Front end STILL knocking

So I have been fighting with my front right end knocking over speed bumps, turning and hard braking. It only comes from the right side. My guy (since I would break anything I tried to fix) looked at the sway bars and they were tight, the strut housing is fine and I just replaced all the CV joints. We cant figure it out. Any ideas? We have tried a lot... we even replaced the bushings on the lower control arms.

deliciousdaly said:

So I have been fighting with my front right end knocking over speed bumps, turning and hard braking. It only comes from the right side. My guy (since I would break anything I tried to fix) looked at the sway bars and they were tight, the strut housing is fine and I just replaced all the CV joints. We cant figure it out. Any ideas? We have tried a lot... we even replaced the bushings on the lower control arms.

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The sway bar frame attachment points may be tight - but the bushings may be shot. The Moogs are only $12 for the pair from Advance Auto and they will tighten up the sway bar. Also, the sway bar links should only be torqued with the full weight of the Jeep on the ground - don't tighten them when the Jeep is up on a lift with the front wheels drooping down. They WILL clunk (ask me know I know... :Insane: )

Bob

I am really good at fixing things worse than they were before, is this something I would be able to do? My mechanic said he took them off and it still clunked, I don't know if that means anything...

I seem to share a similar problem. While driving down rough roads, speed bumps, etc. my jeep sounds like im hittig 1' deep potholes constantly. (It does not happen during hard steering and braking though.) I have looked into all of the suspension components while it was on stands and on the ground and have had my mechanic look it over too. No signs of any problems with any suspension components. Everything is tight and solid. Even when you do a bounce test there are no problems with any struts or shocks... As of now its safe and I don't have any drivability problems so im drivin' it! Let me know if you find anything out please, ill be checking in periodically.

-J

Is it just as simple as taking off the bolts and swapping them out? I don't want to break anything as I am not the best at fixing things but I can do some things... This is a pretty loud noise now, sounds like its coming from the feet of the passenger side.

My guy took off the sway bar and it still made noise. It's a semi lout metallic pop when I turn sharp and hit bumps.

Now it's making a small stretching sound when I turn. I really need help to figure this out.

A good place to start is to get underneath it and take a look at your suspension components. Jack up the front end, put it on blocks/stands and make sure to give every suspension component a good strong tug. Make sure everything is tight and there is no play. You can check your wheel bearings and ball joints at the same time while the tires are off the ground. For bearings, grab hold of the tire and try to knock/wiggle it side to side. For the ball joints, put a crow bar or pipe under the tire and pry up underneath it. The tire rising up should be smooth, any popping or jarring could indicate a bad ball joint.

As for the "Stretching," how hard are you turning when this noise happens? Are you turning very tightly, maybe even maxing out the steering? This could be your power steering pump and when you are maxing it out its going to be making a bit more noise.

-J

The stretching sound is coming from the same spot as my clunking, most of which are from tight turning and bump hitting, I believe they are directly related. My mechanic, who as always been pretty reliable went through a lot of those, pulling and wiggling he cant replicate the sound and pin point where its coming from. wheel baring and ball joints are pretty much the only things I haven't replaced. would there be a way to tell the difference? This is getting to be a pain!

The noise is getting really loud and it sounds like its coming directly from the passenger side wheel well.

How's the intermediate shaft? Was it checked when the CV was changed?

Maybe it is a body part rattling. 2X on the power steering for the stretching noise. Or the steering rack loosening up? Or failing?

Steering is very tight, the stretching sound isn't power steering, I know what that sounds like. Its like a metallic creaking\stretching sound coming from the same spot. It sounds like it is coming from the top of the strut but that was checked.

Have you considered checked your upper shock mounts?


Sent from ThunderbirdJunkie's mind because the Matrix is real, Neo.

Can you replicate the problem if the front end is off the ground or do you need to be driving with weight on the wheels to replicate it? If you can do it in the air, put up the front end, on stands of course, and have one person steer it and another underneath with a flashlight and some eye protection and watching what might be binding up and clinking.

-J

My mechanic said he could not replicate the noise on the lift, but its not me doing it. I would try it but I lack the friends or the jack. I'm just hoping its safe since I have been driving it, gingerly of course. I'm going to leave it with him Wednesday and see if he can find it, I just hope if he does its nothing too pricey... Last time he replaced some bushing that was a big project for him, I think it was the lower control arm bushing, cost me $160, the clunking was reduced after but it came back.

Best of luck, please let me know how it turns out and whether or not you found the problem. My mechanic said it might just be play in the steering rack when I talked to him.

-J

Ok, my mechanic threw in the towel. After 3 days of on and off work he said enough.
There is what it is not
-Sway bars and links (Still pops when they are off)
-Strut housing or where ever the strut connects to the Jeep
-Upper and lower ball joints
-Upper control arm or lower control arm
-Swing arm bushings
-Body movement
(maybe a better mechanic?)

When I go slowly over a speed bump it sounds like a metal on metal clunk like something is worn out and it is hitting the passenger wheel well

When I make sharp turns at low speed it pops... other than that no other noises, it is not that frequent.

Which Rusty's lift do you have ( spacer or spring)
and how many miles are on it?

I have the spring lift, and probably around 50k miles on it.

I am going to try and make a video of it.

I find mine doing this after I lifted it and before I aligned it. The larger coils were deflecting in on speed bumps and connecting to the side of the sheet metal behind the coil

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deliciousdaly said:

I have the spring lift, and probably around 50k miles on it.

I am going to try and make a video of it.

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There could be your problem
Rustys springs are weak to begin with
The one and only set I ever installed ( under protest ) were junk after a couple of years and about 35-40,000 miles, rear shocks didn't even last that long :burnout:
IF they are weak enough and the shocks are worn out due to the weak springs could very well be where your knocking is coming from

Okay, the back shocks went quick. So what struts are supported with the 2.5" lift? The Durango shocks work (should have gotten a better brand, the jeep drives like the S.S. Liberty) but I don't know about the front struts