Front end noise.

[65 Fury Convert]

It's funny what the place you had the brakes done at told you- "...let's start at the shocks and see if that fixes it...$160...". I hate going to mechanics that chase problems like that. Glad you didn't do it!

 

[jasonb]

my truck makes the same noises now and it started after i changed my brakes also... sounds like something is loose down there and banging away, but it really doesn't sound like metal to metal contact. only happens over bumps, small ones and big ones. speed doesn't matter here either. hope it ain't the shocks cause i don't have money to replace them!

 

[Brad B.]

It sounds as if this is a common problem on Explorers, so I'm surprised that the dealers don't know what causes it. I have a '98 XLT V8 with about 50K miles, and it started making the front end clunking noise around 5K miles ago. My wife used to have a '98 Explorer Sport, and it made the noise at less than 40K miles. If someone figures this out, please let us know.

 

[kgd102]

Well the Ford dealer had my explorer for about 20 hours (7:30 - 5:30 Tuesday and Wednesday) and all they can tell me is that they can hear and feel the noise but aren't sure what it is so they told me to bring it back if/when it gets worse. After the first day I had to go down there and point out the problem and they said "ohhh that's what you are talking about, we heard/felt that but didn't think you were talking about that". I wanted to go nuts on them. So I guess I'm stuck with the noise/vibration until a wheel falls off or something. I have all the paperwork though so if something happens I'm not gonna pay a damned dime to get it fixed. One thing though is the service manager told me it's definitely not the u-joints so I'm glad I didn't listen to the first guy and drop the $390 to get those replaced. Now I remember why I got away from owning Fords in the first place, the service sucks!

 

[sksk]

Had the same problem with mine after a wheel bearing was replaced at the dealer. It was the driver front same problem you are having. I had it to two dealers that could not figure it out. I then brought it to a non-ford dealer a 4x4 shop that is local. They found that the Ford dealer that replaced my wheel bearing did not tighten my Calipar up when done. This tech tightned the caliper and no more noise. Hope this helps.

 

[kgd102]

I've made sure the calipers are tight on a few occasions but that's not it. So far I've replaced the shocks, sway bar links, and sway bar bushings but the noise/vibration is still present. Anyone got any other ideas?

 

[Lemondrop]

Sure you don't have a exhaust hanger loose and the exhaust pipe is contacting the frame or other body part somewhere ? I know exhaust pipes can make some noise banging around under a car . It could hit the tranny crossmember and cause that noise under your feet . Give the exhaust a shake when the truck is cool so you dont get burned .

 

[mobius]

sounds funny to me cause i have a 96 with 110,000 on it and it has made the noise for over 50k miles and the calipers havent fallen off and i changed the pads in the front and it didnt go away, i realy would like to know why ford cant fix the shake and clunk we sploder owners are experiencing

 

[slag]

I am having this same problem on my wife's 93 eddie bauer explorer. The sound is coming from the passenger side when we go over any bump. It makes a loud clunking sound. I think I may have narrowed it down to this:a radius arm bushing is worn out.

 

[01EB5.0]

On those noisy calipers..slither a ton of grease on the slide bushings....you remove the black rubber grommet and put grease in there...synthetic grease..perferrable

 

[kgd102]

Well I had it back to the Ford dealer on Friday since the noise has gotten alot worse. They were able to determine that it is coming somewhere in the vicinity of the front half of the vehicle and that's it. They said for as little as $70/hour (with such a bargain like that it was tough to say no) they can go through and check each component and try to narrow it down or I can wait until it gets even worse and then take it back again.

I have been trying to narrow it down myself and one thing I noticed is that with the vehicle in drive I can let off the brake and let the idle move the vehicle (so I'm only going like 3-5 mph) and you can hear/feel the noise when it's just rolling along, especially if I hit little cracks or bumps in the road. Ford got out the scope and checked the ring and pinion and said it's not that. So I know it's not the ring and pinion, or the shocks (replaced), or the sway bar links(replaced), or the sway bar bushings(replaced), or loose calipers(been checked numerous times). With this information does anyone have any idea what it may be? I just want/need to get rid of the noise and Ford is no help.

 

[01EB5.0]

i'm guessing ball joints. Lift the front of car and put 2 jackstands under, then go to each front wheels and grasp at the top of the tire and the bottom and push on top and pull out on bottom and just keep doing that to see if you can get the clunk to hapen. if the clunk does happen, have someone else grab the upper or lower ball joint to see which one is loose.
Good luck

 

[Robert]

You never did say if you checked out your torsion bar adjusters and rear wheel bearings. When either of these go bad, it will cause a metal to metal clanking sound on bumps as minor as an expansion joint. Remove the torsion bar end covers and look for material getting squeezed out from the top of the torsion bar. If it is getting squeezed out, you have the metal from the torsion bar contacting the bottom of the metal frame everytime your suspension moves. To check your rear wheel bearings, jack up a rear tire and push in on the top while pulling out on the bottom. Any movement and your bearing ware bad. It is normal for your entire wheel to move in and out, just not the top while the bottom moves the opposite direction. Repairing these items on my '97 cured my rattling while driving down the road.

 

[01EB5.0]

My torsion bar adjusters had the rubber pushing out, but it wasn't that on mine. I guess it is different for everyone though. From what I understand, the torsion bar adjuster does not move unless you adjust it, so a small crack or joint in the road should not cause the part between the frame and the bar to move at all. i am not sure if this makes any sense, but the delaer said it is normal for the rubber things to be hanging out and they they rarly, if ever, replace those rubber things.

 

[kgd102]

Well the noise/clunk has now shifted to the passenger side and much worse. I was at the ford dealer the other day to get an alignment done and asked them to take a look at it again. First they told me that the noise is because of the aftermarket suspension parts I have. I had to challenge them on that and told him the reason for the aftermarket suspension parts (new shocks and sway bar links) are a result of the clunking and were installed to try and stop the clunking. So they are wrong again. The service guy offered to go for a ride with and when we did he felt the clunk and told me that with taller tires I am experiencing the tires crinkling over bumps. Again I challenged him on that saying they didn't do it with the firestones so why would it do it now and they are the same size tires. So once no solution to the clunking but a whole lot of BS answers from ford.

I have no idea what else to try. It's driving me nuts. It is especially worse on cold days the clunk happens easier and much louder. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Jason_25]

Here's an off the wall suggestion:

Have you checked to make sure the front diff is tight in it's mounts?

 

[kgd102]

Here's an off the wall suggestion:

Have you checked to make sure the front diff is tight in it's mounts?

At this point nothing is off the wall to me. I have not checked that. I might just give that a try and the motor mounts too.

 

[Big E]

I have read all the posts and it sounds like MANY people have problems with there 95+ X. This is what you need to do. Take floor jack. Jack up under the lower control arm. As close to the tire as you can get. Jack the tire 5 inches or so off the ground. Now grab the tire at 12 and 6 the try to move the tire. This part here you might need somone with some @@ (balls) cause what you are checking here is the upper ball joint. The only way to check it is to have ALL the weight of the vehicle off of it. Then move to the next side. If you feel any movement you have a problem and that is probably were your noise. For you guys who have pre 95 X's you just jack up the axle and place the jack stands under the front axle and do the same thing. The pre 95's are diffent design than the 95's+. The pre 95's don't use a upper and lower control arm and a torsion bar. By the way. Your 98 X don't have u-joints don't let For see you them casue you don't have any. You have CV joints. On the pre 95's if you go to the trouble of changing the lower ball joint, you should change the upper too. I know it might not be bad. But if the lower has 5 million milles on it then the upper has the same amount. I think I have explained how to check the upper and lower ball joints. And to check the tie rods wiggle the tire by grabbing the 3 and 9 o'clock position, if you feel play then you have a tie rod loose. But make sure you know which one it is. If you have a 95+ then you have a inner and outer tie rod. If you have a pre 95 then you have a outer on the driverside, a drag link connected to the pass. side that hooks to a center link. Make sure you get the right part. I hope this clears somethings up for people. If you have any more questions just post em. I specialize in front ends at work mostly. Hope this helps. Oh by the way...good luck!


Eric

 

[TonyT]

Me Too - Squeaking

I have just about the same problem, but mine is a loud squeaking noise when I'm driving and hit bumps both big & small. I also get the noise if I am stopped and turn the steering wheel from side to side. It started out being very infrequent, but its starting to be there all the time now. the dealer has been no help so far , I leave the truck there all day come back to get it at closing time only to hear "When we looked at the truck it wasn't making the noise, you'll have to bring it back when the noise starts again" So full of **** !! the minute I got in it to drive home I didn't go 100 feet before the noise was there. It wouldn't be bad but when I dropped the car off in the morning I gave the service manager a ride so he could hear it just to avoid this kinda thing. Its a 98 Explorer Sport 45,000 miles, it has the extended FORD warranty on it till 6 years or 72,000 miles. The tires have been replaced within the last 6 months (recall), the front brakes (with rotor replacements) were done 2,000 miles ago ( at this dealer ;-) ) Transmission & transfer case fluids changed at the same time, I have my oil and filter changed faithfully every 6,000 miles with MOBIL One oil . I want this fixed its driving me nuts !!

 

[Churp]

Has anyone found the cause of this noise? I also did a brake job and soon after have a similar popping sound from the drivers side front. Checked everything from brakes to the suspension and could not find anything wrong.