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Front end rattle

saratoga

saratoga

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Location
Lithia, FL
Not the ISS.

What could cause rattling in one corner of the front end?

At first I thought it was possibly those rear spring isolators that fall out or disintigrate over time causing the slapping noise... anytime I hit a rough patch of pavement or go over some jarring bumps, there's a rattling noise coming from the LF corner. It sounds like the noise the ball mount makes rattling around in the receiver. I can only hear it with the windows down, btw.

Both front shocks are tight and the sway bar bushings are good. Do the front hubs make this noise when the bearings are on their last legs? I ran 265's for about 35k but went back to the stock size tires. I'm at 74k now.
 
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generally hubs won't make that sound, usually more of a grinding/scraping noise OR your tires start wearing funny OR you get a lot of wobble at certain speeds.

Can you make it happen by pushing on the bumper?

If you can, try to jack the front end up by the frame to let the suspension sag and see if you can make anything reproduce the noise.
 
Everything tight in that corner as far as all the bolt on stuff? Batt, wheel liner, bumper support bracket, lights, etc.? Look around carefully under the hood.
 
Get a prybar and a jack and start checking for play. Or if you're up my way I could help you check it.
 
I have a rattle like this also.It especially drives me crazy when Im driving along a fence or building with the windows down.I cant find out what it is either
 
dentpusha said:
I have a rattle like this also.It especially drives me crazy when Im driving along a fence or building with the windows down.I cant find out what it is either
Click to expand...

Looking at your avatar I'd suggest you check your front "tow" hooks. Hard to tell, but looks like they could swing??
 
I noticed that with the shackles on our truck too. I've learned to ignore it, but it's a high pitched clinking.
 
I did what I could last weekend...
*Bounced all 165# of my fat ass on the front bumper- nothing.
*Jacked up the LF corner and pried on the wheel with a 6' bar- nothing.
*Tried to move the front wheel with hands at the 3:00 and 6:00 positions- nothing.
*Pulled and pried on the sway bar in a few places- nothing.

The only things that I noticed were:
*Both of the jounce bumpers are disintigrated and crumbly like old rubber.
*I can see daylight between the lower shock bushing and the eye on the shock when the front wheel is off the ground. I've already sent a PM to Nor-Cal for some new Bilsteins.
 
I had new shocks put on my '78 impala years ago and I would hear a heavy clunk every time I hit a pothole or bump. Took the car back and they put a wrench to all the bolts. Told me nothing moved, yet it got rid of my clunks.

I bet your shock is loose, you just can't tell.
 
grady the shock issue i have noticed also with the bilsteins on. the stock shocks never showed like that and since then i have had some odd clunk issues when the suspension is put in any akward positions. i.e. when turning into a driveway where the road is lower than the drive entrance. almost like turning to go up a curve, not as high, but your going faster.
also had a lower ball joint go bad this winter. more of a clunk not rattle though.

eta, do you still have your oem shocks to try? if so swap em and see if it goes away. i am curious.
 
I have the exact same problem and I cannot find the rattle. It sounds like something is loose in the hub, but i just replaced the whole bearing and it didnt go away. Everything is as solid as can be under there that I can find. Its definately a metal on metal rattle and small potholes and chatter bumps on dirt roads really make it noticable. Mine is in the LF as well. It pisses me off.

oh and I still have my old stock shocks on there.
 
trouttrooper said:
Looking at your avatar I'd suggest you check your front "tow" hooks. Hard to tell, but looks like they could swing??
Click to expand...

Those dont swing too easy and they make a whole diff sound when they do hit the bumper.The noise I hear is a lighter chatter.Kinda like a rattle trap fishing lure.
 
Mine has done it for years, took a long time to figure out. It is the caliper. New slides ought to make it go away.
 
I'm hearing rattles both from the front and rear anytime my tires land in potholes. My front hub assemblies are tight, so that's not the problem, and just checking by hand, my shocks are tight...but when I get a chance I'll check again. Unless I drive around my house and come up the backway, I'm stuck with 2 roads with 200-300 ft of pothole infested asphalt. It sucks.
 
Detroit Dan said:
Mine has done it for years, took a long time to figure out. It is the caliper. New slides ought to make it go away.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking you're on to something becuase it's definitely centered around the wheel and isn't anything structural because no noise is transmitted inside the cab though the frame like you'd expect a suspension mount with a bad bushing to do.

I'll check that this weekend.:thumbsup:
 
saratoga said:
I'm thinking you're on to something becuase it's definitely centered around the wheel and isn't anything structural because no noise is transmitted inside the cab though the frame like you'd expect a suspension mount with a bad bushing to do.

I'll check that this weekend.:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
There should be anti-rattle clips on them Grady. If you're still all factory though (I'm sure you are) there won't be any lube at all the contact points so that could very well be your problem.
 
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