Rattle driving me insane.

[Chaoticbastard]

Ok friends,I got the stereo working,oil leak figured out and a trans flush scheduled.Now all i have left is this Damn rattle.It mainly comes from the right front tire,sometimes the left and its only when I hit slight bounces.The car has new,bearings,inner outer tie rods,Ball joints.I looked under and everything seems tight I cant see any play.I did a search and found that some people had to replace there UCA? would this make this same exact rattle?and is it costly?Thanks!

 

[Grifter]

have you checked to see that your brake pads arent the thing rattling?

 

[Chaoticbastard]

I havent,They work perfect I guess I didnt think of it.

 

[chicken]

the uca contains your upper ball joint so that should of been replaced with the upper ball joint, have you checked the swaybar end links put a pry bar under and over it and pry it both ways, if there is any movement its bad and poss the noise, as for the brake pads ive only seen them make noise if you are braking and they shift forward and that would be a clunk

 

[MarkVIII93]

The upper ball joint and upper "A" arm is the first thing I would check. Look at the rubber seal around the ball joint. Take the tire off and try to jiggle the "A" arm to see if you hear anything or feel any excessive play.

 

[scott9050]

The sway bar end links will rattle like mad when bad, mine did.

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

The UCAs rattle in small bumps and slight turns. Grab the top of the tire and pull it outward while looking at the ball joint, its easy to feel and see the slop in the ball joint. You would of thought that would of been done or caught with the other work.

 

[chicken]

The UCAs rattle in small bumps and slight turns. Grab the top of the tire and pull it outward while looking at the ball joint, its easy to feel and see the slop in the ball joint. You would of thought that would of been done or caught with the other work.

if you see movement by doing this the upper is VERY LOOSE, with the suspension hanging put a prybar under the mounting bolt at the body and over the arm and pry down if it moves at all its junk

 

[02LSE96LSC91SE84TC]

One of my Marks and one of my T-birds both had obvious movement, just by yanking on the tire.

 

[Chaoticbastard]

Ok,Yea I have to get under there and see.Im mechanically inclined to a point and I think I remember how to check them.But firestone did all the work to this car for the guy I bought it from.he told them to replace what it needs.Dont know why they would have missed all this.The front is tight as hell and doesnt drift or anything.So I will check it out and let you guys know what it is.

 

[KainDTE]

yah either your UCA or sway bar end links the end links are like $70 and the UCA's are 130 from arnotts which is cheaper than the price with the fiscount from five star ford

 

[kissedvfd]

and its only when I hit slight bounces.

Usually a bad front ball joint will pop during a slight turn and 'gliding' bounce, at least in my experience. I admit I'm not familiar with this particular vehicle. All good advice I read above!

I've searched for a lot of rattles and noises in cars/trucks. Use a large rubber hammer for undercarriage rattles. It's an easy/cheap method to reproduce hitting a slight 'sharp' bounce and safer than hanging out the door by a seat belt or riding on the hood. Yep, done that too! Might just be a loose shock or retaining clamp if you're lucky.

Good hunting!

 

[Blu97LSC]

Sway Bar Endlinks

Sway Bar end links did it for me. I thought the rattling was going to drive me nuts before I found it. I replaced UCA's first thinking they were the problem but the ball joints were bad anyway so it wasn't a total waste of time. I got the endlink kits from autozone for like 50.00 each.