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For people that have the rattling clunking sound it is possible that the heatshield on the lower steering shaft came loose. I had an issue with it making noise when I installed my headers, it made a rubbing/rattling/grinding noise.
Wow just found this thread and thinking I'm chasing this same issue now. I have a rattle/clunking in the steering column on my 04 and makes sense that it might be that upper u-joint in the steering column.
I can replicate it by quickly turning the wheel left/right repeatedly while parked. I get the same noise when going over small bumps.Car otherwise tracks straight and no other play in the front suspension
Took a vid of it in action. Does this sound like the same issue many of you all had? (put on youtube instead)
My steering wheel makes the exact same noise. I only get a clunk from the drivers side front wheel. When I have some spare time I'll separate the tie rod from the LBJ and check them out...
Wow just found this thread and thinking I'm chasing this same issue now. I have a rattle/clunking in the steering column on my 04 and makes sense that it might be that upper u-joint in the steering column.
I can replicate it by quickly turning the wheel left/right repeatedly while parked. I get the same noise when going over small bumps.Car otherwise tracks straight and no other play in the front suspension
Took a vid of it in action. Does this sound like the same issue many of you all had? (put on youtube instead)
Yeah that sounds to me like your u-joints for sure...now which u-joint is a better question. try to isolate the sound if you can. Look under the steering wheel to see if that u-joint has play, look into the driver side wheel well to check the u-joint closest to the steering rack, and if those are both tight...it must be the one closest to the steering wheel.
My steering wheel makes the exact same noise. I only get a clunk from the drivers side front wheel. When I have some spare time I'll separate the tie rod from the LBJ and check them out...
I am curious what you find, I still have a small harshness over the bumps that could be a LBJ. Overall mine is MUCH improved but I am still wanting to check that LBJ...
I am pretty sure its your u joints man the needles inside the caps are probably worn out pretty bad test the caps individually and see if they have excessive play in them, like wiggle them side to side there should be 0 play in them side to side.
What do you have to replace if the u-joints are bad? The entire steering shaft?
I had a very similar clunking. Super annoying to me because I have a brick/cobblestone entrance to my condo's and it would just clunky clunk all the way across, grrrrrrrrr.
Replaced my upper control arms, with the Beck Arnley's yesterday, clunking gone.
Front end clunking noise over bumps, driver side sound.
Hi, just joined and just got my car back from our family shop and we solved the problem so I figured I share the problem with you! Been reading this post off and on for the last 6 months before deciding to fix my car. Problem is so many possible symptoms so I will let you know what the end result was.
Took the car to the alignment shop before I started buying parts, they ended up saying it all looked tight and my strut was leaking on the driver side. There was some ware on the lower stabilizer linkage bushings, but not enough to worry.
Long story short, ended up changing the front struts, front strut mounts, rack and pinion and lower stabilizer links. All of this didn’t fix the problem but these were worn parts my 2003 LS430 has 145k on the odometer. Finally we took the driver side struts back out and revealed the upper control arm upper bushings were worn out right at the bottom of the bushing and you can only tell when the suspension is bounding which is what happens when you hit a bump! So changed the upper control arm bushings and that solved the front end driver side clunking!
Is there a simple way to replace my front upper control arms in my 04 with factory air bags without having to remove the struts?
if not is it a hassle to disconnect the air line with a special tool and re install everything would they air back up as normal or is there a procedure
03-20-18, 07:57 PM
