Front end knocking.

[Themoog]

My 01 4.4 has a slight knocking from the front end over small bumps in the road. It doesn’t sound or feel like those stupid lower ball joints or anything near the wheels but more steering rack related.
I’ll check the inner tie rods later but I wanted to ask about the rack itself. Does it have the Teflon wedge / bush like later racks that can be adjusted or replaced?
I have a feeling that it could be something to do with that. Mine has the standard hydro power steering.

[Effduration]

Take a look at your sway bar and its bushings. Unless you have replaced the bushings, they are likely due for a change.

I recently tried to replace my sway bar bushings and noticed that rust and wear had eroded the steel and the shrunk the diameter of the bar so much that the bushing is too large..

New Sway bar coming.

[X5chemist]

Tighten the sway bar links. I had a similar issue hundreds of miles after a suspension rebuild. Using an impact is not enough. You need a hex socket and closed end wrench to tighten them. Plus, you have to have the correct load to find a loose one. I tried looking for the knock on level ground. Ended up using ramps and a good size crow bar to find one was loose.

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by X5chemist

Tighten the sway bar links. I had a similar issue hundreds of miles after a suspension rebuild. Using an impact is not enough. You need a hex socket and closed end wrench to tighten them. Plus, you have to have the correct load to find a loose one. I tried looking for the knock on level ground. Ended up using ramps and a good size crow bar to find one was loose.

* One of the things that I love about the Meyle HD swaybar endlinks is that an impact IS enough to tighten them. Even after they've been on for a while and removed and replaced. But this applies to the rest of them.

[nick325xit 5spd]

And as for the steering rack, yes, it does. You can get to the bolt by pulling that little plastic panel between the bumper and the belly pan off. If that's the issue and you mess with the bolt, remember that you're going to be balancing steering return to center with clunk. You will probably not be able to tighten it enough to make the clunk go all the way away, but maybe to defer replacing it.

[80stech]

Tightening "with an impact" is not some kind of standard or reference.
It's better NOT to mess with the steering rack adjustment.

[EODguy]

Originally Posted by Themoog

My 01 4.4 has a slight knocking from the front end over small bumps in the road. It doesn’t sound or feel like those stupid lower ball joints or anything near the wheels but more steering rack related.

I’ll check the inner tie rods later but I wanted to ask about the rack itself. Does it have the Teflon wedge / bush like later racks that can be adjusted or replaced?

I have a feeling that it could be something to do with that. Mine has the standard hydro power steering.

Find a speed bump and drive over it just fast enough so that the wheels drop off the back side (not roll down) and not bounce, if you hear the clunk on the compression (upside) it's your long control arm if it's when it becomes unsprung (before touching down) after the speed bump it's the short control arm. Make sure you drive over it square on. If it makes the noise when fully compressed check the strut tower bearings.

So far this has worked for me and held true but I also use a speed bump close to a flat wall to help amplify and pinpoint the sound.

Sent from my SM-A528B using Tapatalk

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by 80stech

Tightening "with an impact" is not some kind of standard or reference.

No, but it's nice that you can get it tight and then torque it without digging around for a thin wrench.

It's better NOT to mess with the steering rack adjustment.

If the steering rack is clunking, this buys you time before you replace it. I agree that you shouldn't touch it until you've isolated the rack as the problem.

[Themoog]

I think I’ve found it… inner steering tie rod on one side has very slight play if I hold the gaitor part and shake it. This was with wheels on the ground so the rack was more isolated. If that is it then that’s simple.