WTF!!! My car still drives like the front end is all loose!!!!

[juiced_94gt]

What else can i change, i just did a new steering rack, new 03 cobra steering shaft, and i have a steeda bumpsteer kit installed, and just got it aligned 2 days ago, when i make a left turn all the way to lock it sounds like it's grinding, but it's only on a full lock left turn, and when im braking, it makes kinda of like a cracking noise and it feels lose like the front end is going to come apart...My 02 Gt has NONE of these problems, this is the most frustrating thing about my car, it feels like a hacked up 60's car!!!!! Will the ball joints cause any of this??? should i get the 03 control arms??? or is it not going to make a difference????? I have tokico illuminas, and MM C/C plates also. I HATE THIS LOOSE FEELING FRONT END.

 

[WhiteDevil]

What else can i change, i just did a new steering rack, new 03 cobra steering shaft, and i have a steeda bumpsteer kit installed, and just got it aligned 2 days ago, when i make a left turn all the way to lock it sounds like it's grinding, but it's only on a full lock left turn, and when im braking, it makes kinda of like a cracking noise and it feels lose like the front end is going to come apart...My 02 Gt has NONE of these problems, this is the most frustrating thing about my car, it feels like a hacked up 60's car!!!!! Will the ball joints cause any of this??? should i get the 03 control arms??? or is it not going to make a difference????? I have tokico illuminas, and MM C/C plates also. I HATE THIS LOOSE FEELING FRONT END.

I did all of that stuff and 03 a-arms and it really didnt improve much for me. For some reason when im at full lock i still get a clunk in the front end some times which i always heard was from worn tie rod ends. But my ENTIRE front suspension is new. I guess im over worrying about it, my dads 02 GT feels so nice compared to mine still.

 

[blksn955.o]

It could be your ball joints mine made a grinding noise when they went bad. The 03 arms are a damn good buy for what you get (new ball joints already installed).

Except for some kind of front end damage that has one side off alittle I dont know if your rims could just be to big up front. Even more so since its only one side.

My bet from what you posted would be ball joints but dont quote me.

 

[HISSIN50]

The grinding isnt external (like a tire or wheel rubbing something)?

Installing rack limiters might help if this is the case.

Good luck.

 

[bimmertech]

The grinding isnt external (like a tire or wheel rubbing something)?

Installing rack limiters might help if this is the case.

Good luck.

:Word:

 

[blksn955.o]

were would one get some rack limiters? I have a slight rub at full lock on my 275's. I plan on going to 265-255's but think I may still have an issue and would like more info on limiters.

Is it a strap or bar with a stop type deal?

 

[bimmertech]

were would one get some rack limiters? I have a slight rub at full lock on my 275's. I plan on going to 265-255's but think I may still have an issue and would like more info on limiters.

Is it a strap or bar with a stop type deal?

its the little plastic rings inside the rack, if you have replaced your tierods you may thrown them out.

i run 2 on each side with coilovers, 17x9 with 255/40, and offset control arms--still rub a little

 

[blksn955.o]

Nope stock tie rods...so what do you do? double them up on the rack end to keep travel down?

I was thinking like a 4x4 limiting strap or stop of some kind.

 

[bimmertech]

Nope stock tie rods...so what do you do? double them up on the rack end to keep travel down?

I was thinking like a 4x4 limiting strap or stop of some kind.

you have to take off the inner tie rod from the rack and slip more on there.

i even think they come in diff colors for diff thicknesses--i just have 2 yellow ones

 

[Chythar]

I did all of that stuff and 03 a-arms and it really didnt improve much for me. For some reason when im at full lock i still get a clunk in the front end some times which i always heard was from worn tie rod ends. But my ENTIRE front suspension is new. I guess im over worrying about it, my dads 02 GT feels so nice compared to mine still.

I just started getting that clunk recently. Like you said, it's only at full lock. I checked it out on Saturday, thinking something was loose. I couldn't find anything, BUT I was able to reproduce that sound. What I did was:

I put the front of the car on jackstands. I turned the wheels lock to lock, and didn't hear the noise at all. So, I tried lifting up one control arm with a jack (put a jack under the control arm). Just before that side came up off the jackstand, I heard the pop. Unfortunately for me, the pop doesn't happen all the time - I couldn't pinpoint where the noise was coming from. It didn't sound like it was coming from the steering or the front suspension, but a little farther back.

Could this noise actually be the body flexing? When I turn to lock, I can see one side of the car angle up a bit - a consequence of negative camber settings w/ my caster/camber plates). This sound familiar to anyone?

 

[bimmertech]

Could this noise actually be the body flexing? When I turn to lock, I can see one side of the car angle up a bit - a consequence of negative camber settings w/ my caster/camber plates). This sound familiar to anyone?

the more caster you run the more the car will change its height during full lock steering.

it is really pronounced on cars that have variable ratio steering racks.

 

[Chythar]

What else can i change, i just did a new steering rack, new 03 cobra steering shaft, and i have a steeda bumpsteer kit installed, and just got it aligned 2 days ago, when i make a left turn all the way to lock it sounds like it's grinding, but it's only on a full lock left turn, and when im braking, it makes kinda of like a cracking noise and it feels lose like the front end is going to come apart...My 02 Gt has NONE of these problems, this is the most frustrating thing about my car, it feels like a hacked up 60's car!!!!! Will the ball joints cause any of this??? should i get the 03 control arms??? or is it not going to make a difference????? I have tokico illuminas, and MM C/C plates also. I HATE THIS LOOSE FEELING FRONT END.

The grind could very well be the power steering pump whining. All Ford cars develop it as they age. There's even a special power steering additive specifically for Fords to reduce the whine. Though that wouldn't affect your braking. Just noise.

What you have left to change in the front are: new bushings for the control arms, new ball joints, and new bushings for the steering rack. You might have put in new bushings when you put in a new rack, you didn't say. The bushings and ball joints are in the 03 Cobra control arms, and I also recommend them. You don't know how worn your ball joints are until you get new ones.

 

[Car Nut]

I also did the 03 Cobra control arms, MM C/C plates, and new springs/shocks. In addition, I also replaced the endlinks with MM ones and also got MM bushing for the front sway bar. The part that tightened up the front end for me big time was the MM K-member brace. Very easy to install and once you see it first hand in place, it makes total sense why it's needed.

Not sure if this would fix your noise issue, but with the stuff listed above, your front end should not feel loose at all. Lots of good advice and ideas above about the noise stuff, cause I think I've had to fix most of what's been mentioned.

 

[juiced_94gt]

I also did the 03 Cobra control arms, MM C/C plates, and new springs/shocks. In addition, I also replaced the endlinks with MM ones and also got MM bushing for the front sway bar. The part that tightened up the front end for me big time was the MM K-member brace. Very easy to install and once you see it first hand in place, it makes total sense why it's needed.

Not sure if this would fix your noise issue, but with the stuff listed above, your front end should not feel loose at all. Lots of good advice and ideas above about the noise stuff, cause I think I've had to fix most of what's been mentioned.

Well I do have urethane rack bushings and urethane end links also, but what you say makes sense since my car is a CONVERTIBLE and it's missing the stock x-brace that they came with, i do have full lenght subframe connectors though but the x-brace connects the k-member to the body right??? I have one in the garage maybe i should install it to see if it makes a difference.

 

[WhiteDevil]

So far i have done

PA Racing Tubular K
New Rack
03 steering shaft
03 A-arms
Steeda Bump steer
Steeda Springs
MM CC plates
Tokico Shock and Struts

 

[Car Nut]

Well I do have urethane rack bushings and urethane end links also, but what you say makes sense since my car is a CONVERTIBLE and it's missing the stock x-brace that they came with, i do have full lenght subframe connectors though but the x-brace connects the k-member to the body right??? I have one in the garage maybe i should install it to see if it makes a difference.

When you put the stock K member brace next to the MM brace, you'll chuckle a bit. Basically, the stock brace connects at two points. The MM brace connects at four points with more tubing that is a ton stronger than the stocker.

If you've got the stock brace available, definitely give it a try. You've eliminated a lot of key areas, so that's good.

The 03 front arms are a really nice upgrade, especially if you've got a lot of miles. My old ones with over 140,000 miles didn't make noise though. I just replaced them as a part of a total brake upgrade since they would be easily accessible.

Nothing like throwing new parts at a problem. Hopefully, something will show up as the culrpit without you having to waste money. Of course, wasting money on front control arms, K member brace, and so on does have it's upsides.