pop/thump in front end: 95+

[TarHeel085]

i have a 99 Sport and today i was goin through a neighborhood about 25 MPH, and hit some bumps. i heard this popping sound coming from the front end of my X. i got under there and my shocks werent lose and it didnt seem anything else was either. what i was thinkin was that they sway bar was in a bind, or tie rods?

 

[TarHeel085]

 

[JoshC]

Does it do this when you turn or just when you are going in a strait line and hit a bump?

Mine would thump when i made a right hand turn, turned out to be my ad-a-lead in the rear had shifted and was smacking my gas tank skid plate, check that out, worth a look i guess. Might want to check your sway bar end links, good canidate for that noise.

Happy trails!!

 

[Jason_25]

You may just wanna take it to a trusted alignment shop for an inspection. I bet they would only charge like 20 bucks and if anything were wrong, they would know it.

 

[TarHeel085]

it doesnt matter what im doin it does this whenever i hit a bump. Jason: ill do that tonight and get back to ya.

 

[craig79054]

i have a 93 and that exact same problem was driving me crazy
After some through research on the alldata diagnostic software at the service station where i work i found out that it was the radius arm bushing (the one i got was a moog brand part) the problem is that ford put the exhaust manifold about 2 inches away from a plastic bushing
i dont know if it would be the same on a 95+ but it mught be worth a shot

 

[Jason_25]

Nope no radius arm bushings on second gens. Curtis, ever figure out what's wrong?

 

[TarHeel085]

naw i took it to get an alignment check and they didnt find anything. i think it may be my CV joints goin bad, cause it suspension related!

 

[BLACK95]

Hey Tarheel, there are quite a few people on here who had that same problem with the front end making a clunking sound whenever we drive over a bump. I had that problem for a long time until I took mine in for that recall for the sway bar links, once they put those in it stopped, so I would look at those, mine was broke at the top where you could not see just by looking. The ford dealer here showed it to me after he took it out. Hope that helps you.

 

[Jason_25]

Curtis I just thought of something. It could be the kevlar patches on your torsion bar tensioners. Do a search on it.

 

[Texan01]

My 95 would pop/clunk when I made sharp left turns , turns out that it was the left upper control arm that was loose where it met the frame, tightened it up and problem solved. Now I need to get it aligned to re-center the steering wheel.

 

[Michigander]

Originally posted by BLACK95
Hey Tarheel, there are quite a few people on here who had that same problem with the front end making a clunking sound whenever we drive over a bump. I had that problem for a long time until I took mine in for that recall for the sway bar links, once they put those in it stopped, so I would look at those, mine was broke at the top where you could not see just by looking. The ford dealer here showed it to me after he took it out. Hope that helps you.

I've been having this problem too. Do you have any information on what recal this was?

 

[TarHeel085]

well i have an appointment at ford tommorow for a ride along with a service tech so he can hear this "noise". Jason ill do a search on that, and tell you what the deal is tommorow.

 

[Quakecom]

recall??

I didnt know there was a recall on the sway bar links...for what year(s)? Because I am experiencing the same problems as everybody else...Its annoying as hell...
thanx

Quakecom

 

[Mark Drysdale]

Clunking to the rear

Mine does that too, however after replacing the front shocks it is much better, however the back end clunks and rattles over bumps, is this just par for the course with leaf springs or do I have something wrong.

 

[Robert]

Re: recall??

Originally posted by Quakecom
I didnt know there was a recall on the sway bar links...for what year(s)? Because I am experiencing the same problems as everybody else...Its annoying as hell...
thanx

Quakecom

The recall covers all Explorers built from the beginning of the '95 model year through the '97 model year Explorers built before November '96.

 

[TarHeel085]

well i had a technician listen to it today, couldnt do it yesterday cause alternator was dead. but its in the shop right now for the alternator and there gonna look at the front end to try an diagnose the popping. i will post the results when i get it back, hopefully tommorow!

 

[TarHeel085]

day 2: its still in there and they have no clue what the heck it is. so it will be tommorow hopefully, and ill still post the outcome.

 

[TarHeel085]

well i havent picked it up yet, but the guy on the phone said they replaced the rear sway bar links, either that or the front i couldnt hear him very well. once i get it i will look under there and see which ones it is.

 

[tcbarney]

FWIW, I had no clunks prior to the recall service on the sway bar end links. Developed a clunk after that work was done. Worst when backing out of a parking space with the wheel cranked all the way to the left (counter clockwise.)

Can see nothing underneath that looks like it's hitting or rubbing, but of course I also can't generate the kind of forces on the suspension I need when my head is under there.

Won't go back to my local dealer just yet - too many things they didn't do right when the X was in for service - so I'm trying to do more trouble-shooting myself for a while.

The thing squeaks like crazy, too. Front and rear. Lubed my sway bar bushings with no change. New shocks in the last 1.5 months. What else should I be looking for?