Front suspension clunking

[xmaciek82x]

Hey everyone,

I have clunking in the front when turning very sharply left or right. Everything pointed to sway bar. So far I replaced the front sway bar end links and the bushings. Clunking is still there.

Any idea what else to inspect/replace? I was very sure it was the sway bushings since the noise sounds like it is lower front of the car and only occurs if the steering wheel is quickly jerked either direction.

Car is a 2002 QX4 with 133k miles.

[Hawairish]

So it clunks at the start of the turn, but only if you turn the wheel quickly, and it's not at a specific point of turn?
Is the clunking coming from the left, front, or right side?

If front, I think steering rack bushings at this point.

Try jacking up the truck and getting a helper to turn the wheel sharply while listening for noise perhaps?

[AlanAZ]

If you're seeing these symptoms, then it's steering rack bushings (I had replaced my front sway bar bushings previously):

It would wander down a straight flat road, the faster you drove, the worse it would be. Hitting a bump or pot hole would cause the steering to shake considerably, and worst of all, making a turn across the concrete gutters that we have on minor intersections here in the PHX area, or over a rounded curb driveway, would make the steering wheel saw back and forth (turn considerably.)

[xmaciek82x]

So it clunks at the start of the turn, but only if you turn the wheel quickly, and it's not at a specific point of turn?
Is the clunking coming from the left, front, or right side?

If front, I think steering rack bushings at this point.

Try jacking up the truck and getting a helper to turn the wheel sharply while listening for noise perhaps?

Clunking is not at a specific point in turn. It actually occurs more randomly. Today I heard small clunk while accelerating from a stop. But I can get the clunking to happen if I'm driving down a straight road and I jerk the wheel left or right. Sound appears to be coming front very front left and right side, depending which way I turn.

I had someone turn the wheel sharply earlier today and a lot of knock was coming from the power steering assembly.... I later realized that if I do the same test with the engine running, then knocking is gone. I should have know that the fluid is not moving through the power steering assembly when the engine is not running and it will product knocking. So I eliminated issues with the actual power steering rack.

I think the next cheapest option is to replace the power steering bushings. The symptoms are very similar to worn out sway bar bushings... so when I quickly turning the wheel left, right, or one wheels goes up quickly the clunk happens just like a sway bar would clunk.

[xmaciek82x]

If you're seeing these symptoms, then it's steering rack bushings (I had replaced my front sway bar bushings previously):

It would wander down a straight flat road, the faster you drove, the worse it would be. Hitting a bump or pot hole would cause the steering to shake considerably, and worst of all, making a turn across the concrete gutters that we have on minor intersections here in the PHX area, or over a rounded curb driveway, would make the steering wheel saw back and forth (turn considerably.)

I'm definitely not experiencing abnormal shaking to the steering wheel. I guess I can very lightly feel the steering wheel shake on the highways at times but I always though I just needed re-balancing wheels and alignment.

Maybe the very slight shaking steering wheel at certain speed is due to the steering rack bushing. I'll replace those and report back.

Ugh.... I bought this car as a different daily driver about 8 weeks ago... so far, fan assembly broke off, had to replace rear upper and lower control links, front ball joints, swaybar endlinks, various exhaust issues, brakes, and rear left spring completely cracked through, heater fan started making very loud noises, and driver door window guide is on its way out... I hope that this car becomes more reliable then it has been so far.

I over paid a little for the car because it was in excellent condition in and out, weeks later it seems like everythign started falling apart.

[xmaciek82x]

*** Update ***

I just replaced the steering rack bushings. Knocking still there. I give up. It also happen a slow speed over small bumps. Like pulling into the garage and I drive over a 1" bump.

I'm giving up.

[jiannichan]

I used to get the same thing but it happened more often when used 4WD and turned while doing so. I replaced the axles and it went away.

[Hawairish]

Was everything torqued to spec? In particular, the sway bar end links?

[xmaciek82x]

**** Issue Resolved ****

It ended up being one of the sway bar new end links was defective. Both driver and passenger side was replaced less then 2 months ago and the driver side one already went bad. Replaced it and all knocking is gone.

[AlanAZ]

Thx. Do you happen to know the make? So that we can avoid them.

[xmaciek82x]

Thx. Do you happen to know the make? So that we can avoid them.

I have the broken part at home, I'll see if there is a way to identify the manufacturer. Local mechanic installed them when he was fixing few other things.

[xmaciek82x]

It was Moog. Surprised since they have a pretty good rep here.

[AlanAZ]

It was Moog. Surprised since they have a pretty good rep here.

Yes, surprising, thx for letting us know. I used them for the fr sway bushings, but will use Proforged for the links.