• Welcome to the Contour Enthusiasts Group, the best resource for the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique.

    You can register to join the community.

front suspension noises

A

AliasJerk

Addicted CEG'er
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
8,525
I recently starting having an issue where my front suspension starting making a groaning or creaking noise over heavy bumps the kind of bumps that actually make the nose of the car dip up and down. I attributed it to the fact that I had used struts on the front of the car and didnt worry about it as I had brand new struts to throw on.

The day came yesterday to replace the front struts, I pulled the old ones off, put the new ones on, cleaned everything up really nice and still this groaning problem persists. except now on the passenger side I get the occasional "pop" when taking off uphill, and now that side groans more than ever. When I pop the hood and do the suspension test on the driver side, I dont get the groaning sound so much at all, but on the passenger side if I push down on the strut tower I can physically feel the sound as it emitts, and its very loud.

I have no idea what to think, my strut mounts and bearings are new, my struts are new, my springs are new, the LCAs were replaced before I got the car, the tie rod ends are newer, the sway bar links are new. what is causing this sound?!?! could I have a defective strut? The suspension rides good and all, just makes this annoying sound. Anybody have any insight?

Oh and to top it all off, after changing the struts yesterday, putting a new passenger axel in, putting in a new roll restrictor, and new trans fluid and new strut bearings, later that evening my battery light starts coming on over 4500 RPM, Great. new alternator time.
 
I think I have the same kind of popping noise on my csvt over bumps that you are talking about. I could be wrong but I think its the trans hitting the subframe on the drivers side where the trans hangs over the subframe. When the trans mount broke on my coug it made the same type of noise over bumps and when I would start from a stop especially on hills, but a lot worse then my csvt. Also I could see the trans laying on the subframe on the coug when it was broke. Dont know if thats for sure your problem, just a thought.
 
car has brand new trans mount and roll restrictors and the engine mount is in excellent shape, I highly doubt the subframe bolts are loose but I guess i will check them anyways when I am under the car today.

edit: subframe bolts are tight, took the wheel off and checked my work, all of the bolts are tight on the passenger front strut assembly, the strut mount bolt is fastened down the tie rod end is tight, the ball joint pinch bolt is tight, the sway bar link is tight, the brake line mount is tight. Everything looks good underneath.

Although I will say the control arm bushings do look questionable, and I did find out something else today. when I push down on the passenger side strut tower all I hear is the light groaning noise, which I can feel through the strut, when I push down on the driver side, I hear the groaning noise coming from the passenger side, and I start to hear that knocking/rattling noise coming from the passenger side. If I could see down there while pushing the car up and down I probably could figure out whats wrong.

But my instinct says my control arm is bad :mad:
 
I figured out what the creaking noise is, I believe its worn out inner tie rods.

However, still figuring out the passenger side clunk after the new strut install. Ordering an LCA today.
 
zorrex said:
Really? Is it the ball and socket joint at the base of the tie rod (near the rack) that's making the noise?
Click to expand...

yup, which explains why I am feeling it in the steering wheel as well. I pulled apart the passenger side yesterday to inspect and to replace my dying alternator and I found when I pull the tie rod up and down it makes the same creaking noise I get whenever I go over bumps at low speeds.

Thats something I can deal with though, I will replace it later, but what I am concerned about right now is the clunk I get from the passenger side of the car. Like I said earlier the control arm bushings looks worn, so I think after I get a 2nd opinion from another source I will probably order a new LCA, probably should anyways. I have never heard of a worn out control arm making a clunking noise before though, anybody have an insight on that? :shrug:
 
If it were a 4-bolt, I'd say that it is highly unlikely due to the style of the bushings. Unfortunately I haven't taken a good look at a 2-bolt. Are the bolts for the LCA tight? A small bit of play would definitely cause a popping sound.
 
zorrex said:
If it were a 4-bolt, I'd say that it is highly unlikely due to the style of the bushings. Unfortunately I haven't taken a good look at a 2-bolt. Are the bolts for the LCA tight? A small bit of play would definitely cause a popping sound.
Click to expand...

lcas are tight, I actually got a 2nd opinion from a trusted source today and after a closer diagnostic it looks like the new strut is defective. Just got off the phone with rockauto, they are sending me a new one :cool:
 
AliasJerk said:
lcas are tight, I actually got a 2nd opinion from a trusted source today and after a closer diagnostic it looks like the new strut is defective. Just got off the phone with rockauto, they are sending me a new one :cool:
Click to expand...

Thats what friends are for :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top