37ford

My 2005 GT was wandering all over the place and developed a pop back last summer. I eventually replaced:

both tie rod ends
swap bar end links
complete lower control arms
complete strut assemblies

Everything was great for about two months, and the car has slowly started to wander a bit, and it's developing a pop from the left front when I turn at slower speeds. It sounds and feel just like a strut bearing all over again, but they are only about 4 months old. I've checked everything multiple times, and can't find anything.

Of course, I can't duplicate the pop when I have a chance to diagnose.

As for the wandering, the steering isn't loose, but there a slight bit of noise from somewhere when I wiggle the wheel back and forth. I assume that's in the rack? What are the signs of a bad rack?

Derf00

What brand are your parts and when you tightened the suspension up, was the suspension loaded or just hanging? Did you use a torque wrench on all the nuts/bolts or just wing it with how it felt?

Cheap parts can fail pretty quick on a heavy car.

If you tightened everything up without loading the suspension or without a proper torque wrench, you can cause premature failing of the bushings in your new parts. Especially the control arms.

Also you said both Tie rods, did you mean both outers or both inners and outers? If you only replaced the outers, the inners are probably on their way out.

Get one or both front wheels up in the air. Grab the tire at 9 and 3 oclock and wiggle it by pushing one side in while you pull the other side out rapidly. THere should be no play. If there is, it's a tie rod.

Grab the tire at 6 and 12 and do the same thing. Any movement is a ball joint.

Lastly, inspect your control arm bushings. Also check all your nuts/bolts are tightened to spec, especially the two strut bolts at the steering knuckle.

movielover40

If it pops while you turn could be a ball joint.

Roy_R

Upper Strut mounts are known to go if the car is lowered:

Need these...
https://www.steeda.com/steeda-mustan...-555-8120.html

Derf00

Complete Strut assemblies were replaced though and I don't see mention of him being lowered.

jz

Agreed. I have these and they are great! The factory strut mounts (new or not) are plastic and have a history of noises/failures. I'd look at them first, and consider replacing with an upgraded part not just a factory replacement.

Menace

I just replaced my Steeda HD mounts with the GT-500 Strut Mounts from FFRP... Then I went to get my alignment checked and my camber was all off on the passenger side. So I may need to put these HD mounts back on, I'll just use the GT-500 spring isolator. There is some damage to the underside of the Steeda HD mount (that connects to the Spring isolator). I contacted Steeda regarding this and they seem pretty understanding and said if that part is not good, they can sell me just that part. So we'll see how much that will be. I might also be able to get away with just filing off the burrs if the cost is too great. The damage is done in an area that doesn't really matter.

37ford

Used Moog outer tie rod ends, prothane bushings, Dorman lower control arms, FCS strut assemblies.

I tightened the main LCA bolts under load. I have not changed the inner rod ends. There is no noticeable play in the system.

It's been a real pain because the car will sometimes go days without the popping and then do it several times a day. I haven't noticed a pattern (like weather, moisture, etc). It's more likely to do it after backing up and turning. That seems to load it up and tells me it had to be something to do with the coil spring. I read something somewhere about how someone discovered the end of the coil spring wasn't seated properly, and was moving and creating a pop turning at slow speeds.


I have noticed a noise in the rack and pinion. I can't feel it or hear anything when the car is moving, but at rest and running, I can wiggle the wheel and hear what sounds like there some slack in there. With the engine off, the noise is obviously louder and coming from inside the rack housing. Again, I can't observe any play in the steering, but the car still wanders a bit when driving. This may be the source of my problem, but may be something altogether different. I feel like it's different because the popping isn't felt though the steering wheel.

Derf00

Cost I'm assuming?

The sound is normal but you'll need to check for play the proper way on the rack to make certain the inners aren't bad. Get one wheel on the front end up in the air then grab the tire at 3 and 9 o'clock. Shake it back and forth. There should be no play. Do the same for the other side. Any play could be indicative of a bad inner tie rod or rack.

37ford

There's no noticeable play in the system. I've wiggled and tugged on everything and cant replicate all the noises in the shop.

I swapped the strut mounts for the Ford Racing version this past weekend. I knew at least on was bad because I could try to twist the spring at the top and get some noise, but I still have another noise when backing up and turning. Never again will I buy cheaper parts. I guess I'm going to take off the sway bar for a couple days to try to eliminate anything related to it.