Help tackling suspension this weekend.

[MoneygrubbinCar]

Plan on doing my shocks and struts this weekend. But I wanna fix the clunking in my front end as well which I've narrowed down to the Strut mount bushings I beleive. But as I search around I'm getting diffrent items and I'm not sure which is which. If I've done my research right I beleive its the upper strut mount bushings that seem to be the issue with these cars and the random clunking and or the steering rack bushings what I already have done. This is an old thread I found but this is what Napa is offering http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/801566-2003-gt-strut-mounting-kit-part-locations.html its listed as the Strut bearing plate at napa's website. But then I go to late model restoration and find these 1983-04 Mustang Prothane Upper Strut Mount Bushing Kit, Black at LRS - Same Day Shipping!. and then Well theres this guy here 1984-2004 Ford Mustang Shock and Strut Mount - Moog - Front, Upper

So If any help is possible please do so I'm so misled by these parts atm on whats what. Thanks in advance.

 

[trombonedemon]

PB blaster is your friend if this is the first suspension upgrade this car has had.

 

[MoneygrubbinCar]

Someones put springs on it before not sure which kind they are though, Its a red spring I'm guessin H and R or maybe an early Eibach, Its not slammed but doesn't sit to high either. Sits a good inch lower than a factory gt. I got tokico blues to throw on it. Other recent work thats been done is tie rod ends, maximum motorsports steering rack bushings, and Upper/lower control arms.

 

[trombonedemon]

Hell he knocked out all of the suspension hard work for you. I besides coilovers w/aftermarket K member. What else could be done? Wish someone had did that to my car before I got my stang.

 

[MoneygrubbinCar]

I wish the previous owner did all the other stuff aside from the springs, That's all the stuff I've done to the car to narrow down the front end noise I keep gettin. Aside from these bushings I'm about to throw on along with the struts, I'm left with the sway bar end links which appear to be in ok shape. I'm around 1200 put in it so far wish it was towards more hp though.

 

[trombonedemon]

I wish the previous owner did all the other stuff aside from the springs, That's all the stuff I've done to the car to narrow down the front end noise I keep gettin. Aside from these bushings I'm about to throw on along with the struts, I'm left with the sway bar end links which appear to be in ok shape. I'm around 1200 put in it so far wish it was towards more hp though.

Trust me, highly modified suspension is for hp, that sucker is gonna hook.

 

[MoneygrubbinCar]

Completed the Shocks/struts along with the bushings the old ones looked fine so I put the new ones back in the box to get my money back. Went out for the test drive car did fine until it got to normal operating temperature. Clunking/popping came back to doing the same thing it was before. Slow speeds creaks when turning wheel left or right. Also occurs on initial take off from slow speeds and does it when coming to a halt. So me and my friends pull into the drive way start shaking and feeling around the front end. We can feel Vibrations coming from I guess the tie rods? Its the little metal threaded rods that come off I guess the power steering rack. One on each side of the steering rack bushings. Do you guys think its a bad power steering rack?

P.S. list of replacement parts Inner Tie rods, Tokico Shocks/Struts, Springs were looked at as well the appeared to be seated fine and still have the isolaters which appear to be okay. I've done upper and lower control arms, and ball joints. I've used maximum motorsports steering rack bushings. I however did not do them myself I had someone do them and I read another thread saying the aluminum sleeves could be to long on those which cause a creaking, However my noise is more of a pop/clunk. My sway bar bushings look to be in rough shape they are cracking I'm not sure which bushings they're called but they're like seating in a bracket before they get to the blue looking bushings at the end of the sway bar. This is about the best details I can list of whats going on. Thanks in advance, I've already had the car in 2 or 3 shops and they can't seem to find it. I dunno if they're driving it enough to get it to operating temperatures or what. Anyways thanks in advance.

 

[MoneygrubbinCar]

No takers? I'm really stumped on this one guys.

 

[bmylez]

I don't see how operating temperature would affect clunking in your suspension....suspension isn't connected to your coolant system (at least I hope not). If your sway bar bushings are in bad shape, definitely replace them. They can easily cause a clunking noise. The other bushings you are referring to are end links. When end links die, they *definitely* make a clunking noise.

 

[MoneygrubbinCar]

Ye I know its the most off the wall situation I've came across but like I say the car doesn't do it until after about 30/40 minute drive on the warmer days. What's throwin me off now though is I can feel it do the vibration through the tie rods but not the sway bar. It's more so worse on the drive side than the passenger. We we're bouncin the car up and down and feelin it or turnin the wheel left to right and getting the same effect. I'm just shooting from the hip here but would the viscosity of grease change at higher temperatures maybe thin it out a little bit to cause this. I'm kind wanting to remove the rubber boot off the tie rod and grease the ball area if it needs it. Not sure if thats a good or bad thing but just a thought.