Help with knocking front end.

[Adam Berger]

I have been having problems with my 99 Ex with regards to the front end knocking. I have so far changed all 4 ball joints which helped alot. For a few months I had trouble free running, but lately, a small knocking feeling has returned. It is ever so slight but very annoying and getting worse. I have re checked the ball joints and tie rods and am pretty sure they are good, but can't be certain.
The worst thing is you only feel it mainly on smooth roads running in a straight line. I can cruise down the freeway and feel it constantly. The suspension is hardly moving mind you. Some times when going over speed humps, I get a popping noise which is like before when I changed the ball joints. Trouble is there is no movement in the ball joints like before.
I don't want to start changing everything on the front as parts are very expensive in Australia. Does anyone know if the sway bar bushes can cause this? Could I have damaged my ball joints when I put them in? I was pretty rough with the lowers. Anyones help would be great.

 

[EBInterceptor]

Have you checked your swaybar bushings and endlinks? I replaced my balljoints (which we shot) and continued to get the thumping, upon closer inspection, later on, I noticed my endlinks were shot and there was a lot of play in the swaybar. If that's your case, then a set of new bushings and endlinks only costed me $36 for some Energy Suspension ones.

Otherwise there was also mention recently with a problem with the torsion bar adjusters (?) in which the kevlar pads went bad. I was within the past few days, though my mind is all goo right now, so I can't give any better description of it.

 

[Adam Berger]

Thanks EB. How would you suggest to check the sway bar bushes or should I replace them anyway? They are quite expensive down here. Maybe I should get some from the States. I remember reading about the pads on the torsion bars. Can these be visually inspected?
I might add that I did do some experimentation on the front end. I dissconnected the sway bar, the knocking seemed to continue. I then took out the front shocks, it seemed to disappear. What's the chances of my Rancho's being stuffed? They have only done about 30,000km. If your theory on the sway bars was correct, then you'd imagine that it would disappear once out of the equation. The bushes on the top of the shocks weren't what I would call, extremely tight. I wonder if they could be damaged from not being tight enough?

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

Adam, if you'd like them shipped down to you, the two links costs $14.99 each for Moog Brand parts and the frame mount bushings cost around $12. I'd be happy to ship them down to you. I had the same noise you're describing and after I replaced all the sway bar parts, the noise is gone. It was a pretty easy repair, only takes an hour or so.

 

[Adam Berger]

Thanks jay. Would you mind letting me know how much shipping would be to Australia? I had a look on Rockauto. Shipping is always dear from them. The price you gave is better than here. If I remember correctly, Ford Australia wants around $70 for the links, each! That's ridiculous. You can see why I won't just start changing parts randomly. It's already cost me a small fortune to change the ball joints.

 

[Adam Berger]

It has just occurred to me that I only started noticing this problem when I changed my tyres from the Bf mud terrains to BF long trails. These are mainly street tyres so it is more then likely the problem has been there for a long time. I just never noticed before with the vibration from the muddys.

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

I can send it global priority mail for $9, should reach you in 4-6 days.

 

[OZexplore]

adam i had a similar problem but you could only notice it when hot tuened out to be steering rack (reco one $1000) my sway bar bushes squeak when going over speed humps
JAY
$9 postage from usa better than $80+ from EE

 

[TSTONE]

Check your exhaust hangers - I chased one for 4mths, it was hitting on the right rear leaf spring at the front bolt

 

[Adam Berger]

Thanks for everyone's help. I will have a look at the leafs when I get a chance. I wouldn't mind changing the bushes anyway. Jay, I will PM you about the bushes.

 

[macanudo56]

Adam,

You asked if torsion bar tensioners can be inspected visually. You can and you should, since wear, tear and crushing of the kevlar patch on the tensioners is identified in several threads here as the main cause of clunking in the front suspension.

Tensioners have a cover each. It comes out easily, four bolts I think. You can locate them on the rear part of the torsion bars. However, last oil change, while the vehicle was on a lift, I managed to take a look at those kevlar patches, without removing any cover. Kevlar is a, let's say, 2 mm pad, bonded to the round part of the tensioner with a stuff that seems just a strong epoxy adhesive.

Like you, I have changed all of the ball joints to no use. Changed the sway bar links and bushings too. Clunk is still there. Yesterday, I bought two torsion bar tensioners from a local Genuine Ford parts store (I'm from Argentina) and plan to change them by myself, as soon as I have time to. There's a very good thread on this topic somewhere here, with pics and instructions. I have checked the on-line Autozone repair manual and it seems helpful on this issue.

Will let you know how things come out.
Hope you can solve your problem.

Regards

Luis

 

[Adam Berger]

Thanks for your suggestion. I would be interested to here how you went with it. As it stands, I am waiting on the sway bar bushes in the mail. I will replace these first and see what happens. If not, I will certainly look at the wear pads. How would one tell if the pads are worn out?

 

[macanudo56]

Just for their looks. When you have them out, you will notice at once if they are worn, torn or out of position. Now I read that from '98 on the design was changed and the pad is not bonded to the tensioner but mounted with a retainer into the torsion bar anchor bracket. This should be your case.

 

[macanudo56]

Photos:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112983&highlight=kevlar+patch

Repair info:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//forums/showthread.php?t=25873&page=1&pp=20&highlight=kevlar

 

[Adam Berger]

Fixed!!
For anyone that was following this thread, it was the sway bar bushes. Thanks to Jayhawkexplorer I now have a brand new set of Moog body and link bushes. They are a much better design than the OEM's. Who would have thought that these would cause the problem? Visually, you have no way of telling if they are worn out.
The car feels so much more solid now. It feels like an expensive car again instead of a worn out heap. I question how such an item can wear out so quickly on a 5 year old car? I've already changed all the ball joints and now these bushes. What a crap design Ford has come up with. Next time the ball joints go, it'll be Moog all the way! Thanks for everyone's help.

 

[macanudo56]

Glad to hear you fixed it!

Luis