Bushings on front right

[Drew Lonker]

I have a bad bushing somewhere on the front left of my 01 ST. It makes a pop when hitting small bumps but goes away when the car heats up. My mechanic thinks its a bad bushing because everything looks good mechanically. Its not the bushing from the tie rods, shocks, or sway bar links because they are all new. Any ideas of other bushings that it could be?

 

[Vic Sorlie]

Ball joints.

 

[swshawaii]

Ditto. Lower ball joints are the most common failure after end links.

Lift the tire by the LCA and shake in all directions for ANY movement.

Also check the UCA nuts, being 1/8" loose will make clunks and pops.

 

[Rodger Tellefson]

I replaced both left & right upper control arms with MOOG Problem Solver control arms because the OEM control arm ball joints can not be replaced with out replacing the upper control arms; whereas the MOOG's can be replaced and are greaseable. I am also replacing the lower control arm ball joints hopefully this month as they take more time because the have to be presses out. See Tom Schindlers project on doing this.



I am replacing all of the bushings with Energy Suspension bushings. The ES control arm bushings that are a direct fit for the ST are the ones for the '96 - '01 Ranger, Explorer & Bronco.



Here's the embeded link for Vic's online garage:

 

[swshawaii]

Rodger- Just an FYI. Moog has added new LCA's to their "Problem Solver" line.

Expensive with very little info, but knowing Moog should be of excellent quality.



Last two items on the bottom of the RockAuto web page:

 

[Dean Couderc 3]

Drew, I had the same noise on my right front and it turned out my brake bracket had to be torqued again. It's an easy fix and it costs nothing.