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Ford Explorer Community - Maintenance - Modifications - Performance Upgrades - Problem Solving - Off-Road - Street
Explorer Forum Covers the Explorer ST, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport Trac, Lincoln Aviator, Mercury Mountaineer, Mazda Navajo, Ford Ranger, Mazda Pickups, and the Ford Aerostar
My 92 X has just recently had new shocks, new hubs and new u joints put on it. This winter i've noticed, not sure if it was present last year, but when i go over bumps at a slow speed (10, 15 even 20mph) theres a empty sort of hollow clunk from what ever side i hit the bump on. The truck rides all the same with no noticable problems. Could it be the cold weathers effect on the springs or the shocks or is there a bigger problem here?
My mustang and my moms crown victoria were making the same type noise. Clunking when i went over bumps. I just passed the noise off as nothing. Two years ago the day before easter at around 2:30 in the morning i stopped at a stop sign and had my front tire break completly off of the car. The noise seemed like it was getting worse after i went over a bump so i stayed at the stop sign turning my wheel back and forth because the steering didnt seem right. And that caused something to break that was holding my front tire on the car. I cant remember what it was i think it was caused by a ball joint breaking. When the car hit the ground i bent all kinds of things underneath the car. That is what made me buy my explorer. Two weeks later i found my explorer and fell in love.
My moms crown victoria was making the same type noise and the last time i had driven her car i had mentioned to her that the last time i heard a car making that noise going over bumps my front tire broke off. We just laughed it off. Two weeks ago i had a skiing trip planned and since her crown victoria gets better gas millage than my explorer on the highway i asked if i could take her car. Well to make a long story short (I think it was the ball joint again not too sure though so correct me if i am wrong) but i heard a big clunk and some skidding and the crown vic was riding like a raped bull going down my driveway. I got out to see what the hell happend and one front wheel was pointed strait the other was completly cut to the rigth. Thank god that whatever broke happend when i was in my driveway and not traveling 75-80mph on the highway.
Five minutes before my mustangs tire broke completly off the car i was going around 85mph on the highway trying to get home in time so i could sleep before easter lunch. My point to this long thread is dont under estimate what these noises are. Both times i thought those noises were nothing could have turned out to have a tragic and and a horrible accident. Im glad that i have someone upstairs looking out for me. Your problem is probably less serious but if you loose your steering at highway speeds with your explorer there is a strong possibilty of a roll over and highspeed rollovers are not fun.
Check your Radius Arm Bushings... Thats whats causing mine to clunk... Just too dang poor to fix it at the moment, and not enough time either...
--bryan
and it tore chunks of metal out of the cross member on my 92. It seemed like all too much work to do it the right way so I got poly bushings at Autozone for cheap and just pulled the front wheels forward about an inch. Cut the old bushing off and cut the new bushing to the center and slipped it over. Wheels pull forward easily if you remove the sway bar mounting bushings on the frame. Didn't need an alignment and even with big chunks of metal missing, it has lasted over 70K. Only work is getting the big nuts off. Cost me less than $25.
It's the RA bushings, my 94' (RIP ) did the same thing when I got it 5 yrs ago, ended up needing bushings, it made the same hollow clunk as if something was seriously loose or had just fallen off...and it only did it at low speeds like over a speedbump at 10mph ect.
