[Capt. Ron]

Ok guys I know I'm beating this horse to death but i've replaced my strut rod bushings, inner tie rod bushings outer tie rod ends, rack mount bushings, struts, strut bearings, Strut spring isolators, tie rod adjustment sleeves, stabilizer link, and I believe something else but I can't remember what it was.
I still have a rattle that sounds as if it's coming from the front drivers side of the car. I've looked over other bushings and just can't seem to track down this rattle.
I wish I could connect a paint shaker (or something similar) to the front end so I could look and listen from outside the car to figure out what's rattling.
Anyone have any ideas where to look next?

 

[Great White]

What does the rattle sound like?
Holllow, rapping, metallic, only on bumps, etc?

It could be something as simple as a loose piece of trim or heat shield.

Cheers and good luck.

BJ

 

[Capt. Ron]

What does the rattle sound like?
Holllow, rapping, metallic, only on bumps, etc?

BJ

sounds kinda hollow and metallic and only on bumps.
The roads around me are all bumpy but it doesn't do it on all bumps. It's kinda random but enough to drive me nuts. :fun_84:

 

[luisa]

It can be an under carriage bushing.

 

[Capt. Ron]

It can be an under carriage bushing.

where might those be located and how would I know for sure other than replacing them?

 

[luisa]

The best way to do this is have the car on aHydraulic lift, and inspect all bushings under the car!.

 

[Capt. Ron]

Ok after another drive the rattle is more of a solid clunk than a hollow rattle. It tends to do it more often when I'm driving over small potholes or little whoops like you'ld see on a gravel or dirt road.
I drove it through a parking lot and placed the left side only over the speed bumps and really couldn't reproduce the clunk there. Then I drove with just the right side going over the bumps and still no knock or clunk.
I can drive on a really rough road at a low speed and get random knocks (every couple of secs or so) It doesn't knock on every bump. The sound seems to come from the drivers side wheel well.

 

[MaxinCanada]

Had the exact same thumping in my '99. Had them look at it while at Speedy putting on a new muffler. Can't remember exactly which bushings it was but they found them in the front end. Worn right out, replaced and no more banging. It was a cheap fix too!

Good luck.

 

[Unreal]

Sway bar bushings?

 

[Capt. Ron]

Sway bar bushings?

Haven't replaced em but they don't LOOK bad.

 

[Hailstorm]

Thats my guess if you haven't done them yet. They can cause a hell of a rattle.

 

[Capt. Ron]

Thats my guess if you haven't done them yet. They can cause a hell of a rattle.

Wel I've ordered the sway bar bushings but I really don't think that's the problem. I hope it is. Looks to be an easy install??
It sometimes sounds like it's against the floorboard then it kinda sounds like it's coming from the strut.
I pulled the strut this morning to see if I left something loose when I installed it but I see nothing out of place there. I've looked at the motor mounts and the trans mount and they all seem to be in good shape.

 

[mrlullabye]

Could it be that one of your motor mounts is bad or maybe one of the little rubber grommets at the bottom of the radiator popped out. Ball joint?

I know if you have already changed your tie rod bushings you will hate to do this, but it could be that the actual rack is loose. I do not know if they have any bushings on them, but I have seen it when a rack is changed if the bolts are not real snug they make a hard to find clunking sound.

 

[Capt. Ron]

Could it be that one of your motor mounts is bad or maybe one of the little rubber grommets at the bottom of the radiator popped out. Ball joint?

I know if you have already changed your tie rod bushings you will hate to do this, but it could be that the actual rack is loose. I do not know if they have any bushings on them, but I have seen it when a rack is changed if the bolts are not real snug they make a hard to find clunking sound.

The ball joint will come next if the swaybar bushing doesn't fix it.
I just replaced the rack bushing.

 

[Capt. Ron]

update

Well I replaced the swaybar bushings and th rattle is still there. :smilie_ha
This noise really sounds like it's in the strut area.
I haven't replaced the bearing plate. What can go wrong with the bearing plate to cause such a racket? I didn't notice anything being wrong when I had it off so how can I tell if the plate is bad?

 

[Capt. Ron]

Ok I tried an unscientific experiment.
I took a web cam mic plugged it into my laptop and recorded the knocking from several different places.
under the hood with the mic taped to the car body next to the strut mounting plate,
Then taped the mic to one of the strut springs in the fender well.
Then I taped it to the drivers side floorboard as far up under the dash as I could reach next to the kick panel. Next I pulled the cap on the strut mount and taped the mic down so it was inside the mount next to the mounting nut and taped a rag over the top to muffle out other noises.
The loudest seemd to be with the mic in the strut mount, next was taped to the body next to the strut mount then the floorboard then the strut spring.
I moved the mic to the right strut mount and though it was noisy and I could hear the road bumps resonate through the strut I really couldn't hear the same clunks and clatters that I was hearing from the left.
Bad strut mount???

 

[Hailstorm]

Jack that puppy up and grab ahold of the wheel and see if you can make it rattle. Otherwise. I'm out of ideas.

 

[Capt. Ron]

Jack that puppy up and grab ahold of the wheel and see if you can make it rattle. Otherwise. I'm out of ideas.

Yup me too.
I've tried shaking the tire, beating it with a sledge hammer,
bouncing on the fender and the only way I can produce this rattle is to drive it on a bumpy road. The funny thing is it seems to rattle less the longer I drive it.
Let it set over night and it rattles more when I first start up than it does after several laps up and down my rough a$$ driveway. The rattle never goes away though.
Ok new findings I took the caps off of both strut mounts and my 150lb daughter and I rocked up and down on the front end of the car as well as side to side.
I can see some movement from the strut shaft on both sides but there is definately more movement on the side that's knocking, I couldn't get any knocking from doing this but movement for sure. I'm wondering how much
(if any) movement I should have there?

 

[Hailstorm]

I would think those are supposed to be pretty stiff on the side to side stuff. You may have found the problem. Hope some one else chimes in for another point of view.

 

[Capt. Ron]

I would think those are supposed to be pretty stiff on the side to side stuff. You may have found the problem. Hope some one else chimes in for another point of view.

Yea I'm getting no rattle from the right side but then it's not moving as much either.
Replacing them aren't that difficult at least not now that I have air tools and have done it a couple of times but was hoping to avoid those darn springs.
I always have this fear of them coming loose from the compression tool and breaking something.......... like my head.
Now I need to decide if I'm going to change both or just the one.