Things to check if you hear clunking from your suspension

[Splattered]

Originally Posted by transam396

Hi everyone I just picked up a 95 T-Bird that body wise is in Great shape.

I have a clunking noise coming from what sounds like the pass side. when i grab the drivers side tire and push in and out on it i can see the pass strut move inside the eng comp.

What should i check out and while i'm under there i would like to check the subframe Bolts if one of u fine people would point me in the right direction as to what i would look at so i will know whre they are.
Thanks Lyn

Inner ties rods are shot and I don't know if you'd want to replace the rack while your at it but I wish I did.

[theangryvorlon]

Had a annoying groaning from the front end every time I went over even the smallest bumps. Chased it for almost a year before I finally found cracks near the rear wheel wells and a broken V brace at the back seat. Put in L brace to stiffen it up some and the front end groaning went completely away. Gonna reinforce the heck out of it to keep in from braking loose again. Little bit too much body flexing.

[97Bluebird]

My daughter's 97 TBird just broke the passenger side lower ball joint. Fortunately the joint broke on a driveway entrance to a strip mall rather than on the freeway at speed. The tow truck driver said he sees allot of these birds with broken ball joints and it often is not a pretty site when they break on the major highways.

Her car has about 135K on it with very easy driving, so I would strongly recommend that anyone with one of these birds replace the lower ball joints automatically at 100K miles or you might just be killed.

My wife drives another 97 Bird with allot fewer miles on it. About 40K. So when it hits 100K, I will change the ball joints regardless.

Phil Swanson

[SaWees]

Im going to drop my truck and I will soon need new shocks upfront. Maybe your stock shocks are bottoming out? I can sell you my stock ones. I can trade them in and get new ones from my warranty.

[ABA]

Originally Posted by 97Bluebird

I would torque the subframe bolts first and go from there. You might want to get the special socket and then tighten them yourself. 100 foot pounds will do. . Phil

Yes I know I just quoted a 2yr old post but I just used a 6 point 14mm socket on mine with a torque wrench set at 100ft/lbs and they were tight.
The 6 point 14 mm worked just fine to check these bolts.


So that wasn't the reason I get a popping noise while hard braking and turning to the right....got it narrowed down to either the torsion rod bushing or rack and pinion.

[The_Ghost]

My dad's 95 T-Bird developed an annoying clunking, rattle that was most noticeable at 40 mph on fairly smooth roads.We kept looking for something obviously loose, but found nothing. Finally, he raised the car and hit the center of the sway bar with the heel of his hand. A click came from the left sway bar end link ball joint. The original end links have ball joints with no lubrication grease fittings. The grease dried out years ago and the lower ball had developed about 1/16th of an inch of play in the dry socket. That small amount of play let the clunk vibrate through the whole sway bar and drive him crazy. He replaced the sway bar end links and the clunking rattle is gone. The replacement links (buy 2 at $30 each)have ball sockets with a grease fitting. It took quite a bit of grease to fill the new sockets and the new cup. We also lubed the lower ball joints at the same time. Replacing the sway bar end links is not hard, but also buy a grease gun to lube up the new ball sockets. After taking off the 15mm nut, the post had to be hammered to pop out. Since there is no tension on the sway bar, the new links went on easily. Thanks for the suggestions listed below.

Originally Posted by Rich95XR7

I will list common things that "clunk" on the MN12 chassis here, and if you can think of any more not listed, add them on, and I'll consolidate the list. I hope this will help people out, and maybe cut down on repetitive posts.

1. Upper Ball Joints
2. Lower Ball Joints
3. Swaybar endlink bushings
4. Brake Calipers
5. strut rod bushings
6. Lower Control Arm shock mount bushing
7. Loose upper shock mount/subframe bolts
8. Tie Rods
9. Broken Spring
10. Loose lower shock mounting bolt
11. Steering Rack

[KorpseofDeath]

Originally Posted by 97Bluebird

My daughter's 97 TBird just broke the passenger side lower ball joint. Fortunately the joint broke on a driveway entrance to a strip mall rather than on the freeway at speed. The tow truck driver said he sees allot of these birds with broken ball joints and it often is not a pretty site when they break on the major highways.

Her car has about 135K on it with very easy driving, so I would strongly recommend that anyone with one of these birds replace the lower ball joints automatically at 100K miles or you might just be killed.

My wife drives another 97 Bird with allot fewer miles on it. About 40K. So when it hits 100K, I will change the ball joints regardless.

Phil Swanson

Driving my 97 down 580, and getting the fast lane *POW*, mine went out. Ordering $700. in parts right now to redo my whole entire suspension. I'm guessing it's still stock, on 141k miles... So I'll be riding nice after this!

[richuncle]

Originally Posted by KorpseofDeath

Driving my 97 down 580, and getting the fast lane *POW*, mine went out. Ordering $700. in parts right now to redo my whole entire suspension. I'm guessing it's still stock, on 141k miles... So I'll be riding nice after this!

what kind of carnage did that create?

[KorpseofDeath]

Originally Posted by richuncle

what kind of carnage did that create?

Well, the lower ball joint completely came out of it's socket, so it's just the upper control arm and the rack and pinion steering arm holding it together, to the car instantly drops down and the tire back towards the passenger. I pulled in the center and got out expecting it to be a flat tire, and then saw my whole front end dropped about 2 inches, was like f*%*k!!!! I then had to get CHP to traffic break me to the next exit. Driving at a slow less than 10 MPH, just listening to me tearing my tire apart on the way. Finally got to a place where Tow Truck can pick me up, got it home, and on the tow truck it completely gave way, and my front end was laying on the ground.

The driver was very good and experienced. He backed up into my driveway, and I had to drag my front end off the tow truck, but left the front wheels on the tow truck, then he lifted it with the truck, and we placed jacks under it. That was really relieving, because if the car was to just be dropped, there would be NO complete way to get a jack under my car, Literally!

Thankfully it happened at 60MPH, hardy any traffic, and hardly any damage. Just gotta get a new tire, and see if the rim is salvageable, it took a good scraping on the inside, but I think a re-balance and it should be ok and work with the inner fender and such where the tire rubbed, and now dread the $700. in the suspension rebuilt, which I was still in the process of saving up for! lol

[dmw_4814]

Originally Posted by KorpseofDeath

Driving my 97 down 580, and getting the fast lane *POW*, mine went out. Ordering $700. in parts right now to redo my whole entire suspension. I'm guessing it's still stock, on 141k miles... So I'll be riding nice after this!

Are you replacing the tension-strut bushings, too? I would, especially with that many miles. MAKE SURE YOU GET THE FORD ONES!!! My '97 T-Bird has 148,000 miles on it and I just replaced my entire front-end, but I'm having ALL kinds of problems because I bought tension-strut bushings from NAPA and they SUCK!! Around town, at speeds around 35-45, the car rides like it's brand-new now! But, on the highway at speeds around 60-75 mph, the front end feels kind of like it's wandering and I have a vibration, and it REALLY sucks that it's like that after all that money and work! I'm going to get Ford bushings A.S.A.P. and replace the ones from NAPA!

Dennis

[KorpseofDeath]

Yes I am. I'm purchasing the High Performance Polyurethane Front Suspension Bushing Kit from sc performance, and getting the moog control arms, basicly all high quality parts, don't go cheap on suspension, i've learned.

['95Cougar_XR-7]

usually that clunking is the upper shock mounts :X