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I've had it sporadically for a little while now, and I can go weeks without hearing it. However, in the last week the number of times it has reared its ugly head has increased dramatically.

It happens on medium to severe suspension travel (thank you, City of North Bay Works department), in a straight line or while cornering. It's a quick clunk that can repeat itself with enough suspension travel, but only on a compression motion so far (not extension travel). Road heaves aren't normally enough to trigger it, unless they're quick and savage, and the ride the remainder of the time isn't beat or overly floaty (for the stock sedan setup). To see if it was steering-gear related, I behaved quite badly on the way back from the dump today and took corners at 80-90 KM/H on a road that was rated for 40 (NON-RESIDENTIAL - just thought I'd clear the air there). Nothing was amiss... the car handled like a champ, actually.

Nothing happens during heavy braking with the associated brake dive, heavy acceleration... it doesn't feel like a ball joint at all or anything. Thanks to my old Celeb wagon, I know exactly what one of those feels like when its going. :/

Also, it's on both sides of the front suspension... and I'd swear I heard it once at the rear on the passenger side.

Ideas?

Anthony, you said something similar before was strut tower bearings? Or perhaps my front springs are actually broken? I tried to visually inspect everything, but so far it looks good. Once I get back from course this week... the new S2 suspension is going in and a full inspection of the running gear / underpinnings is being performed as well. I'm paranoid about this stuff and I just want the car to run right.

Also, what's the rod that runs from the bottom of the front wishbone to the top of the wheel hub assembly, perpendicular to the road? Looks like soft metal, rubber bushing at the top. Is that supposed to have any play to it when the car is parked and the wheels are straight? The bar is aft of the halfshaft.

Thanks guys.

Sounds like the stabilizer bar link or the bushings for the bar itself. That's what that bar is.



You should be able to "articulate it" side to side a bit, but no real "play" or looseness (up and down).

I agree.
Sounds like sway bar link

TSB 03-20-2: Suspension Creaking

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This applies to all Foci produced from 2000 to 2003. I'll assume it's also a *possible* issue on SVT models:


SUSPENSION - Creaking, crunching, grinding or rattle noise from front suspension at slow speeds over bumps and/or while turning

NOISE - Creaking, crunching, grinding or rattle noise from front suspension at slow speeds over bumps and/or while turning

Article Application: Supercedes TSB 03-15-3


TSB 03-20-2

TSB 03-20-2 (page 2)



- The TSB has been updated since...with the elimination of the strut bearing as the cause. Still, it's a possible idea.

As for when to repair, just do it when you do the new suspension install. I just recently replaced my end links when the suspension was "renewed".

Sparky - yeah, that's it... and there is a tad bit of fore/aft play but nothing vertical.

Rich - thanks man, I'll mention that TSB when the suspension gets done.

I appreciate it guys :)

I just had my sway bar end links replaced under extended warranty and it sounds like the same issue that you are having. I would get the same noises that you are describing. I would get a thunk or a bang over mild bumps or every now and again just turning a corner. Porgresively over a few weeks they got worse so I took it in and they replaced both links.

Problem solved.

That's what happened to me last year. Basically the little bastards get bent/break. Just get em replaced. Steering gets nice and firm with new ones.

You should hear my car..the last 2 weeks its been banging and rattling...

microbunny,May 27 2006, 07:28 PM Wrote:You should hear my car..the last 2 weeks its been banging and rattling...
[right][snapback]189927[/snapback][/right]

New GF?

Oscar The Grouch,May 27 2006, 07:44 PM Wrote:

microbunny,May 27 2006, 07:28 PM Wrote:You should hear my car..the last 2 weeks its been banging and rattling...
[right][snapback]189927[/snapback][/right]

New GF?
[right][snapback]189944[/snapback][/right]

negative...

same ol dead weight....LOL

but seriously, I need an alignment.....

Oscar The Grouch,May 27 2006, 11:44 PM Wrote:

microbunny,May 27 2006, 07:28 PM Wrote:You should hear my car..the last 2 weeks its been banging and rattling...
[right][snapback]189927[/snapback][/right]

New GF?
[right][snapback]189944[/snapback][/right]

reply of the day!

Yup, could be the end-link or the strut bearing. I had my car in a dozen times before thay found that. Turns out they applied some serious loctite to the strut tower to get it to stop "clunking" When I had my springs done, they had a bitch of a time getting the fronts undone. :P

microbunny,May 27 2006, 07:45 PM Wrote:but seriously, I need an alignment.....
[right][snapback]189945[/snapback][/right]

Many here would agree ...

just for bunny

:D