front end clunk (already searched)

[heathmo]

Ok, so I found a few threads that actually pertained to the 2nd gens on this and the one that was close didn't mention whether he felt the clunk in the steering wheel. He just determined that it was the radius arm bushings. Anyways, here's what's been done to the Explorer recently in the front end. I've replaced the brake pads & rotors, which was a bit of a pain with the squeaker. But I'm sure that the bolts were all tightened up and I always go back and hand tighten my lug nuts with a 4-way. I rotated the tires when I did this as well. The ride is still smooth and I do fine at highway speed. I have checked the sway bar links and they seem ok, one has been replaced in the past year, and the other is aftermarket, but I don't know when it was replaced (previous owner). It was not a Moog, but looks as though it has the Poly bushings as they are red, so I'm guessing it's a Spicer part. I can't seem much else and honestly don't know what to look for. Right now it's hot as hell here in IA so I'm trying to figure out things at dusk and I haven't had the time to jack up the truck and remove the tires to check anything.

I am feeling the clunk in the steering wheel and I can hear it, I'm about the only person that hears it because I listen and feel for it. It seems to go away sometimes and at others it's much worse, seems like it gets worse the warmer it gets outside, so any ideas?

BTW: not that this has anything to do with it, but replaced the PCV last night and wow, gas mileage is a lot better.

 

[kert0307]

Have you checked the ball joints?

btw, is your sport red with some bumper stickers on the back and running a one black steel rim? I may have seen it pulling out of Hardee's a couple of weeks ago when I was in Bettendorf for work.

 

[heathmo]

Nope, I drive a green Explorer, stock rims. It does have stickers on the back though. Got my Aussie sticker, B&M is peeling off, Hawk Performance Pads K&N and ChronixRadio on the side. It's got IL plates too. I really think the ball joints are ok. When I had it jacked up for the brakes I remember trying to rock the wheels and didn't have any movement.

 

[2000StreetRod]

Have you checked your ball joints?

Jack up the right front of the frame until the tire is in the air. Grab the tire at the bottom with both hands and pull up and outward to check for play in the bottom ball joint. Then grab the tire at the top and alternate pulling out and pushing in to check for play in the upper ball joint.

To check the tie rod ends for play push against the forward of the tire while pulling outward on the rear of the tire and then do the opposite.

Repeat the above for the left side.

Jacking up the body instead of the lower control arm makes it easier to detect play in the joints.

If you have a trustable alignment person you can ask to have your vehicle checked. I was told by a shop person that all of my ball joints were bad. In fact, only one upper and one lower needed replacement.

 

[Sbyrne97]

U joints?

 

[heathmo]

Last night

Just an update on the issue. I won't be able to look at anything until this weekend, so I'll continue to offer up whatever info I can to help determine what needs checked. The temp dropped significantly last night and I felt the clunk a lot less. Especially by the time I left my brother's house. When I backed down his driveway I felt a clunk and it was a little harder than before and after that it actually drove fine the whole way home, didn't feel it at all. It seems like it's on the passenger side. So if that opens up any new ideas let me know, I will certainly be checking on the other ones this weekend.

 

[gavin]

does the clunk happen only when driving straight, only when turning, or it doesn't matter? after hitting a bump, or all the time?

 

[heathmo]

It's pretty much all the time. There aren't really any perfect roads here, we don't have any money to fix our roads and they suck as it is because they were cheap about it in the first place so I don't really know for sure if it's only on bumps or not, but the flatter less screwed up parts of the road I can still hear & feel it, like the normal imperfections of the road I guess. And like I said, it seems like it gets much worse the hotter it gets outside. Last night in the cool night air, I didn't really hear it or feel it at all. I guess it almost sounded like something was able to slip into place where it wouldn't pop around any more. And then it'll slip back out and pop up and down again. If that makes any sense.

 

[gavin]

cv-joint on front driveshaft, at t-case.
wheel bearing/hub assy.

those would be my first 2 guesses.

 

[heathmo]

Wheel bearing might a good one to check. I do remember that I heard a weird hum coming from up there last winter, when I had the 4wd on. So that'd be another thing to check this weekend. Man, all this troubleshooting on IFS almost makes me want to just do a SAS just for the ease of troubleshooting.

 

[ThePhoenix]

I have similar issue sometimes..under hard braking AND left turn, I get a clunk. I think its because I got larger tires and the centrifigual force makes the ball joint slip in place...I KNOW I need ball joints since it creaks like a pirates parrot, so I am going to start there....

 

[heathmo]

Got some pictures tonight, looks like my *steering knuckle* is rocked backwards a bit, doesn't look good to me, but hopefully I'll get some answers with how this looks, let me know.

 

[heathmo]

Just tried to check the ball joints again. Nothing out of the ordinary as far as play back & forth, I've got a little play in the steering wheel now and it feels like there is some play in the steering wheel and the picture with the hyperextended boot is the tie rod end.

 

[heathmo]

bump

 

[gavin]

my preferred method of checking balljoints... jack the tire about 2-3" in the air.
Take a prybar underneath the tire, and pull up. There should be no play what-so-ever. It doesn't matter if you jack it up by the control arm or frame.

I prefer this method, beacause that is the movement seen when driving.

also, while the tire is in the air, pull/push at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to feel for any play in the tie rods.

may also want to check sway-bar end-link bushings at the control arm (if that hasn't already been suggested)

 

[fishnbas2]

Mine clunks real hard only in reverse. It sounds like its in the front end like hubs or something but it clunks hard. Any ideas??????????????

 

[Clutchless1995]

I too had a mystery clunk in my 1995 which has new upper and lower control arms, tie rod ends, shocks and recently greased aftermarket sway bar bushings. It has tight steering. I do most of my own repairs including the above listed parts, but this had me stumped so I took it to some trusted mechanics. They found the torsion bar mounts had rusted out and caused the clanking. The passenger side bar itself was rusted out. The shop could re-use the driver side torsion bar and replaced the driver side mounts but had to replace the entire passenger side torsion bar and both mounts. They found the OEM parts from some place in Oregon.

 

[heathmo]

What about my tie rod end being twisted like that, is that normal? I can take more pictures if needed, but I've done all the back yard mechanic tests to see if there is any play in the tire and I've found nothing.

 

[gavin]

What about my tie rod end being twisted like that, is that normal? I can take more pictures if needed, but I've done all the back yard mechanic tests to see if there is any play in the tire and I've found nothing.

what do you mean "twisted?" you mean rotated foward/backward? that's not unusual, as the TRE needs to be able to have that type of movement.

 

[heathmo]

Yeah, rotated backward, just seems like there's gotta be something I'm missing, but I can't see it. I know there's a clunk and I know I can feel it in the steering wheel.