Explorer Friends, I need you help

[KCPX]

I'm having some problems with my 95 Exploder. After my last off-road trip, I came home with a new rattle. Something is rattling when the explorer rolls over larger bumps. It is a sound like when the brakes are walking. I replaced the brakes(all 4), the u-joints, the 4-wheel driveline and tightened the nerf bars. The rattle is still very noticeable. Does anyone else have this problem and if so, do you know what I need to look at next?

 

[EB Bauer]

I would check your shocks. Make sure they are secure. I had one of mine break and I didn't really notice it right away. I would also check the bushings on the shocks. sometimes they will get old and crusty and fall out. thus allowing the shock to rattle around. Another thing I would check is your hood. on mine the ajustor for the hood got rattled down and the hood would rattle around. that may be something else you can check.

 

[leebo]

Also check the sway-bars. Did you pull them off on your last trip. They also might be moving around. I didn't even think of the shocks. Mine has been making that sound and I could of swore it was all the sway-bar, but I'm checking my shocks now.

you so smart

 

[EB Bauer]

I always used to think of the hard things first. Sometimes it's just the simple things. When I had the rattle on mine I just got on the creeper and rolled around pulling on everyhting. low and behold it was the bushings. they were all dry rotted. the funny thing that it wasn't bad enough to rattle while driveing slow but I had to really pull on it to get it to rattle. hope that helps you

 

[Ricardo Miramontes]

RATTLE

You know I have a rattle of my own. And actually, I had it way back last year and it went away while on an off-road trip when the suspension was put to its full compression and extension. By the way mine is a 1998 XLT 4X4. Just recently I was driving hard on a fire road where in soe sections the road got real choppy and after that the rattle is back. It is much worse now. I'm almost thinking it has something to do with the torsion bars. Something may be loose at the rear end part of the torsion bars where the adjustments are made. That's just my educated guess. I've already creeped under it, pulled on everything, checked the shocks, bushings seem ok, nothing loose under teh hood.....I'm stumped.

Any help would be great!!

 

[KCPX]

Thanks for your input. I've checked the sway bar and it's OK, but I need to look into the shocks and the torsion bars. It could definitely be the bushings, I haven't replaced those since I bought the explorer. Thanks again!

 

[Ricardo Miramontes]

Over bumps

Mine only does it when going over speed bumps, hitting a drainage ditch at an angle.....only when the suspension does any major movements.

 

[EB Bauer]

This is just a thought but if you jack it up and then wiggle the wheels do they move? May have a bearing that is fried. On my old toyota I could move the front wheels about two inches cause my bearings were so shot. May also be something to check.

 

[KCPX]

Great thoughts! Ricardo, my problem is along the same issue. It is only noticeable when pulling into my driveway(Utah driveway), going over potholes or smaller bumps. When I was on the trail, I was in 4-low and rock climbing...I never really heard the rattle. But on the road with the smaller bumps is when I hear it.

 

[Ricardo Miramontes]

driveways too. Over here in San Diego, the driveways on track homes are sloped so I have to hit it at an angle to drive up.....shocks are nice and tight, all else checks out just fine, I guess it's one of those bizzare problems. I would like to here more thoughts on it though. Is the torsion bar assembly right under the driver and passenger positions easily diassembled and reassembled? Are the pieces in there subject to this kind of problem? Do the pieces in there creat any movement of sort, and how could it be determined without the car moving.

 

[riffman]

along with the sway bar thing...check the links that attach them to the axle. mine were loose, and were ratteling like a mother! just a thought.... Dead Link Removed

 

[KCPX]

Thank you, I haven't checked that area yet. Is it possible that it could be my ball-joints? Has anybody else had ball-joint troubles?