racemyski

Hey all, I have a noise coming from my front end when I turn my wheel at low speeds. This noise occurs while going forward and in reverse. It ONLY happens at low speeds. There is no noise when the car is stopped and I move the steering wheel.

I have replaced:

Shocks
Struts
Ball Joints
Tie Rod Ends
Steering Gear Tube Brackets
Steering Gear Bushings
Sway Bar Bushings
Sway Bar End Links

I am absolutely at my wits end. I got a friend to turn the wheel and back the car out of the driveway as I watched under the hood. What I saw was the top of my struts shifting mildly as the car moved. Is it normal for the struts to have a range of motion beneath the caster camber plates? I have stock CC plates in the car.

Has anyone experienced a noise similiar to this? I have been trying all of the common fixes for mystery noises in the front end, but this one is persistent.

My question is: Since I replaced the struts and used the included rubber bushings, is it possible they are rubbing and making a noise when turning? Should I have lubricated them with something?

Should I just replace the strut mount/bearings and bushings and buy some aftermarket CC plates?

Thanks for the input. Hopefully this thread will help someone in the future with a similar problem.

racemyski

Next to replace: A-arm bushing. I am considering just replacing the whole A-arm with the SVT Cobra model. Only $160.

racemyski

bump

GodAmGT00

Did you install the CC plates, or did someone else?? The reason I ask, is you're supposed to torque everything down once there is weight of the car on suspension components, and you're supposed to go through everything a few days later, as things settle, to ensure the torque is still achieved..



JT

racemyski

Yes, I installed everything. Yes, I checked the torque specs.

BraMas

I'm having the same problem as you[:@] And I've seen other posts on it but no one ever post if they figured it out. I've replaced almost all the parts that you have listed also and it is still there. I had an allignment done a week ago and they told me one of my inner tie rods had some play. I have not checked into it to see if that is where the pop is comming from yet.
FYI Mine only pops when I turn the wheel to the right and back up. and I have heard it if I do a Hard or Panic stop.

GodAmGT00

I just re-read your post, and thought of some more info..

There shouldn't be much shifting at all at the top of the strut mount, nor should the plunger of the strut shift in any noticeable direction.. The rubber bushings are there to allow a little bit of play for sudden jerking motions of the suspension and that's it.. It is also possible that the actual top mount isn't sitting flush underneath the strut tower, and there may be a little bit of contact.. It doesn't take much to make some noise, given there is a lot of vibration there..

I'd say, if you can, get some urethane, or semi-solid top bushings, and make sure that you tighten everything, back off a few rotations, and then load the suspension, torque to spec and then check in a few days, once you've driven on everything..



JT

racemyski

Ok thanks, I will buy some Energy Suspension strut bushings and do this. I will update this thread ASAP.

BraMas

I doubt that is gonna fix your (our) problem. If we didn't have new struts with new bushings I would believe it but the likley hood that those bushings are bad already are pretty slim. But it's your $ let us know becasue I'm sick of mine doing it[:@]

GodAmGT00

Well, unfortunately, there aren't too many other culprits that it could be, unless there's a serious problem with the mount surface of the top strut mount.. That's be one of the last things to check..

Generally speaking though, most other suspension components will make some sort indication whether moving, or stationary.. I mean, unless there's something REALLY wrong with thealignment on that side of the car, there aren't too many components at the tup of the strut that could cause this..

I supposed you could try squirting a little white lithium grease underneath the washer at the top of the upper strut mount (akastrut bearing), take it out for a ride...

Have you ever hit anything, like curbs, or big potholes?? Do you know for sure that the strut bolts that attach it to the knuckle are tightened/torqued good?? Does it make the noise going over bumps at low speeds, whether going straight or turning??

BraMas: Your's may very well be the tie-rods.. Out of all of the posts I've seen on similar problems, it seems as if Ford has no standards for decent steering components.. Tie-rods seems to fail often on Mustangs.. Not sure why, besides poor manufacturing..



JT