"Grunch" Sound from Passenger Side Front

[Bronco638]

2001 Edge 3.0 Auto 4x4

I know exactly what you're thinking; upper and/or lower ball joints.

I don't think so and here's why; they're less than two years old, have good seals and are greased. I had an alignment last Fall and I know the tech. If there was an issue with them he would have said something.

I do have a tie-rod end with a broached seal but it has a good amount of grease in it, still moves freely and I don't think it would generate that type of sound.

I only hear the sound on compression (not rebound) and only when encountering a bump that compresses the front suspension more than 6". That is, I do not hear any sound while driving, small pavement undulations do not trigger this. Shocks are brand new.

Do the control arms need lubrication at their pivot points? I do see any way to grease them but could certainly shoot some type of lubricant onto them.

Thoughts?

TIA, Dave.

 

[hopster]

check of the ball joints and tie rod ends for tightness one more time. just in case. but i think you may be hearing the bumpstop. i have run into similar concerns before and discovered that some make noise when compress, but there is no repair for bumpstop noise unless it is found that it is deteriorated.

 

[Bronco638]

Yep, can check once again. Bump stop, eh? I can look into that as well Thanks.

 

[dirtcowboy]

Every single time I have heard a "grunch" from the front of my 4x4, Ford, Chevy or Dodge, it's been the bearings. Every. Single. Time. Usually at the most inopportune times, IE., at night, away from support, with no money in the account. I ain't sayin', I'm just sayin'.

 

[Bronco638]

Bearings? As in "wheel bearings"? If so, then why don't I hear this sound all of the time?

 

[black_demon69]

check all bushings sway bar etc...

 

[96firephoenix]

Bearings? As in "wheel bearings"? If so, then why don't I hear this sound all of the time?

when mine were going bad, it would only sound grunchy when I was turning away from the bad wheel bearing, i.e. left turns would grunch the right wheel bearing. I could see them only grunching on the rebound or impact over a bump

 

[dirtcowboy]

Bearings? As in "wheel bearings"? If so, then why don't I hear this sound all of the time?

The "grunch" noise would be the wheel bearings disassociating themselves in the hub. The only way you could hear them all the time is if you continually drive on the bad, "grunched", bearings. Luckily that is where natural selection kicks in.

 

[Bronco638]

check all bushings sway bar etc...

Yep, that's the plan.

when mine were going bad, it would only sound grunchy when I was turning away from the bad wheel bearing, i.e. left turns would grunch the right wheel bearing. I could see them only grunching on the rebound or impact over a bump

The "grunch" noise would be the wheel bearings disassociating themselves in the hub. The only way you could hear them all the time is if you continually drive on the bad, "grunched", bearings. Luckily that is where natural selection kicks in.

Yeah, as I mentioned, it's only on compression and only on the passenger side. I also know what bad bearings sound like and this isn't quite that sound. It's more along the 'old Mustang dry lower control arm" sound which is why I asked about lubing those pivot points. I guess I need to get the truck on stands and use the floor jack to compress the right front suspension.

Could it be the torsion bar, in any way?