Front suspension(?) noise

[ummduh]

03 Explorer 4dr 4x4.

Only happens when the suspension is really hot (i.e. driving around our lovely totally torn up and destroyed by flooding NorCal roads), when you go over a large bump (speed bump or say a deep parking lot entrance..) there is this lovely grinding/rubbing/creaking noise from the front left mostly. You can hear it and feel it. The worse the road was before you hit said bumps the worse the noise is.

The best way I can describe it.. Imagine dragging a kitchen chair across a linoleum kitchen floor while your kid is still sitting in it.

The bigger the bump the worse the noise, but it doesn't seem to do it outside of speed bumps or driveways..

Any ideas? I'm thinking struts.. But there are no other symptoms. Suspension is tight, no external leaks.

Around 77K miles. Completely stock.

 

[STCamaro69]

sounds like front stabilizer frame mount bushings to me....cheap & easy fix...I had the same thing on my 04 EB Explorer...now totally gone.

 

[CHRISXPLOR]

yep!!!

 

[ummduh]

Yea those make a little noise if you jump on the suspension while it's parked.. I just can't fathom them making this type of noise.. But hey it's worth a shot!

I guess I'll swap them out and hope for the best.

Thanks.

 

[fyrfyter612]

mine was making the same noise. I took the stabilizer bar mount bushings off and greased them up real good with chassis grease and noise gone. 2 bolts on each mount...take the bushings out...wipe them down real good...grease them up and reinstall them. should take care of it.

 

[ummduh]

Amazingly enough that seems to have fixed it.

NEVER would have guessed that they could make that kind of noise!

Cleaned and greased them up.. Took all of a half hour.

Thanks!

 

[STCamaro69]

Great! I'm glad that worked for you.

 

[clarks2001]

I have a video (not too great of quality) but did the squeak sound like this?
http://s467.photobucket.com/albums/rr32/clarks2001/?action=view&current=MOV02924.flv

 

[tbe2002]

I have a video (not too great of quality) but did the squeak sound like this?
http://s467.photobucket.com/albums/rr32/clarks2001/?action=view&current=MOV02924.flv

Yep that would be the noise that I herd. I replaced the Sway bar links and have not had a problem since.

 

[clarks2001]

Sway bar = Stabilizer bar right? Whats a good brand to buy from? would i just have to replace bushings or the whole thing?

 

[Nytroman]

I have a video (not too great of quality) but did the squeak sound like this?
http://s467.photobucket.com/albums/rr32/clarks2001/?action=view&current=MOV02924.flv

Exactly what my truck started doing as soon as spring hit! thank you from saving me from getting out the road mics, guess ill be replacing some bushings

 

[ummduh]

Yep that would be the noise that I herd. I replaced the Sway bar links and have not had a problem since.

That wasn't the issue mine was having. Mine was like a hard short shudder, the whole car vibrated. But it only lasted a short time.

Take the bushing off first and check it out, mine had pretty much no wear at all, they just needed some greasing, and put them back in. They weren't even cracking/rotting yet.

 

[clarks2001]

How would one find out the size of the sway bar? I have been looking at autozone website and pep boys and a few others and they have different sizes like 30-34mm. My truck is a 02 Limited V6 with 4wd if it helps

 

[ummduh]

measure it with a micrometer or a caliper. Sometimes you can just use a tape measure but there are usually a lot of close sizes that make it difficult to eyeball with a tape.. (1 1/16, 1 1/8, 1 3/16 etc..)

 

[clarks2001]

so why is there so many sizes for the sway bar? are they trim specific or just fords way of making people angry lol

 

[clarks2001]

Well i made a trip to autozone and got a set of these for just over $15. http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/
Now all I need is a torque wrench. If i cant find one by tomorrow noon time, Goodyear will install them for $62. Cheaper than the torque wrenches i saw at the store lol

 

[ummduh]

A torque wrench? For the the sway bar bushing bolts?

Just put some blue lock tite on them like the factory uses and tighten them. This isn't rocket surgery exactness here..

As for the different sizes? I really don't know what gets what sizes.. The Ford DVD only lists one part # for an 03, p/n 5493.

 

[clarks2001]

Well it's my first time doing anything suspension like so I'm learning. Do I need to remove the sway bar to get the new ones on or can I just open them up and put them on? Thought about doing the links just for the heck of it but they look like they are good to go (just need to clean the parts up)

 

[ummduh]

Work on one side at a time. The bar will lower enough that the bushing will come off. It's split down one side so that you can just peel it off.

No need to even jack up the car. the hardest part is getting the old bolts out, due to the original thread locker used. they stay fairly difficult to turn the whole way out. I used a long 1/2" ratchet just for the extra leverage, haven't bought a new compressor for the air tools since i moved

if you are doing the end links (from the sway bar to the control arm) just make sure that both sides of the car are even. i.e. don't jack up one side of the car to work on it.

 

[clarks2001]

well the end links look to be fine from what i can see, but once i crawl up under the truck, i will give them a once over to see if the bushings are cracked or not. I was going to do my bushings today but I got lazy so guess it will wait till next week. I got some thread lock and going to be using a regular socket wrench instead of torque wrench and go on feel. Might need to buy a tap and dye kit just in the event i strip threads but i just will turn them back in till it stops and not going to force it tighter, so i should be fine