Nasty Crunch from front end when hitting bump with wheels cut hard

[michael loibl]

Wondering if anyone else has had this. When I pull into my driveway, which has a slight 1-2 inch ridge at the driveway apron, If the wheels are cut sharply to the right there is a nasty crunch as i hit the bump. Even happens at low speed like creeping in drive. This ridge is no bigger than you might find between two pieces of old sidewalk. It almost sounds like an oversize tire snagging on plastic inner fender but I am stock tires and this only began this week. no visible scuffs or clean marks in fender. Any ideas?

 

[michael loibl]

I should have mentioned the truck now has 15,000 miles. The only other steering concern was at only 400 miles when the lower steering shaft into the steering box was replaced. That was due to an entirely different noise when turning the wheels with the vehicle stationary. This is a totally different noise. It really sounds like an oversize tire bumping in the fender for 1 second...A noise many of you are likely to be familiar with.

 

[MountaineerGreen]

I'd check the clips or bolts that retain the fenderwell liner- if the tire is snagging the bottom edge, it may not show a mark. You may just need to push a retainer or tighten a bolt.

Tire rubbing is a part of my daily life

 

[bojans]

Mine started doing that too. I haven't had a chance to climb under and look, but when it did it in my Blazer it was the crossmember mount gone bad. On the Balzer the torsion bars mounted to the x member and going over a bump w/ wheels turned would raise the x member up and slam it back down on the frame. I have given up doing my own oil changes and such so I am not even sure if the new Explorer has torsion bars, but that was my first thought when I heard the bang.

 

[dkchrist]

nope they are coilovers and it would probably be a bushing in one of the a-arms

 

[michael loibl]

Thanks for the insight...I just droped the exploder off at the dealer so it will be there for it's 7:30 AM appointment. I was inspecting the front coils looking for cracks after reading about prior generation cracking the rear coils, but nothing looks out of place. I'm just fearing a phone call tomorrow saying "We could not duplicate your concern". Fortunately I know I can do it on demand pulling into my driveway, so if necessary I will video tape it and offer the tape to the service writter. Of course he might not like that.

 

[Toddvdk]

I just got my '06 Explorer back from the dealership for the same issue. Mine sounded like metal against metal or something. The dealer said they couldn't replicate the issue, but have heard this issue before. There theory is that the 4x4 is trying to kick in for just a second during the hard cut as a result of the one tire with firm traction and the other tire slipping. They said this is normal and not to worry about it. I'd be interested to see what your dealer says!

 

[michael loibl]

The dealer said they were able to duplicate the noise and they found that the control arms needed to be retourqued as both sides were rather loose. I neglected to ask if it was the upper or lower arms, and there is no mention on the reciept. They also lubricated the control arm bushings... Noise is gone.

Dkchrist... you called it correctly.

 

[dkchrist]

do you know what they lubed them with mine truck is about to drive me nuts with that creak

 

[michael loibl]

I have no idea what lube they used, and no indication on the reciept. I'd like to think it was either white lithium or silicon spray, or perhaps some "Ford authorized general purpose lubricant"

 

[dkchrist]

cool probably like white lithium grease. Now i will have to put that on my to do list