Drivers side when going over bump theres a clunk. Also vibration at speed. I've done the ball joint test by jacking up vehicle and lifting up tire. It passed. What else should I be looking at? I'm thinking:
1.Shocks
2. Sway Bar
3. Stabilizer bar link kit
4. Vibration "could" be cause by tire

I don't want to have to replace everything right away. Front end is definitely wore out. If you were to replace things, in what order would you go in to possibly best solve the clunk mystery?

Thanks Excursionites!

 

I had a clunk in the front when going over bumps too.

Turned out my leaf spring shackle bushings were shot. Replaced them, and no more clunk.

 

I'm just finishing up rebuilding the whole front end. Do forget this guy, I'm having to go back in to replace it because I forgot it. It's the mount the that the shackle bolts to.
https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-parts...RpZXNlbA%3D%3D

 

thast sounds like a sway bar link i got that same clunk when hitting bumps that you feel from the floor near firewall

 

I'd replace the parts that are worn out first. Your clunk could be any of the items you listed with a few more possibilities lurking, ubolts, bushings, track bar, loose nut/bolt, body mount, motor mount ect
It's going to take a through inspection with measuring and testing, there are procedures in the factory service manual or online for all the systems.

 

Your clunk and vibration are probably two different things. Don't assume they're related.

Clunks are generally easier to find then vibrations. My experiences with clunks on the Ex is sway bar links are #1. Vibrations ... well my guess is 9 out of 10 times it's tire balance. Once eliminating the "most likely" then bearings and bushings of which there are many.
Look for "rust bleeds" from universals, body mounts, springs, shocks and bolts.

Track bar is one component that can cause both a clunk and vibration.



I can live with a clunk, but not a vibration.

 

I went and got my tires rotated for free, then the guys there said for $10 they would do an inspection on my vehicle. So I decided hey why not! They quoted me $1800 for the ball joints to be replaced. The upper left one is cracked. I think that's the clunk. Anyways, I'll do it myself for very little money. And I'll video to show you how I did it. They also saw worn out bushings in the sway bar. I figure I'll do the ball joints, and new front Hellwig sway bar all at the same time.

 

Have you installed the rear Hellwig bar already?
You should notice a definite firming of the front end when turning sharply with the Hellwig front bar.
Ours had 2 clunks in the front end from bad tie rod ends.
They are easy to find by having someone turn the steering while watching for wobble in the ends.
A 3rd clunk was in the rear, but sounded like it was in the front.
When I installed the rear Hellwig bar I installed the frame bolt for the left arm with the nut towards the driveshaft.
The leaf spring would sometimes catch the end of the bolt and slip past causing a thunk.

 

Just a suggestion, but I wouldn't bother with replacing the whole front sway bar assembly with a Hellwig, just replace the end links with some Dorman brand links and you'll be good to go. A lot cheaper that way.

Stewart

 

I haven't spent really any money on parts yet. I did however put a rear Hellwig sway bar on my other 6.0 EX a few years back and it pretty much drove itself after that.

 

Isn't Hellwig a large step up from the stock sway bar?

 

Nope, not from the "results" that have been posted all these years.

If anyone could truly feel any difference when they swapped out the OEM bar for the Hellwig, then it was only slightly negligible based on what I remember.

Besides, the OEM works, and it works well (subjective opinion) for what it was designed to do. If you have a clunk from the sway bar then it's gonna be from the bushings in the end links. And unless you have a press, it's so much easier (and almost as cheap) to just buy the end links versus the bushings.

Stewart

 

You can feel the difference with the front Hellwig bar.
The difference is not in the smoothness of the ride while cruising down the road.
Make sharp jogs like trying to avoid a ladder on the freeway which I did just yesterday while towing and you can tell the difference in control of the vehicle.
When making sharp turns the larger front bar keeps the front end flatter in the turns which can easily be felt.
The stiffer the bar the flatter the front end will stay.
Disconnect the bar and see how much the front end rolls.

 

I wasn't commenting on bar vs no bar.

Either I'm remembering incorrectly or I just didn't read any positive posts like yours above stating there was a marked difference between the OEM bar and the Hellwig.

Stewart

 

I was just mentioning the no bar situation because Ford cheaped out on the Excursion with no rear bar and the easiest way to see how well they work is to drive without one after having one. My 1st gen Explorers had rear anti-roll bars, although they were small. It's similar to leaf springs, the soft ones used in the Excursion do the job, stronger ones will carry more weight, and so on, each time it's noticeable. There are diminishing returns because if the springs are too stiff the ride suffers. Adding stronger anti-roll bars reduces body roll improving handling, but get too strong and the ride over uneven surfaces suffers. Stronger leafs and larger anti-roll bars cost more so guess which ones get installed more often. Look under any police cruiser and see what size bars they have.