Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Front end noise... Rubbing at certain speeds

Oh ya,
anyone got any idea how much shop time for a job like that - removing drive axle, pulling appart knuckle etc.

had the same sounds, worse on turns or rough road. Replaced the front sway bar and bushings (about $200 CND at a dealer). No more noise.

If the noise started after the recalls being applied and if they did recall 01s3 front spring.
Go back to dealer, that half baked of a recall has caused many noises. The fix is installing a shield and it must be
a real poor design? I've chosen not to have it done.
Of course front wheel bearings have been a common problem on high mileage cars.
Paul

Lloyds gott'er... Left bearing replaced, and swaybar bushing too, no more noise.. but agreed, spring guards are noisey.. lots of banging'n clanging

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I probably let the noise go on for too long, but I don't think the end result would have been any different if I took the car in to the
Ford Dealer 3 months ago when the noise started, or last week, when I actually took the car in to be repared.

The rubbing noise I had been hearing was in fact the front passenger side bearing. The driver side was starting to go as well. Both have now been replaced.
I also had a warped front rotor (due to a poor break job performed before I bought the car or a defective rotor) so I had them replaced as well.

Doing both of these jobs at the same time saved me at least 2hrs labour time, but totaled $956.76 Canadian after all was said and done.

What Ford charged me.
2 front bearings - 2@ 54.47 = 108.94
4hrs labour - 4@ 79.95 = 319.80
env. charge - = 2.00
2 front rotors - 2@122.19 = 244.38
front pads - = 65.91
calipers - = 8.38
1hr labour - 1@ 79.95 = 79.95
TAX - 124.40
TOTAL $953.76

The car sounds great now. No more noise and I can actually stop the car when I apply the breaks.

Ford provided a rental car so I could get to work which was expected. But it was a piece of c##p 2001 Kia Sportage (14000km). It handled like a plastic shoebox and the gas mileage was pathetic. It sucked about 12 liters of gas to go 100kms (that's about 3 gallons for 60 miles for you Americans) all hiway driving at about 110km/hr. My Contour burns only about 8 liters (2 gallons)to go that far.

Anyway, thanx for everybody's help.

Question for Jeff P
- Did you figure out what your car noise was?