Part opinion
06-28-2017, 06:43 AM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Jasper, IN
Posts: 772
Part opinion
Hey Guys,
As seen in the thread below, I finally figured out what was causing my clunking and creaking noise. It was the front sway bar and end links. I am not sure how it happened as I replaced the end links last November and it didn't get rid of the noise. But I took them off and all noises stopped. So I guess the struts were bad too and while I wad driving with bad struts it cased excessive wear to the end links?
https://mustangforums.com/forum/2005...questions.html
What do you guys think of the parts in the pictures? One of the end links looks like it exploded at the boot. The other looks fine. The swaybar bushings don't look bad, but I am not really sure what to look for as signs of a bad bushing besides it literally falling off. What do you guys think?
Thanks.
As seen in the thread below, I finally figured out what was causing my clunking and creaking noise. It was the front sway bar and end links. I am not sure how it happened as I replaced the end links last November and it didn't get rid of the noise. But I took them off and all noises stopped. So I guess the struts were bad too and while I wad driving with bad struts it cased excessive wear to the end links?
https://mustangforums.com/forum/2005...questions.html
What do you guys think of the parts in the pictures? One of the end links looks like it exploded at the boot. The other looks fine. The swaybar bushings don't look bad, but I am not really sure what to look for as signs of a bad bushing besides it literally falling off. What do you guys think?
Thanks.
06-28-2017, 01:43 PM
#2
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Rubber bushings can shrink or become stiff to fail. Cracking is usually from the stiffening so it's not usually the cause but an outcome of the cause which is the stiffening.
The clunking went away when you disconnected the sway bar links because the sway bar (and sway bar bushings) weren't being moved around anymore. I'd replace the sway bar bushings and links since you have it all out. The bushings aren't expensive and was the main cause of my clunking. Like yours, they looked ok but were a bit stiff/shrunken. Someone else on the forum had the identical experience, replaced everything but the bushings...replaced the bushings finally and viola, clunk gone.
And a tip for when you put the bar back in.
Put the bushings on first (duh), then attach the end links to the bar and torque the nuts down before you put the bar with the links attached back into the car. You will not be able to get the 85 ft/lbs on the Link to bar once the bar is in the car because there won't be enough clearance. Link to strut is easy.
The clunking went away when you disconnected the sway bar links because the sway bar (and sway bar bushings) weren't being moved around anymore. I'd replace the sway bar bushings and links since you have it all out. The bushings aren't expensive and was the main cause of my clunking. Like yours, they looked ok but were a bit stiff/shrunken. Someone else on the forum had the identical experience, replaced everything but the bushings...replaced the bushings finally and viola, clunk gone.
And a tip for when you put the bar back in.
Put the bushings on first (duh), then attach the end links to the bar and torque the nuts down before you put the bar with the links attached back into the car. You will not be able to get the 85 ft/lbs on the Link to bar once the bar is in the car because there won't be enough clearance. Link to strut is easy.
Last edited by Derf00; 06-28-2017 at 01:46 PM.
07-02-2017, 03:40 PM
#5
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Jasper, IN
Posts: 772
Rubber bushings can shrink or become stiff to fail. Cracking is usually from the stiffening so it's not usually the cause but an outcome of the cause which is the stiffening.
The clunking went away when you disconnected the sway bar links because the sway bar (and sway bar bushings) weren't being moved around anymore. I'd replace the sway bar bushings and links since you have it all out. The bushings aren't expensive and was the main cause of my clunking. Like yours, they looked ok but were a bit stiff/shrunken. Someone else on the forum had the identical experience, replaced everything but the bushings...replaced the bushings finally and viola, clunk gone.
And a tip for when you put the bar back in.
Put the bushings on first (duh), then attach the end links to the bar and torque the nuts down before you put the bar with the links attached back into the car. You will not be able to get the 85 ft/lbs on the Link to bar once the bar is in the car because there won't be enough clearance. Link to strut is easy.
The clunking went away when you disconnected the sway bar links because the sway bar (and sway bar bushings) weren't being moved around anymore. I'd replace the sway bar bushings and links since you have it all out. The bushings aren't expensive and was the main cause of my clunking. Like yours, they looked ok but were a bit stiff/shrunken. Someone else on the forum had the identical experience, replaced everything but the bushings...replaced the bushings finally and viola, clunk gone.
And a tip for when you put the bar back in.
Put the bushings on first (duh), then attach the end links to the bar and torque the nuts down before you put the bar with the links attached back into the car. You will not be able to get the 85 ft/lbs on the Link to bar once the bar is in the car because there won't be enough clearance. Link to strut is easy.