My car sounds like santa's sleigh... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

My car sounds like santa's sleigh...

RichCresci

Well-Known Member
Joined
June 20, 2009
Messages
297
Reaction score
5
City, State
New Jersey
Year, Model & Trim Level
03 XLS, 06 Mounty
My 03 4x4 V6 has developed a new jingle, literally. When i hit a bump it sounds like there's jingle bells in my front end. It's definitely coming from both sides. It just rolled 90,000 if that helps at all. Any thoughts? Thanks again!
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Bushings cracked apart and fell out of you're sway bar links?
 






Negative. They're brand new. It literally sounds like bells, nuts not a clunk or a clink. It's a jingling sound.
 






It could be Santa it is getting to that time of year.
On a serious note let us know what you checked and how you checked. These trucks have many front end issues, hubs,upper bjs, broken springs, sway bar, blah blah. My rear hubs made a similiar sound when it started to go bad.
 






I got under it today, it looks like its the lower ball joints as the both have about a hair and a half of play in them.
 






mine makes the exact same sound!!! i keep saying it sounds like someone shaking a chain
 






Yep, that's the same noise. I changed the passenger side today and from what I can hear no more noise from that side. I'll change the drivers side in Sunday and report back.
 






I got under it today, it looks like its the lower ball joints as the both have about a hair and a half of play in them.
>>>>>>>>>>>>

The lower ball joints were bad on my Ex as well, but the sound they made when I hit a bump sounded like Santa Claus tripped over the satellite dish on his way to the chimney, and landed on the lower roof, kind of like a "thud"! :splat: I had them replaced with Moog greaseable ball joints from NAPA. Lifetime warranty.
 






It was the lower ball joints. The passenger side which i did first took me 3.5 hours. The drivers side took only 30 minutes. It amazing how much time you waste when you're not sure of the procedure at hand. I'm debating doing a write up because I don't believe there's one on here. Also, nifty trick i learned for diagnosing your ball joints, jack the front end up so that the tires are about 3 inches off the ground, stick a nice long pry bar between the tire and the ground and pull up on the bar so it hits the bottom of the tire. If the ball joins are worn you'll be able to feel them moving around very easily. The jingle is gone and it only cost me $60 instead of the $400 I was quoted at the stealership.
 






Also, nifty trick i learned for diagnosing your ball joints, jack the front end up so that the tires are about 3 inches off the ground, stick a nice long pry bar between the tire and the ground and pull up on the bar so it hits the bottom of the tire. If the ball joins are worn you'll be able to feel them moving around very easily. .
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This has been a way to self diagnose bad lower ball joints for as long as I can remember, but it's good you mentioned it for those who did not know how to do this self exam. Instead of "feeling" for the loose ball joint while you raise and lower the pry bar wedged under the tire, you can also visibly see them move up and down in their sockets( which they shouldn't do if good) by laying on the ground and looking underneath the front end of the vehicle at the ball joints themselves. You can also use a pry bar to check the upper ball joints as well.
 






I'm sure the method has ten around for heats before me I just wanted to mention it for the sake of others in the same scenario as me. For something so simple i'm surprised it's not more well known!
 






Back
Top