Clunk in suspension when accelerating

[Heuster]

If you lift the front end so both front tires are in the air, you should be able to tell if the sway bar links are broken.

Keep us posted.

Bought the sway bar bushing kit that replaces the links and sway bar bushings, but didn't get it on yet. Finished the driver side ball joints - couldn't get the rear control arm bolt back in - too many fuel lines to get through - tried EVERYTHING. Put the thing in backwards to save my sanity. I'll deal with it. Get everything put back together and test drove it. Still making the sounds during acceleration - I already gave into the fact that the ball joints and UCA bushings were not going to fix it. During my test drive heard a grinding noise, and something was grinding on the brake rotor...EPIPHONY..."you forgot to tighted the axel nut all the way after you took it off the jack stands." Super. Walked home, a 20 minute walk (it was about 3:00AM at this point) and grabbed my truck, jack and axel nut socket along with the torque wrench, drove back to tighten it up. X was parked on the side of the road, found I didn't tighten all the lug nuts up either so in order to get them set right (just my logic, that doesn't mean it's right) I lifted my X a bit so all weight wasn't on lugs and tightened them. Started tightening axel nut and BAM! X fell off the floor jack. The jack went forward of the cross-member and appeared to have missed everything. Drove home (with two cars that took about 30 minutes) and smelled coolant. Funny thing is that it's not leaking from the front, but is leaking from the back. Nice. I needed more drama.

Anyway - problem isn't fixed, but I have more problems to fix now!

 

[OneLever]

Finished the driver side ball joints - couldn't get the rear control arm bolt back in - too many fuel lines to get through - tried EVERYTHING. Put the thing in backwards to save my sanity.

That's a known difficult spot to deal with when changing the left upper control arm. I personally had to loosen the brake lines from their brackets to get the camber bolt in and out. There should be some info about that in this thread.

"you forgot to tighted the axel nut all the way after you took it off the jack stands."

Why was the axle nut taken off? The only time you need to take off the axle nut is when you're replacing the hub assembly or axle shaft to my knowledge.

I lifted my X a bit so all weight wasn't on lugs and tightened them. Started tightening axel nut and BAM! X fell off the floor jack.

The lug nuts are only supposed to be hand tightened while in the wheels are still off the ground. Then you lower the vehicle and torque them to spec.

The jack went forward of the cross-member and appeared to have missed everything.

You were lucky! Don't repeat that!

Funny thing is that it's not leaking from the front, but is leaking from the back.

What do you mean by "the back"?

Anyway - problem isn't fixed, but I have more problems to fix now!

I know that feeling...

 

[Heuster]

That's a known difficult spot to deal with when changing the left upper control arm. I personally had to loosen the brake lines from their brackets to get the camber bolt in and out. There should be some info about that in this thread.



Why was the axle nut taken off? The only time you need to take off the axle nut is when you're replacing the hub assembly or axle shaft to my knowledge.



The lug nuts are only supposed to be hand tightened while in the wheels are still off the ground. Then you lower the vehicle and torque them to spec.



You were lucky! Don't repeat that!



What do you mean by "the back"?



I know that feeling...

I took off the axle nut because I was changing out the upper/low ball joints as well, so I had to remove the steering knuckle. The back of the engine block, but I don't know how it would be leaking back there. Not a good location for a leak.

 

[JT1007]

im stumped as well

i have this same sounding problem with my explorer.. have you found the problem for the noise yet... i am very much in the same sitsuation i changed my cv joint axel thinking that was the problem but ta-da still makes the noises but only when i accelrate heavly. if a accelarate slow then no noise...i know im stumped...

 

[Heuster]

i have this same sounding problem with my explorer.. have you found the problem for the noise yet... i am very much in the same sitsuation i changed my cv joint axel thinking that was the problem but ta-da still makes the noises but only when i accelrate heavly. if a accelarate slow then no noise...i know im stumped...

No fix yet. I don't have the money to keep doing shotgun replacements so I'm having a mechanic drive out to look at it tomorrow. After his diag I'll post up his comments.

 

[JT1007]

ok well i talked to some friends and they seem to think it might be the diffrential box...i checked mine and i didnt have any fluid in it so im trying to put some in now but it s cold so its taking to damn long...i'll keep an eye out for your post

 

[Heuster]

ok well i talked to some friends and they seem to think it might be the diffrential box...i checked mine and i didnt have any fluid in it so im trying to put some in now but it s cold so its taking to damn long...i'll keep an eye out for your post

Do you mean the rear diff or the transfer case. Several guys have pointed at the transfer case or CV joint.

 

[Eric12488]

same exact problem here...i have found that when the tires slip in snow and ice they also tend to make that sounds. It is a very annoying and embarrassing sound. i have replaced my cv joints and sway bars but no luck. When the snow melts in my driveway and i can get under it easier im going to check the front drive shaft.

 

[ajoosten]

Just a thought...what about bad engine mounts?

 

[tashia_maysen]

Not to sound really stupid, but could it possibly be a plug? wire? One of my plugs snapped and the wires had arc burns and my truck did the exact same thing. I didnt have any problems with it at all except for when i hit the pedal.