Front end thumping noise.

irext · 04-09-2007, 12:42 PM

My AU series 1 has developed a thumping noise in the front end when driving over relatively minor bumps. It appears to come from both sides at different times. I've supported the front on stands and had a good look but can't see anything obvious. I've tried levering the sway bar to see if there is any play in the rubbers but they seem tight. I tightened the sway bar to wishbone rubber mounts and also nipped up the top nut on the strut towers but the noise persists. I have jacked up each wheel from under the lower balljoint to check for play but everything seems solid as a rock and I have to say I'm impressed with how solidly built the front end is built compared to earlier falcons. (Bad memories of an XC falcon I one owned). Has anyone had/cured a similar problem?

**Mechan1k** · 04-09-2007, 05:03 PM

Ball joints are usually the cause ... also found the control arm inner and outer bushes to move a lot as well (I replaced mine with Polyurethane items).

I used to get a hollow thud or a decent clunk of slight undulations in the road mid-corner .. not your usual pot-hole thud ... it was worse.

irext · 06-09-2007, 08:25 PM

Can't detect any play in ball joints or bushes. I jacked up each wishbone in turn from under the ball joint which usually shows up any play but lots of heaving to and fro on the wheel outer from top to bottom and side to side didn't show up any movement anywhere. I fully expected something to be loose as the car has done 250.000kms but it doesn't scrub tyres or pull to one side or anything nasty. It had a wheel alignment about 8 months ago and those guys are usually pretty quick to tell you if anything is crook. I'll persist until I find it cause apart from the annoying thudding something is wearing out and might let go.

Eu-GenixX · 07-09-2007, 12:04 AM

i get a bit of a clunk noise from my front end when hitting a bump or something in the road... yet to have a look under the car... mine has done 230,000km... and has also never pulled to one side or anything..

FGII-XR6 · 07-09-2007, 12:58 AM

sounds like struts to me. my car was like that and a set of kings and new struts transformed the car

st33l3y · 07-09-2007, 07:50 AM

I have this exact problem with my AU 1, and we found its actually coming from the rack and pinion. Unfortunately, you can't repair them easily and you have to replace them.

sly · 07-09-2007, 08:09 AM

I just isolated the noise in my front end (see http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=6669773) by removing the sway bar and taking it for a (very short) drive over some potholes and bumps (gotta love Cessnock council!). No more noise.

I've had cars with worn shockies and worn sway bar 'D' bushes make the same sort of noise. Taking the sway bar, briefly, out of the equation is easier than changing the shockies.

BTW I think my bar is bent, going to get a new one...

Eu-GenixX · 07-09-2007, 10:41 AM

yeah.. i had D bushes go in my EA.. and it's making the same noise my AU I is making atm...

i'll get it thrown on the hoist on wednesday next week i hope....

sly · 07-09-2007, 03:38 PM

Have now put brand new BA XR6 swaybar, new factory bushes & links into the front end and no more noise. I found the little balljoints in the links were very loose, dunno if this would cause the noise or not, but something else to look at.

irext · 08-09-2007, 08:04 PM

Thanx for all the tips. I'll start with the sway bar since it's the easiest to do. A new set of rubbers won't go a stray even if they turn out not to be the problem.

simon westcott · 14-03-2008, 07:30 PM

hi there i thought maybe my car has the same sort of drama, it makes a groaning and clunking sound thought it has got to be ball joints or a problem with the rack will investigate some of these optionds you have disscussed and hopefully sort my problem as well,this noise happens when steering left and right also when the front end dips in slow traffic under brakes it isnt the rotors or pads i have just renewed them .any one have any ideas

sly · 14-03-2008, 09:39 PM

Groaning/clunking noise while steering on my car = upper control arm ball joints. Replaced them during the BA brake upgrade, no more noise.

JC · 14-03-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by simon westcott

hi there i thought maybe my car has the same sort of drama, it makes a groaning and clunking sound thought it has got to be ball joints or a problem with the rack will investigate some of these optionds you have disscussed and hopefully sort my problem as well,this noise happens when steering left and right also when the front end dips in slow traffic under brakes it isnt the rotors or pads i have just renewed them .any one have any ideas

seized or sticking callipers?

V8 EF Fairmont · 16-03-2008, 08:19 AM

I had an issue with one site, it was more of a chatter than anything else. Turned out to be ball joint. There was very little, if any, movement, but it was still enough to make a noise.

sly · 16-03-2008, 11:10 AM

One of mine was shagged & loose as buggery, the other was seized up, no movement at all. That was the one causing the noise when the power steering forced it to move.