Loud Front End Rattle/Noise
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 32
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From: Cincinnati
Loud Front End Rattle/Noise
I have a 1994 Explorer with almost 178,000 miles on it. Recently the front end has been making a loud noise. It occurs when I hit bumps in the road. It doesnt help on all bumps mostly on very abrupt ones like where the road pushes up at the joints in the winter and also at like small curbs into driveways and parking lots. Anyway, the sound is a rattling sometimes and a real loud knock at other times. It is coming from the front left wheel and it sounds like it is coming from something directly attached or very close to the wheel. I checked at couldnt find anything loose or broken and checked the air pressure and lug nuts but nothing was wrong. I had new front shocks installed about a year ago. It has to be something in the suspension but i can't figure out exactly where it is coming from. Any ideas of what this could be?
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 942
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From: South Texas
Sounds like the infamous radius arm bushing. Look at the point where the radius arm goes into the frame crossmember. The front bushing half has a neck that protrudes into the crossmember opening. When it wears out, it allows the radius arm to flex and bang against the crossmember opening. You really cannot see the defect unless you remove the back half of the bushing and check the neck of the front half.
Dialtone
Dialtone
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 32
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From: Cincinnati
Is this something I could easily fix myself without having to take apart a lot? Or is there a way i can take the back part off and maybe wedge some rubber or similar material into the gap to keep it in place?
Also is this a problem i should have immediatly have fixed because it could cause other things to fail or is it just an annoyance?
Thanks for your help.
Also is this a problem i should have immediatly have fixed because it could cause other things to fail or is it just an annoyance?
Thanks for your help.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,742
Likes: 2
From: UT
Given enough time, a bad RA bushing will allow the crossmember and radius arm to wear on each other until you need to replace one or the other.
Replacing RA bushings isn't overly difficult, but it can take time. By the book, you end up dissassembling much of the front end. Personally, I prefer to cut the rivets holding the crossmember in place and remove the crossmember.
Replacing RA bushings isn't overly difficult, but it can take time. By the book, you end up dissassembling much of the front end. Personally, I prefer to cut the rivets holding the crossmember in place and remove the crossmember.
