Front end clunking hard

[Paintballaa5]

I know it's a pretty beaten to death topic, but I need some knowledge guys. My 03 Cobra has a bad clunking/popping noise from the front endwhen I am either going slow over uneven road, gravel, bumps, ect. and when I brake enough to load the suspension.

I've already: replaced struts, springs, upper strut assembly with a C/C plate, confirmed sway bar endlinks and bushings are good and tight, replaced tie rods, rack and pinion and bushings, and confirmed anti-rattle clips are in the calipers.

I know the ball joints could stand to be changed, but those would creak and squeal, not pop and clunk. (Sounds like the front end is about to fall apart.) Only other thing I can think of is the lower control arm bushings, loose K member component, or frame damage. It drives an handles just fine.

Does anyone have ANY idea?

 

[ninty9cobra]

They replace the racks sleeve bushing, if I remember correct on my bro's 03 when it was still under warranty for this problem.

STEERING
TSB #18229 -- POP/CLUNK OR SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE STEERING GEAR WHEN TURNING, DRIVING OVER BUMPS, OR BRAKING. OASIS. *TT (NHTSA ID #10010738, OCTOBER 01 2004)

 

[Paintballaa5]

They replace the racks sleeve bushing, if I remember correct on my bro's 03 when it was still under warranty for this problem.

STEERING
TSB #18229 -- POP/CLUNK OR SQUEALING NOISE FROM THE STEERING GEAR WHEN TURNING, DRIVING OVER BUMPS, OR BRAKING. OASIS. *TT (NHTSA ID #10010738, OCTOBER 01 2004)

Is that the two bushings that the rack mounts with? I can't remember 100% if they got changed out when I did the rack and pinion. If they came in the box with the rack, then I did.

 

[ninty9cobra]

Yes those are the bushings. There is a thread on here just could fine it on what replacement bushings to use for this problem.

 

[Paintballaa5]

Yes those are the bushings. There is a thread on here just could fine it on what replacement bushings to use for this problem.

I've seen some poly and aluminum solid bushings for it. Was just making sure that's what you meant. So there's a recall on them? If I brought it to my local ford dealer they would take care of it? I can change them no problem, but right now isn't a good time.

Thanks for your help.

Anyone else have any recommendations on what it could be? Or anything I can test before throwing parts at it?

 

[9secondko]

I'm just going to share this in case it helps.

A couple years back, I had this nasty clunking/grinding sound intermittently coming from the front end. It sounded like something wrong with the suspension. Especially when driving very slow.

Had three mechanics look at it with me and finally a Ford master tech who owns one.

Turns out it was the brake hardware kit ( e-clips, pins, etc - a slightly worn pin on the caliper had my front end sounding like it was mulching asphalt).

Some people don't replace the hardware kit every time they change pads and/or rotors. You must do this.

It makes no sense when you hear the horrid sounds it makes so no one ever that that would be it.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Hope you diagnose it.

But on the off-chance you have what I had, hope this helps.

 

[Paintballaa5]

I'm just going to share this in case it helps.

A couple years back, I had this nasty clunking/grinding sound intermittently coming from the front end. It sounded like something wrong with the suspension. Especially when driving very slow.

Had three mechanics look at it with me and finally a Ford master tech who owns one.

Turns out it was the brake hardware kit ( e-clips, pins, etc - a slightly worn pin on the caliper had my front end sounding like it was mulching asphalt).

Some people don't replace the hardware kit every time they change pads and/or rotors. You must do this.

It makes no sense when you hear the horrid sounds it makes so no one ever that that would be it.

Sorry to hear of your troubles. Hope you diagnose it.

But on the off-chance you have what I had, hope this helps.

Thanks for your reply bud.
I haven't totally ruled out the brakes, but I'm kinda leaning away from them. Because I can put the car in reverse and as soon as it start rolling it will clunk. And I can just be on an uneven surface and that's when it does it the most. But yes, when I hit the breaks and slow down to about 10 mph, it will pop. At almost every stop sign/light. I honestly feel like it does come more from the center of the car. But I could be totally wrong.

 

[NastyNate420]

Ball joints!

 

[Paintballaa5]

Ball joints!

You think so? I know they need to be changed, but in my experience, ball joints tend to squeal and creak, not clunk and pop.

 

[NastyNate420]

If you seen how ball joints work/fail it would make more sense to you. Mine Was so shot out my wheel basically fell off the car as i was leaving the drive way. Half the balljoint went through the brake dust cover. you get up and down play in the ball joints... when you hit a pothole of go over speed bumps its at its worst

 

[Paintballaa5]

If you seen how ball joints work/fail it would make more sense to you. Mine Was so shot out my wheel basically fell off the car as i was leaving the drive way. Half the balljoint went through the brake dust cover. you get up and down play in the ball joints... when you hit a pothole of go over speed bumps its at its worst

Now that I think about it, it very well could be them. I'll jack it up and test for play tomorrow. Just pull/push up and down right?

 

[03SonicVert]

Ball joints would be my first guess. Ball joints typically make noise when going up or down a driveway/parking lot entrance with brakes applied or when hitting pot holes. Anytime the load of the vehicle is shifting the ball and socket joint will pop or clunk.

Explorers were bad about theirs. They had upper and lower control arms and the uppers would go which sounded like the front end was going to fall off.

 

[Paintballaa5]

Okay thanks for the insight guys. I had just assumed ball joints would make more of a screeching, grinding sound instead of popping. That's the way it's always been on my cars. Guess it's good to fix the known problem first. I'll swap them out asap and report back.

 

[pack018]

Buy a brake hardware kit.. It's the e clips. I went crazy trying to figure out what it was too

 

[Paintballaa5]

Buy a brake hardware kit.. It's the e clips. I went crazy trying to figure out what it was too

I don't see how an e-clip can really be bad.. If it holds, it holds.

 

[Blkkbgt]

Check the bolts that hold the K member to the car. Had a similar problem years go and thanks to some searching I found this suggestion. Torqued the bolts to spec and gone was the nasty clunk.

 

[Paintballaa5]

Check the bolts that hold the K member to the car. Had a similar problem years go and thanks to some searching I found this suggestion. Torqued the bolts to spec and gone was the nasty clunk.

This is another thing I was gonna try when I get some time to get the car up off the ground. Where exactly are these bolts? I could probably find them, but are they pretty obvious?

 

[pack018]

I don't see how an e-clip can really be bad.. If it holds, it holds.

Trust me, just give it a shot. It's only about $10-15 bucks for the brake kit. I didn't think it could be such a simple thing but that's what it ending up being. Before you go spending money replacing ball joints replace the e clips.

 

[pack018]

The noise you're hearing is the brake pad bouncing and hitting the caliper/rotor. Check your brakes, if you don't see the e-clips that's what making the "clunk".

 

[Bigggy]

I have the exact same problem when I stop, just before the car go to a complete to there's a clunk. In my case the front calipers looked freaking loose. I'm gonna by a buy a new hardware kit for next spring. Thanks guys!