I have a really bad clunk sound from the rear and the tail end gets loose over bumps, so I took my SVT to a local shop to have them install some OEM struts that bought from Ford. I thought that just replacing the struts would be the fix. I asked the tech to look for anything that might look like a problem. The tech told me that everything looked fine but the upper rear mounts. He said they collapsed. I didn't have 2 days to wait for the Ford parts so I just had him install the struts. After having the new struts in, the ride, handling and sounds are EXACTLY the same. Can't stand it. Now I have to pay the labor to install $30 in parts.
I didn't know that a mount can collapse. I thought the SVT's had steel mounts.
I'm not sure how the mounts collapse but I guess it can happen.
Why don't you do the work yourself? The rears are easy.
Also check everything else out, like sway bar bushings and end links. Though what you're describing does sound strut related.
I'd be willing to bet it's a sway bar issue.Look at the mounts on the subframe,you can see them with a flashlight while the car is on the ground.The mount should be parallel with the ground.
Well, I do believe that I can also be added to this list. Same situation with all the same new parts as the previous list minus the boxed mounts. However I have thoroughly inspected the undercarriage and I am sure that my mounts are still good. Is there any chance that badly blown bearings could be a cause of this? It is definitly only coming from my drivers side rear and I cannot get it to clunk at all unless driving it. I am running out of ideas and parts to replace.
My blown rear struts did clunk some.
You'll need to provide more details if you wish help. When does the clunk/noise occur? Do you have aftermarket parts in your car? Bigger rr sway bars and/or lowering springs almost always lead to the inevitable "clunk".
Why? Because the suspension geometry has been compromised. Lowering springs shorten the distance from the main control arm (location of the end link) to the sway bar. The lever arm portion of the sway bar SHOULD ALWAYS BE HORIZONTAL at normal ride height. Therefore, if you lower the car, the end links should be shortened the same distance.
In terms of the sway bar, the kink is often located at the wrong side of the car (don't laugh as I've seen it many, many times). There's also very little space where the sway bar is located and the increased diameter often causes rubbing on the subframe. The clue is shiny metal anywhere on the sway bar. Only problem is that to correctly diagnose this problem you usually have to remove the sway bar.
I don't know if this will help or not, but I think you should have a close look at the rear sway bar.
About 2001 we had a new Cougar in the shop with a rear end clunk that defied finding. Calling the Ford hot line I was told to completely remove the rear sway bar and road test the car. Sure enough, the noise was gone.
On further inspection, we determined that one of the sway bar bushing mount clamps was deformed. New clamps and bushings solved the problem.