Underbody rattle/noise

kennyo

Registered User
I have a very irritating rattle/knocking coming from underneath my car when driving over a rough surface. I thought I had a bad strut so I replaced them with some KYB parts. If anything it's worse than before. Pushing and banging on it didn't reveal anything so I thought I would ask you guys. Does the isolator between the strut and tower go bad?? Could it be the exhaust?
 
My bet is a worn out upper control arm.....

Best thing to do is a complete front end rebuild....

All SCs and XR-7s will need this done eventually....:rolleyes:
 
It could be exhaust, but that is usually a very metallic sound.

If you get an irregular "clunk-a-dunk-a-dunk" that seems to never sound the same twice, and it is coming from the front end, I would suggest that you inspect your sway bar end links.
 
the sway bar link bushings(which are metal on metal) sound horrible over bump when they are bad and in some cases you can even feel a clunk in the floor board. if thats your problem only get moog or better. from experience here do not get the cheaper china made links. they go out every 2-5k miles if driving on bumpy roads is any everyday event for you.
 
Sway Bar bushings. BTDT. ONLY took me a year to find the source. But then again I am not the brightest bulb on earth sometimes too.
 
there is a heat shield that might be the problem on the exhaust i had to adjust mine a little while back, sounds like that could be a source
 
Does the isolator between the strut and tower go bad?? Could it be the exhaust?

They do go bad sometimes.

OR....

I was changing parts around on my 89 last year and found a combination that would cause a rattle. It was clearly "up high" in the front suspension by the sound of it. I found that the noise was caused by the large strut washer (beneath the ride actuator) bumping the opening in the strut tower (car body). After doing some comparing, I found that Ford changed the washer size (along with upper strut mount design) somewhere along the lines, as well as the strut tower opening size. The new washer will still fit in the old opening, but when driving over bumps it can make a rattling sound. So...what have you done as far as the upper strut mounts? Swapped any parts?
 
My sub-frame bolts worked loose and caused a knock sound going over the sidewalk before my garage and other areas, just a thought you might want to check it out.
 
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