What causes a rattle when going over bumps? I'm getting annoyed!!!!

[Nicky Pass]

I've had the noise for almost 2 years now...
The info...
2003 Cobra Convertible
7400 miles
MM caster/camber plates
H&R Race springs

Every time I go over a sharp bump like a level change in concrete roads or a series of small bumps, I hear a rattle. I've search....searched and searched again, and it seems the anti-rattle clips/pin COULD be my problem. I checked my front brakes and all of the clips are in place and the pin is there, but you can move it a little. Does something need to be lubed....everything seems to be tight!

I'm at a loss here! Every thread I find that someone has a similar issue, the fix is never mentioned. So I figure this is the best place to ask....thanks in advance.

 

[sc98cbra]

I used to have that same problem on my 98, I changed the brakes, the wheel bearing, the struts, and springs. Didn't fix the problem.

I was about the change the blue rubber bushing before I sold it, I think that will solve your problem.

 

[RDJ]

is it coming from the front or the back or can you tell? I had a similar problem on my 95 and it turned out my rear sway bar had broken at the end. when the car was stationary it was tight but going over bumps it rattled. about drove me crazy looking for the damn thing.

I've had the noise for almost 2 years now...
The info...
2003 Cobra Convertible
7400 miles
MM caster/camber plates
H&R Race springs

Every time I go over a sharp bump like a level change in concrete roads or a series of small bumps, I hear a rattle. I've search....searched and searched again, and it seems the anti-rattle clips/pin COULD be my problem. I checked my front brakes and all of the clips are in place and the pin is there, but you can move it a little. Does something need to be lubed....everything seems to be tight!

I'm at a loss here! Every thread I find that someone has a similar issue, the fix is never mentioned. So I figure this is the best place to ask....thanks in advance.

 

[TERMIN8TR]

do you have the isolators in the car?

 

[Nicky Pass]

I have the stock ISOs on....and I can tell its coming from the front. I laid under the car and everything seemed tight. I tapped the sway bar with a rubber hammer and it seemed fine.

 

[sc98cbra]

I have the stock ISOs on....and I can tell its coming from the front. I laid under the car and everything seemed tight. I tapped the sway bar with a rubber hammer and it seemed fine.

Try my idea and get new bushings.

They are cheap to buy and may possible be the solve of your problem.

 

[SLEEPERSTATUS]

break dust shield? very common

 

[mitrls10]

check everything b4 u start replacing parts.. Check to make sure the bolts on all your suspension stuff is tight 1st and also the strut mount, lower balljoints, lower control arm bushings, cc plate bushing, sway bar end-link and frame bushings, rack bushings or if springs are upside down the spring will twist in the cup, all of that can make that sound when you hit bumps.. Jack up the lower control arm as close as you can to the tire just so the tire is a couple inches off the ground and grasp the tire at 12 and 6 o clock and shake up and down to check bearings and grasp at 3 and 9 o clock and shake tire side to side to check inner and outer tie rod ends and either 1 will tell if control arm bushings or lower ball joints are loose if they are extremely worn and then get a pry bar and pry up and down on the bottom of the tire and see if the lower ball joint has play.. I see more lower balljoints making noise than any of those other 1's..

 

[RDJ]

I could be wrong here but is seems to me that if he has had the noise going on 2 years it would not likely be any of this stuff. When this stuff goes it may last a while but driving with this stuff bad for 2 years would cause a lot more issues than just a rattle. Horrid tire wear for example. Alignment issues for another one (which would go along with tire wear).

My experience has been that once you start hearing rattles from these components they generally don't last 2 years before totally breaking.

check everything b4 u start replacing parts.. Check to make sure the bolts on all your suspension stuff is tight 1st and also the strut mount, lower balljoints, lower control arm bushings, cc plate bushing, sway bar end-link and frame bushings, rack bushings or if springs are upside down the spring will twist in the cup, all of that can make that sound when you hit bumps.. Jack up the lower control arm as close as you can to the tire just so the tire is a couple inches off the ground and grasp the tire at 12 and 6 o clock and shake up and down to check bearings and grasp at 3 and 9 o clock and shake tire side to side to check inner and outer tie rod ends and either 1 will tell if control arm bushings or lower ball joints are loose if they are extremely worn and then get a pry bar and pry up and down on the bottom of the tire and see if the lower ball joint has play.. I see more lower balljoints making noise than any of those other 1's..

 

[Nicky Pass]

I could be wrong here but is seems to me that if he has had the noise going on 2 years it would not likely be any of this stuff. When this stuff goes it may last a while but driving with this stuff bad for 2 years would cause a lot more issues than just a rattle. Horrid tire wear for example. Alignment issues for another one (which would go along with tire wear).

My experience has been that once you start hearing rattles from these components they generally don't last 2 years before totally breaking.

There are no tire wear or alignment issues. Thats why its more annoying....there is a sound, but nothing bad is happening.

 

[Nicky Pass]

The car only has 7400 miles on it.....how could any of that stuff be worn?

 

[mitrls10]

U would be suprised, I do at least 5-10 alignments a day for the last few years and I have seen some crazy shit. I'm just saying it all needs to be checked but I have seen some stuff bout to fall off that didn't wear the tires anymore than usual, How?? I dunno y and I have seen all of that stuff go bad within the 1st oil change of a vehicle (on diff cars of course).. Ya'll are right tho its very unlikely and maybe nothing is bad, something might be loose and I have seen folks install the unsprung part of the spring on the bottom instead of the top and it caused it to slip around and make noise... Hard to say without inspecting very closely.

 

[Nicky Pass]

I guess I have to jack it up and take the wheels off and check stuff out. Its weird...I searched for anwers and people have posted they have the same problem, but every thread never says what the cause was....

 

[FromGTtoSVT]

make sure you check the little things like wires and lines.....

since the geometry of the car was changed when you lowered it....when you hit a bump a you could be getting contact between a line ( brake, fuel, AC, ETC ) and the body or suspension part

that would annoy me to no end as well

 

[Nicky Pass]

Oh its annoying alright....I don't know how I've delt with it for this long.

 

[sc98cbra]

The car only has 7400 miles on it.....how could any of that stuff be worn?

Ford made it so you could not regrease your bushings. Look man, Go spend 25$ and get a new blue bushing for the Front Strut bar, I promise.

I had the same problem on my 98 cobra, I changed the struts, the springs, the Wheel bearing, the brakes TWICE, and still had the same problem. That is the only thing that is left.

The noise sounds like a loud clicking/poping noise, correct?

Just like anything thats broken on a car and you have no idea what it is, Start with the cheapest thing first. I guarantee thats you're problem, its common on alot of Ford vehicles.

 

[Nicky Pass]

Ford made it so you could not regrease your bushings. Look man, Go spend 25$ and get a new blue bushing for the Front Strut bar, I promise.

I had the same problem on my 98 cobra, I changed the struts, the springs, the Wheel bearing, the brakes TWICE, and still had the same problem. That is the only thing that is left.

The noise sounds like a loud clicking/poping noise, correct?

Just like anything thats broken on a car and you have no idea what it is, Start with the cheapest thing first. I guarantee thats you're problem, its common on alot of Ford vehicles.

Its not really a popping noise...it sounds more like something is loose. Do you have a pic or part# of what you're talking about?

 

[sc98cbra]

Its not really a popping noise...it sounds more like something is loose. Do you have a pic or part# of what you're talking about?

Ford Mustang Energy Susp Front, Lower And Upper Control Arm Bushing Kit - 1994-2004 Ford Mustang - Energy Susp E1243144G

You can find it cheaper. If you do it yourself, you will see that blue thing im talking about.

 

[Nicky Pass]

The only thing that makes me think its not suspension and more braking is the fact that it doesn't do it going up a bigger bump like a curb into a driveway....or even if you are going slow...like 10mph.

I looked at the front brake kit from Napa and there are 2 anti-rattle clips....but I can only see one...is there one on the back side? Maybe it fell out?

 

[sc98cbra]

Jack your car up, turn the wheel as fast as you can. Shake the wheel too, if nothing happens then its not your brakes.

The rubber bushing ford gives us are shit, some last for 100,000 mi and some last for 10,000. Just like tires, they dry rot. If ford gave us better bushings, then we wouldn't have wheel hop.

The bushing kit I linked above is easy to install 2hrs max. If you can turn a wrench you can change the bushing, its just like taking the spring out, except a few more steps.