Front-end Noise and Knocking (Yes Another Thread!)
12-29-2006, 10:25 AM
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2006
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Posts: 210
Front-end Noise and Knocking (Yes Another Thread!)
I've got the infamous front end knock over bumps at low speeds. I've buttoned-up all the possible sources such as the underhood fusebox, the rear tire and jack, checked the exhaust hangers and mounts, tighten the crap out of all the body and suspension fasteners. Now, after three times looking at, moving around and making sure the front sway bar links to the struts are tight, I am convinced that these links are in fact the problem. Each time I check them with the wheel off, I am initially unable to move them back and forth (they have seal ball joints at either end). They are jammed and locked backwards every time. I get a rag and some channel locks and free the jammed joints untill the link moves easily by hand back and forth. Three times, I've done this, and the noise went away for a couple weeks. Thus, on my GT, this is the noise problem.
I think the design and geometry is mis-engineered. The links have ball joints on either end as the sway bar moves up and down in an arc, and obviously this is necessary. In addition, the links also twist with the strut when the wheel turns, again needing the ball joint-type attachment points. This is where I think the problem is. The strut turns with the wheels and in-turn moves the top of the sway bar link. With combinations of certain turns and bumps, causing both twisting and up/down motion, the ball joints on the link get jammed at their furthest points of travel. Then they knock as they can no longer move freely.
I would ask if others would try my experiment and see if this is in fact the problem. And BTW, the 18mm nuts that hold the link into place where real tight.
I would surmise that a fix would be to attach the sway bar down to the non-twisting lower A-arm of the suspension, like most are attached anyways. This would solve the binding problem the way I see it.
I think the design and geometry is mis-engineered. The links have ball joints on either end as the sway bar moves up and down in an arc, and obviously this is necessary. In addition, the links also twist with the strut when the wheel turns, again needing the ball joint-type attachment points. This is where I think the problem is. The strut turns with the wheels and in-turn moves the top of the sway bar link. With combinations of certain turns and bumps, causing both twisting and up/down motion, the ball joints on the link get jammed at their furthest points of travel. Then they knock as they can no longer move freely.
I would ask if others would try my experiment and see if this is in fact the problem. And BTW, the 18mm nuts that hold the link into place where real tight.
I would surmise that a fix would be to attach the sway bar down to the non-twisting lower A-arm of the suspension, like most are attached anyways. This would solve the binding problem the way I see it.
12-29-2006, 12:39 PM
#2
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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Posts: 277
RE: Front-end Noise and Knocking (Yes Another Thread!)
I have not seen this perticular issue before and thank god it's seems to be the one thing that has not gone wrong with my pony but I have a question since you have done so much work looking into this and seem to know what is going wrong have you taken it back to ford when you are having the problem and gotten any feed back from them on it ?
12-29-2006, 02:03 PM
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2006
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Posts: 210
RE: Front-end Noise and Knocking (Yes Another Thread!)
I spoke with my Service Advisor at the Ford Dealership regarding this problem and my noisy rear-end clutch pac issue. Regarding the knocking problem, she said that Ford knew of the problem and is "working on a fix." What that means, she or me did not know. I voiced my fix to her. I've decided until Ford does come out with a viable fix, I'll keep it away from the techs at the Dealership, who, time after time, although well meaning, don't fix these types of problems - you get some parts replaced and the problem remains (and there's always other problems regarding the "fix"), or you'll get "I can't duplicate the problem." I do ALL of my own work. When it is brought in for warantee repairs, I'll tell them what to do specifically. Afterall, it is my car and I know it the best.
As for the rearend clutch pacs, there's too many horror stories regarding their replacement. I'll just live with the noise and change the fluid a couple more times until this has a "viable" fix as well.
As for the rearend clutch pacs, there's too many horror stories regarding their replacement. I'll just live with the noise and change the fluid a couple more times until this has a "viable" fix as well.
12-29-2006, 06:48 PM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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Posts: 277
RE: Front-end Noise and Knocking (Yes Another Thread!)
I hear you man, I would still have one tire sticking out a inch past my fender if I had not seen the answer to my problem on these boards, I dropped the car and needed a adjustable pan head bar and no one at the dealer had ever heard of such a thing made me feel real good about bringing my car back there for repairs and I know not everyone mod's there car and I can't fault them for not getting it the very first time they saw the problem but I worked with the people that made my rims for me and went back to ford like 4 times before I got fed up and decided to do some looking and it took me all of 15 mins on the internet to find the problem order the part and I am not or atleast then was not a car guy.
02-14-2007, 02:04 PM
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2006
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Posts: 852
RE: Front-end Noise and Knocking (Yes Another Thread!)
ORIGINAL: Stooge
I've got the infamous front end knock over bumps at low speeds. I've buttoned-up all the possible sources such as the underhood fusebox, the rear tire and jack, checked the exhaust hangers and mounts, tighten the crap out of all the body and suspension fasteners. Now, after three times looking at, moving around and making sure the front sway bar links to the struts are tight, I am convinced that these links are in fact the problem. Each time I check them with the wheel off, I am initially unable to move them back and forth (they have seal ball joints at either end). They are jammed and locked backwards every time. I get a rag and some channel locks and free the jammed joints untill the link moves easily by hand back and forth. Three times, I've done this, and the noise went away for a couple weeks. Thus, on my GT, this is the noise problem.
I think the design and geometry is mis-engineered. The links have ball joints on either end as the sway bar moves up and down in an arc, and obviously this is necessary. In addition, the links also twist with the strut when the wheel turns, again needing the ball joint-type attachment points. This is where I think the problem is. The strut turns with the wheels and in-turn moves the top of the sway bar link. With combinations of certain turns and bumps, causing both twisting and up/down motion, the ball joints on the link get jammed at their furthest points of travel. Then they knock as they can no longer move freely.
I would ask if others would try my experiment and see if this is in fact the problem. And BTW, the 18mm nuts that hold the link into place where real tight.
I would surmise that a fix would be to attach the sway bar down to the non-twisting lower A-arm of the suspension, like most are attached anyways. This would solve the binding problem the way I see it.
I've got the infamous front end knock over bumps at low speeds. I've buttoned-up all the possible sources such as the underhood fusebox, the rear tire and jack, checked the exhaust hangers and mounts, tighten the crap out of all the body and suspension fasteners. Now, after three times looking at, moving around and making sure the front sway bar links to the struts are tight, I am convinced that these links are in fact the problem. Each time I check them with the wheel off, I am initially unable to move them back and forth (they have seal ball joints at either end). They are jammed and locked backwards every time. I get a rag and some channel locks and free the jammed joints untill the link moves easily by hand back and forth. Three times, I've done this, and the noise went away for a couple weeks. Thus, on my GT, this is the noise problem.
I think the design and geometry is mis-engineered. The links have ball joints on either end as the sway bar moves up and down in an arc, and obviously this is necessary. In addition, the links also twist with the strut when the wheel turns, again needing the ball joint-type attachment points. This is where I think the problem is. The strut turns with the wheels and in-turn moves the top of the sway bar link. With combinations of certain turns and bumps, causing both twisting and up/down motion, the ball joints on the link get jammed at their furthest points of travel. Then they knock as they can no longer move freely.
I would ask if others would try my experiment and see if this is in fact the problem. And BTW, the 18mm nuts that hold the link into place where real tight.
I would surmise that a fix would be to attach the sway bar down to the non-twisting lower A-arm of the suspension, like most are attached anyways. This would solve the binding problem the way I see it.
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