2007 Ford Fx4 with 6 inch suspension lift. Just rebuilt front suspension. I Had bad upper ball joints and one of the hubs was bad. Also had a bad tie rod end on one side. The tires began to wear excessively on the inside and quickly degraded.

I figured since I was in there, I would just change everything. I replaced upper control arms, lower ball joints, stabilizer bar links, strut assemblies, and inner and outer tie rods on both sides. Obviously everything is much better. But...

On test driving and running short errands near the house, it seems like I can still sense a slight thumping/clunking or bounce from the right side at slow speeds at times. It is hard to describe because there isn't really a sound associated with it. It is not constant; it feels a bit like a ball joint just starting to go. I cannot identify it with any of the new parts, they all check out and nuts are tight, etc.

I have not gotten an alignment yet. Getting new tires and alignment Saturday. Tires are in pretty bad shape. But, alignment isn't too badly off and at slow speeds around the neighborhood its more of a bouncing after a road seam or when accelerating from a stop, etc.

when I was doing the work, one of the half shafts had more play than the other. It was easier to move out of the way to install the shocks and lower ball joints. I could easily bend it over past the stabilizer bar link and use the link to hold it out of the way. Is this normal? I have never owned a vehicle with IFS and CVs before. Could the bouncing/clunking be caused by a worn CV joint, even in 2wd?

 

so how did the new TIRES and alignment work ?

 

tires etc improved overall ride tremendously. But the clunk is still noticeable over bumbps. Its not so much audible as you can feel it give some for lack of better word. And when I turn right at slow speed such as out of driveway there is a definite rocking. It could just be paranoia because I spent a lot of research and energy replacing everything. I was concerned over cv axle in initial post because when I moved it out if way to do the shock, it seemed to have a lot of play. How easy should it be to move it around?

 

Check coil springs and perches - both have been reported here. The coil springs can actually break and in other cases the spring perch fails and the spring punches through it.

 

That my post, "boys and girls check your front coils....

 

Struts assemblies are brand new. But... that doesn't seem to mean what it used to. Took a look and they are both OK though.

 

My '06 SCAB 4x4 now has 182,600 miles. I purchased it with about 20,000 in 2007.

I have changed upper & lower ball joints, tie rod ends, IWEs, shocks, steering stabilizer linkages and bushings, etc. etc. etc. up front. An IWE or ball joint or 2 needed it, the rest was just for maintenance sake.

I have had a thump/clunk that happens on the right side it seems ever since I bought my truck. It happens a lot of times has my wheel is partially turned backing out or turning in parking lot or driveway.

Some days it does and I notice......... some days not.

I have never located a problem. I did most of the front end and IWE work myself. I have had several guys doing front end alignments or tire installs look at. No one has ever found a problem.

It's still there. Noticed it yesterday or the day before but not today.

I've read and searched several forums. So far.......... it still exists as far as I know and I'm still rolling.

 

So I have been plagued with the exact problem you describe. I would also describe it as coming and going; you go over a bad bump and then it seems to get worse for a while then goes away. Also, it was mainly when turning and accelerating or going over a bump. My normal mechanic couldn't find anything so I took it to a Ford dealer in truck country. It took them (and they charged me) 1.5 hours to diagnose it as the leaf spring coupling (bushing? mount?) on the right front, aft connection. After $150 to diagnose, then $450 to change out the part, it is an amazing difference. I was seeking out railroad tracks and potholes the whole way home and it was rock solid. I wish I took a picture of the part but it would fit in the palm of your hand. A few threaded machine screw holes in it and a larger hole with a bushing in it that looked terrible. Maybe there was a bad batch of these. This was on a 2005 Excursion. I'll try to find the receipt and see if I can get a part name.