Front suspension rattle

[Pillarian]

Hey all:

I've got a front suspension rattle from both sides. Characteristics - only rattles when hitting bumps, no effect on braking, steering, driving down the road, doesn't bounce like struts have failed, and no spring failures. It rattles when cornering or going straight. Initial visual inspection doesn't reveal any loose or missing bolts, nuts, or anything else out of the ordinary. Guidance from membership would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[qiksho]

Sounds to me like sway bar related if it affects none of the things you listed.

However it could be a number of different things.

How many miles? Where are u located?? salt/snow climate or dry/dessert?

 

[Pillarian]

1994, atx, 124,000, no visible rust on vehicle or under car, southern Minnesota car. Like I say, the underbody visual inspection 3,000 miles ago revealed nothing that resembled a loose, corroded, or faulty part. How's Lisbon? I'm originally from Fargo. Ya' you betcha!!!

 

[etc1006]

A few of us here lately have been coming across the front strut rod bushing cup having problems. Check the past week or so concerning subframe/strut/bushing posts.

 

[qiksho]

Like etc said many have had problems with the strut rod bushing cup seperating from the subframe.

I had this problem on my 93atx about a year ago. It was impossible to tell until I was taking the strut rods out to replace the lower control arm bushings. I had to reweld them back on.

The subframe bushings seem to give people a lot of problems also. I have replaced them and done the recall on every SHO I have owned now...4 total.

I still think it has to do with your swaybar though. There are some short bars? for lack of a better word as I can't think of it right now that connect the strut body to the sway bar. I would check these. If one of them has a problem its easy to see how you could hear it on both sides. Also the bushings where the swaybar connects to the subframe....

Good to see someone from close to the area post

 

[blue2ndgen]

I am having the same problem but only the front left side. In the past year tho I have replaced the struts(tokico) springs(eibach) strut mounts(midwest), control arms, endlinks, and all the bushings except subframe.

 

[MeSHOYouHow]

mine was rattleing like that for a while, then i found out it was the sway bar linkage, went to auto zone and replace them with som sort of plastic ones!, weird i know, but the rattleing is gone now!

 

[projectSHO89]

Sway bar endlinks are the most common cause.

You can diagnose the problem by removing one of them completely and test driving the car of the same bumps that previously caused the noise. If the noise has gone away, one or both of the links is probably bad. Check the swaybar to subframe bushings at the same time. They can also cause the same noise.

BTW, my AutoZone endlinks lasted only a year for each of two sets while the warranty was only 3 months. It now has Moogs. Hope yours last....

Steve

 

[pete315]

I have the same annoying rattle. I have a feeling it's the inner tie rods. I changed the outer tie rods (they were easy). I still have original struts in car (92 with 183,000). plus I have a vibration at about 68-70. it's not the tires or rotors. both have been changed and the vibration is still there. I thinks it's the cv joints. so my project in spring is to do front struts,inner tie rods, and 2 new axles. I'm debating if I should do balljoints and wheel bearings. I'm looking at a hefty bill for this repair. any suggestions.

 

[projectSHO89]

... any suggestions.

Yeah. Read my post.

Inner tie rods won't usually rattling noise. They cause slop in the steering.

Original struts might have worn out mounts.

I'd do the ball joints only if they test bad, same for the wheel bearings.

CV joints could be the source of the vibration. Also check the intermediate shaft and its bearing.

Steve

 

[pete315]

when I go over bumps, the steering feels sloppy but it could be struts or mounts like you said. on smooth roads, the steering is tight. I have no play at all when I jack up front in either the 3/9 postion or the 12/6 position. what is the immediate shaft and bearing? if I buy new struts, does it come with new mounts or do I have to buy them seperately? stupid question- are these mounts underneath the strut tower?

 

[pete315]

is there a test I can do to see if my rattle is coming from strut mount.