Clunking / rattling front end
01-05-2019, 09:30 AM
#1
Clunking / rattling front end
I am not sure if it was like this before the Moog 824’s or after or both. However when the roads suck and there are more bumps and holes than it is smooth I get this noise. It seems to be in the front end. Suspension is tight. It has been aligned. Sound both before and after alignment and the same with my old and gone 91 as it is with my 96.
Took it it to a shop and they said it just sounds like an old truck.
If I was test driving this brand new and it had this noise, I would be moving on.
Any thoughts?
96’ F150 x-cab short or mid bed 2wd 5.0
Took it it to a shop and they said it just sounds like an old truck.
If I was test driving this brand new and it had this noise, I would be moving on.
Any thoughts?
96’ F150 x-cab short or mid bed 2wd 5.0
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Lisa7 (07-19-2019)
01-05-2019, 09:39 AM
#2
Senior Member
Do you have a front sway bar? If so check to make the sure the springs aren't banging into the sway bar links.
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Lisa7 (07-19-2019)
01-05-2019, 09:51 AM
#3
I dont think it would be a shock issue. Although I am thinking of replacing with better than OE. ???
I don’t think it’s a motor mount, as it might have other issues.
Grasping for things to check
01-05-2019, 09:59 AM
#4
Senior Member
Yeah a bad motor mount would show up in other ways. Axle pivot bushings and radius arm bushings are usually the biggest culprits for front end clunks. Wheel bearings and ball joints too. Also check the rivets on the engine crossmember - some of them like to work their way out.
I've been using the KYB Excel G shocks all around for about 3 years now and they are great (and really cheap - I paid $160 shipped for 6), but I usually drive on well maintained roads. Bilsteins are the gold standard but they are $75-100 apiece.
I've been using the KYB Excel G shocks all around for about 3 years now and they are great (and really cheap - I paid $160 shipped for 6), but I usually drive on well maintained roads. Bilsteins are the gold standard but they are $75-100 apiece.
01-05-2019, 10:07 AM
#5
Yeah a bad motor mount would show up in other ways. Axle pivot bushings and radius arm bushings are usually the biggest culprits for front end clunks. Wheel bearings and ball joints too. Also check the rivets on the engine crossmember - some of them like to work their way out.
I've been using the KYB Excel G shocks all around for about 3 years now and they are great (and really cheap - I paid $160 shipped for 6), but I usually drive on well maintained roads. Bilsteins are the gold standard but they are $75-100 apiece.
I've been using the KYB Excel G shocks all around for about 3 years now and they are great (and really cheap - I paid $160 shipped for 6), but I usually drive on well maintained roads. Bilsteins are the gold standard but they are $75-100 apiece.
01-05-2019, 10:31 AM
#6
Senior Member
I'm assuming the shop did the ball joints, which means they most certainly at least checked the bearings and at a minimum re-greased them. At least I would like to think so.
01-12-2019, 08:10 AM
#7
As much fun as it was, I replaced ball joints. I’ve replaced TTB bushings and the radius arm bushings. The entire front end is new. All things torqued to spec.
And of course in the shop for alignment. Aside from one wheel looking straight and the other leaning in at the top, I hope all was torqued back.
My thoughts would be that I would have a lot of affected steering with bad wheel bearings.
And of course in the shop for alignment. Aside from one wheel looking straight and the other leaning in at the top, I hope all was torqued back.
My thoughts would be that I would have a lot of affected steering with bad wheel bearings.
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01-12-2019, 11:08 AM
#8
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"Replaced" doesn't tell us much. Did you use common vulcanized rubber bushings? Or polyurethane? What brand & color? Did you assemble the RA bushings correctly? Post detailed pics. I recently had to replace some red poly that had been installed wrong with the better Energy black:
(phone app link)
It would take several hours of doing nothing else to torque "everything" - what exactly have you checked so far? List each location. Did you remove any rusty fasteners, clean them, & apply threadlocker before reinstalling & torquing them? If everything was right, it wouldn't clunk, so you've missed something. Read all the captions in this album:
(phone app link)
The fact that the alignment shop left a wheel leaning & blew you off by saying "it's old" says they don't really give a crap about fixing it - they're just after the money. Find a better shop, or start learning how to DIY the diagnosis.
(phone app link)
It would take several hours of doing nothing else to torque "everything" - what exactly have you checked so far? List each location. Did you remove any rusty fasteners, clean them, & apply threadlocker before reinstalling & torquing them? If everything was right, it wouldn't clunk, so you've missed something. Read all the captions in this album:
(phone app link)
The fact that the alignment shop left a wheel leaning & blew you off by saying "it's old" says they don't really give a crap about fixing it - they're just after the money. Find a better shop, or start learning how to DIY the diagnosis.
Last edited by Steve83; 01-12-2019 at 11:11 AM.
02-05-2019, 07:28 AM
#9
The problem was shocks. Time gets away from one I guess. I replaced shocks maybe 6 years ago. I bet they didn’t have 10,000 miles on them. Either way all the rubber looked almost like dry rot.
Now one I can here all the noises on the rest of the truck.
Now one I can here all the noises on the rest of the truck.
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Lisa7 (07-19-2019)
07-19-2019, 05:06 PM
#10
I am not sure if it was like this before the Moog 824’s or after or both. However when the roads suck and there are more bumps and holes than it is smooth I get this noise. It seems to be in the front end. Suspension is tight. It has been aligned. Sound both before and after alignment and the same with my old and gone 91 as it is with my 96.
Took it it to a shop and they said it just sounds like an old truck.
If I was test driving this brand new and it had this noise, I would be moving on.
Any thoughts?
96’ F150 x-cab short or mid bed 2wd 5.0
Took it it to a shop and they said it just sounds like an old truck.
If I was test driving this brand new and it had this noise, I would be moving on.
Any thoughts?
96’ F150 x-cab short or mid bed 2wd 5.0
The viideo doesn't do the sound justice..... it 8s so loud and agressive and Alomost feels like the truck is gonna quit but it doesn't. It's definitely not a regular ford quirk. It also only happens in hot weather.