I have money on that. Sorry to report. I had the same issue on a 2011. Search my username and enjoy the saga. Ultimately, my noise was front the compliance bushing on the control arm. I likely will never forget that ordeal - went on FOREVER. Chased it in my wife’s Edge and used Moog parts. 8,000 miles later it came back. Put Motorcraft in and the noise was gone...

Good luck to you! P.S. that compliance bushing is now part of the lower control arm. Can’t buy them separate. I happen to have just the bushings - left and right, at home. OEM and new. Never used. I bought a second set in case it happened again as I knew Ford was revising the part so you had to buy the entire arm. If you need them, let me know as I no longer have the 2011...

Thank you so much for your feedback, peterk9!

I totally agree. This clucking noise is really annoying. It's been going on for 3 months now. I made sure to replace each part (including the entire control arm assembly) one at a time to eliminate the source. I guess any other part than Motorcraft should at least last a week , but in my case, that noise is always there.

Is there anything else to replace in the front suspension beside that CV Axle?

I already spent like $1500 on parts and labor so far, and I'm afraid if I spend another $400 on the CV axle+labor that the clunking noise remains .. I guess we will never know until I actually replace it.

 

[peterk9]

Do you have the factory row package? It came with an air duct that runs from the front bumper to the PTU. Some members found that was loose or in some cases, missing. Make sure everything in the engine bay is secure and tightened where required to avoid any movement. Does the exhaust system have excess movement? One member found that the lug nuts on one of his wheels were loose but I'm guessing that you have likely had them off and on several times so that shouldn't be the issue.

Peter

 

[abengineer]

Do you have the factory row package? It came with an air duct that runs from the front bumper to the PTU. Some members found that was loose or in some cases, missing. Make sure everything in the engine bay is secure and tightened where required to avoid any movement. Does the exhaust system have excess movement? One member found that the lug nuts on one of his wheels were loose but I'm guessing that you have likely had them off and on several times so that shouldn't be the issue.

Peter

Oh no, I don't have the factory tow package. The thing is, the noise I hear comes from lower portion of the front end between the driver/passenger axis and the front of the car, not from the engine bay. But I will check it out anyways.

Could it be a premature failure from the engine/chassis mounts (those short fat dampers)? Those are usually never changed though. So I heard.

 

[peterk9]

I believe the engine mounts are filled with fluid. Some have replaced them when they leaked. Loose heat shield?

Peter

 

[abengineer]

I believe the engine mounts are filled with fluid. Some have replaced them when they leaked. Loose heat shield?

Peter

Ha! Interesting
The heat shields are intact and rigid.

 

[enguneer]

I'm researching what may be the same issue on my 2011 Limited. I've been assuming front strut mounts, and at almost 140k miles it's getting on time for struts anyway...but since you did struts and it didn't solve your issue I'm wondering....

I can reproduce my clunk in the driveway, engine running, simply by moving the steering wheel from side to side 1/4 turn or so. Clunk clunk clunk. With the hood open and hand on strut tower I can feel the clunk coming up through the struts, so again, I've been assuming strut mounts based on other research. But if yours does the same as mine and it wasn't solved by new struts you can maybe save me some trouble. Mind giving that a shot? Thanks in advance!

 

[abengineer]

I'm researching what may be the same issue on my 2011 Limited. I've been assuming front strut mounts, and at almost 140k miles it's getting on time for struts anyway...but since you did struts and it didn't solve your issue I'm wondering....

I can reproduce my clunk in the driveway, engine running, simply by moving the steering wheel from side to side 1/4 turn or so. Clunk clunk clunk. With the hood open and hand on strut tower I can feel the clunk coming up through the struts, so again, I've been assuming strut mounts based on other research. But if yours does the same as mine and it wasn't solved by new struts you can maybe save me some trouble. Mind giving that a shot? Thanks in advance!

If your noise is coming from turning the steering from side to side, then it's most likely the strut mounts. The strut mounts have ball bearing in'em and they simply contribute in turning the wheels smoothly as long as the bearings are intact. Often times, dirt and sand get inside, damaging the bearings and causing them to fail. I had the same issue 3 years ago and the noise (more like grinding on certain angles when turning the steering) by simply replacing the mounts. May I ask why are you replacing your struts at 140k? Have they gone bad already? How can you tell for sure? If so, then it's a good idea to get new mounts as well.
My problem here is not from the steering though , the clunking noise on my Ex is from the suspension beneath the engine when going over bumps. Hope that helps!

 

[enguneer]

If your noise is coming from turning the steering from side to side, then it's most likely the strut mounts. The strut mounts have ball bearing in'em and they simply contribute in turning the wheels smoothly as long as the bearings are intact. Often times, dirt and sand get inside, damaging the bearings and causing them to fail. I had the same issue 3 years ago and the noise (more like grinding on certain angles when turning the steering) by simply replacing the mounts. May I ask why are you replacing your struts at 140k? Have they gone bad already? How can you tell for sure? If so, then it's a good idea to get new mounts as well.
My problem here is not from the steering though , the clunking noise on my Ex is from the suspension beneath the engine when going over bumps. Hope that helps!

Gotcha, thanks. The struts haven't gone bad per se...I figure if I'm in there replacing mounts I might as well do the struts while I'm at it, and skip doing the whole job again a little further down the road. But ultimately I'm after that clunk. No grinding for me. Just clunks. I get it with every turn, as well as going over bumps. It's always really pronounced at low speeds, and getting worse. Maybe I'll brave going through SHUMAX's saga.

 

[SHUMAX]

^. Yours definitely sound like strut mounts. Would definitely replace the struts at the same time.

 

[deputydad72]

Gotcha, thanks. The struts haven't gone bad per se...I figure if I'm in there replacing mounts I might as well do the struts while I'm at it, and skip doing the whole job again a little further down the road. But ultimately I'm after that clunk. No grinding for me. Just clunks. I get it with every turn, as well as going over bumps. It's always really pronounced at low speeds, and getting worse. Maybe I'll brave going through SHUMAX's saga.

Replace the sway bat end links. I got Moog links for about $30 each. Two nuts each to r&r, about an hour total. No more noise.

 

[deputydad72]

Replace the sway bat end links. I got Moog links for about $30 each. Two nuts each to r&r, about an hour total. No more noise.

Sway bar end links