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Car Forum / Chrysler Cars / January 20082005 Town & Country with "clunking" front end over bumps
Seems like a shock problem. There is a "clunking" sound in the frond end coming from the wheel area. It is noticeable on small bumps in the road and usually less on bigger bumps. I assume the shocks need to be replaced but it seems awfully early in it's life. I had an older T&C that seemed to always have CV joint problems and wondered if anyone thought they still used the same bad parts and a clunking would come from there instead of shocks. Thanks. > Seems like a shock problem. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Thanks. Sway bar bushing and or sway bar links bad. Glenn Beasley Chrysler Tech > Sway bar bushing and or sway bar links bad. > > Glenn Beasley > Chrysler Tech amazing... I typed up a message a while ago saying that I noticed the plastic ends of the anti-roll bar links on my grand-dad's 2004 are partially broken at 25,000 when i changed the brakes and rotors.. but i didn't think it was relevant. this thing is worse than a benz! lol! > > Sway bar bushing and or sway bar links bad. > > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > this thing is worse than a benz! lol! The ends usually aren't. its the ball and socket that wear out. I guess unless they are all beat up it could affect it. It is just a piss poor set up. Been like that for a long time In article <3fc07abb-d380-4fea-92ae-3683d6db47d8@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.co m>, > this thing is worse than a benz! lol! Impossible. Glenn Beasley is right on about this clunking sound. I inspected the sway bar bushing on my Van and they looked like new. I could not believe they were the problem, but it was the problem. I used the red plastic bushings and that cured it. The Mopar dealers will only want to put in the factory bushings, or, that is all the 2 dealers I checked with would do. One service writer tried to convince me the steering rack was bad. I bought the bushings from Advance ($9.00) and put them in myself. George >> Seems like a shock problem. >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Glenn Beasley > Chrysler Tech What kind of job is it to do these? I mean can someone that has 'some' mechanical abilities easily do it, or is it a pretty involved job. I ask as I am getting the same clung/thumping noise as I travel over bumps or dips in the road and suspect this may be the problem. How much should I expect to pay if I decide to have someone do it (Virginia area). ? > Glenn Beasley is right on about this clunking sound. I inspected the sway > bar bushing on my Van and they looked like new. I could not believe they [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >> Glenn Beasley >> Chrysler Tech > What kind of job is it to do these? > I mean can someone that has 'some' mechanical abilities easily do it, or is [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > >> Glenn Beasley > >> Chrysler Tech Having the vehicle up in the air makes it a lot easier. The sway bar bushings are underneath the vehicle so you would have to crawl under it on ramps. The links are on the outside near the wheels. Assuming the bolts aren't frozen the links are easy to do. Spray them with penetrating oil first. The going rate is about an hr labor for the links and bushings. If you get them both done at the same time figure 1 1/2 hr. What part of VA. Northern VA? Glenn >> What kind of job is it to do these? >> I mean can someone that has 'some' mechanical abilities easily do it, or [quoted text clipped - 54 lines] > > Glenn Thanks for the response. I am in S.E. Virginia (Virginia Beach) and car is pretty clean underneath so may not be hard to get them off. No factory Service Manual for this one yet so was not sure what was involved as not a job I have ever done. Does not sound bad so have to decide if I want to attempt it. Ohhh how I hate getting underneath the vehicles to work on them. Must be an age thing :0) > >> What kind of job is it to do these? > >> I mean can someone that has 'some' mechanical abilities easily do it, or [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] > hate getting underneath the vehicles to work on them. Must be an age thing > :0) Trust me, I know all about the age thing and getting underneath vehicles. Im going on 47, earlier this year I had to climb under my 67 Mustang to install a starter. I think my body still hurts from that. Glenn >> >> What kind of job is it to do these? >> >> I mean can someone that has 'some' mechanical abilities easily do it, [quoted text clipped - 80 lines] > install > a starter. I think my body still hurts from that. If I owned a 67 Mustang I would NOT let anyone else work on it so crawling underneath would be the only option :0) Of course a 70-71 Challenger would be my preference ! PC Medic > >> >> What kind of job is it to do these? > >> >> I mean can someone that has 'some' mechanical abilities easily do it, [quoted text clipped - 86 lines] > > PC Medic Agreed on the Challenger!! > Trust me, I know all about the age thing and getting underneath vehicles. Im > going on 47, earlier this year I had to climb under my 67 Mustang to install > a starter. I think my body still hurts from that. Huh? I've got three years on you, but if the vehicle is up high enough it isn't a real problem... > > Trust me, I know all about the age thing and getting underneath vehicles. Im > > going on 47, earlier this year I had to climb under my 67 Mustang to install > > a starter. I think my body still hurts from that. > > Huh? I've got three years on you, but if the vehicle is up high > enough it isn't a real problem... It wasn't how high it was, it was laying on the concrete floor!!! >> >> Sway bar bushing and or sway bar links bad. >> >> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Glenn Do you have a preferred part number/source for sway bar bushings, mine is a 2002 GC ES model; after-market or OEM - as long as they last 30,000 mi or more. Also I read previously it was easiest to do one side at a time, leaving one wheel on the ground to get the sway bar bushing off. Is that not true? > >> >> Sway bar bushing and or sway bar links bad. > >> >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > time, leaving one wheel on the ground to get the sway bar bushing off. Is > that not true? There are 2 different size sway bars on the Minivan. Contact your local dealer and supply them with the last 8 digits of the Vin# to get the correct ones. Glenn > There are 2 different size sway bars on the Minivan. Contact your local > dealer and supply them with the last 8 digits of the Vin# to get the correct > ones. On my Lebaron, I measured them with a caliper... >> There are 2 different size sway bars on the Minivan. Contact your local >> dealer and supply them with the last 8 digits of the Vin# to get the correct >> ones. > > On my Lebaron, I measured them with a caliper... If you're going aftermarket, that's the way to go, Joe, but if you're going OEM, it's probably simpler to take the VIN in with you. Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x') > Do you have a preferred part number/source for sway bar bushings, mine > is a 2002 GC ES model; after-market or OEM - as long as they last 30,000 > mi or more. IMO - based on personal experience - I believe that the TRW aftermarket bushings are just as good (long-lasting) as the OEM. No doubt there will be some sway bar diameter options that will determine bushing size, juts like with the OEM one. I'm thinking you will need the TRW P/N HB1857, but better to measure the actual diameter of the sway bar on the straight part - use vernier calipers or micrometers, to the nearest 0.5 mm, and have them compare to the listings if more than one. (Or, if you go OEM like Glenn suggested, just provide them your VIN.) No promises that either type will last 30k miles. But, again, IMO the TRW is no worse than the TRW for longevity. > Also I read previously it was easiest to do one side at a > time, leaving one wheel on the ground to get the sway bar bushing off. Is > that not true? NO! That is exactly what you *DON'T* want to do. The sway bar and the bushings will be under the most stress when one wheel is loaded and the other is not - if you go removing the bolts on the bushings while they're loaded, you could get hurt (as in snap-action of a lot of energy suddenly being released)!! Best to jack the complete front end up (both sides - be sure to use jack stands!!). Take both wheels off to give the best access to the bushings and their bolts. *AND* by having both wheels unloaded, the sway bar and the bushings will be under minimum/safe stress. With front end in the air and both wheels off, remove both sets of bushing bolts, then the bushings, then replace both bushings, then put the bolts back in. The bushings are split to slip over the sway bar. Because they are stiff, it can be hard to get them to open up to go over the diameter. Stick a large screwdriver in the slit to start them opening, then force them over the sway bar, and wiggle them into place. Grease the bushing ID and slit with a light coating of silicone grease before putting them on. Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x') > Seems like a shock problem. > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Thanks. Check out the bushings that hold the sway bar in place. If they get loose you get a "clunk" over small bumps (like railroad crossings & such) from the sway bar bouncing up & down. This happened to my 2004 Caravan after less than 60K miles. New bushings and the noise is gone. |
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