My ten year old ford escape has a clunking sound up in the engine compartment when I go over speed bumps, like something is loose and is banging around (yes, I know the car is ten years old). I think I figured it out... I just noticed the radiator is a little loose and can bang around? There are two posts at the top of the radiator that go into two little rubber grommets in metal supports. you can see the posts in the grommets when you open hood right up front. anyway, the inside of the grommet is bigger than the outside diameter of the post so the post can shake around.
Do these grommets wear over the years, and is it possible to just replace the rubber grommet and not the whole support?
Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks!

 

I don't know if you can buy just the grommets, but I have 'fixed' the same thing in older other vehicles. I take a small section of heater hose, and cut it to fit inside the grommet. You can take a small wedge, and get it in place, then put the bracket on, and bolt it down.
All you are doing is taking up the slack that an aged grommet can allow. If you have some thick sponge rubber, or other material, you can cut something to snug up the fit. You do not want to put it under stress from body flex, as that is why they used the grommets in the first place. It has to be able to move a bit, but not in all directions.
tom

 

Tom, Thanks for the idea. I was thinking it's important for the radiator to be able to move a little bit, but not as much as it does. I was thinking of trying to wedge something rubber in there to see if I could get it to stop shaking. I just don't want my redneck fix to ruin the radiator! But maybe I'll try something like that temporarily to see if it gets rid of the clunking when I go over speed bumps, and if it does, then I'll look for a better fix. It would be cool if I could just get new grommets though.

 

I'm going to put money on worn sway bar links.

To check, turn the wheel either way and try to move the link. It shouldn't move or be hard to move. Then turn the other way and do the same.

Our radiator has always had a little movement, not a lot though.

 

x2 sway bar end links.