weird front end rattle

[stefan]

my fest is going in for a safety on Wednesday so i took it out tonight for a short drive to make sure everything felt ok. Out of nowhere there is a weird rattle in the front end. i hear it especially when going over bumps. it feels like something is loose, yet i cant find anything wrong up front. anyone have any suggestions on what to look for?

[packrat427]

Hard to tell ..
It could be a strut , or even a engine mount that is worn out .
Maybe a swaybar bushing has cracked and squashed out .

[TominMO]

1. Just get under there and pull/push on everything, and visually inspect w/a flashlight.
2. Maybe there's a tool or a bolt sitting in there that you don't know about.
3. Really bad strut?

Does it seem to steer OK? I'd especially check anything having to do w/steering.

[stefan]

if i put my weight on the front bumper the struts seem good, it bounces nicely.

I jacked it up and everything seems firm, nothing loose

Steers straight, and all good..

Im not sure what to say. Its not a tool or anything sitting somewhere. When i first felt it it seemed like a wheel was loose and wobbling almost.

Tomorrow night ill take it out again if i cant find the problem and take a video.

Last time i took it out everything seemed Ok. All i can think of since then is, this afternoon i took off the front wheels and measure my brake pads & rotors to see if they would pass. But i put the wheels back on with an impact gun so there on good.

[Festiva GTX]

You might want check the ball joints on control arm! check engine mounts and bolts, check inner/outler tie rods...

[Damkid]

does it sound like thin steel like maybe a heat sheild or something, or maybe the backplate behind the rotor

[b3 madness]

Does the rattle go away if you have your foot on the brake while going over a bump?? I ask this because I too had a strange rattle in the front and I found it to be the brake pads rattling on the rotor while hitting a bump if the brake was not in use. I replaced the weak anti-rattle springs and now all is well.

[stefan]

it dosent sound like sheet metal.

b3 madness.. how loud was your rattle? i ask because my M springs are missing... but it seems like something more severe than that.. but i could be wrong

[Dave G]

I had a brake pad retaining pin work itself out once and hit the wheel - was sort of a "rattle" at first.

[Damkid]

I had a brake pad retaining pin work itself out once and hit the wheel - was sort of a "rattle" at first.

one time i actually had both pins come out on me, i never noticed the first one and i heard the second one hit the rim, i was going slow at the time so i pulled over was checkin it out til i seen what was wrong, i had to look for the pin, bend it back straight, reinstall, so i felt safe knowing my pads weren't going to fall out

[b3 madness]

b3 madness.. how loud was your rattle? i ask because my M springs are missing...

It was fairly loud and sharp and could be even heard at freeway speeds when hitting bumps or rough patches. If you do not have any anti rattle clips/springs (M springs) then this could be your problem. I ordered new ones, they cost less than $5, and put two on the offending side.

Again, if you can ride through bumps with light brake pedal pressure and not hear the rattle then I would believe that this is one of your rattles.

[stefan]

i picked up pads and springs today. im putting them on now, ill report back later

[stefan]

strange... i did the pads/springs and some of the noises have gone away

but theres still the odd nock coming from somewhere, mostly on bumps

i have a feeling its the cv joints.. under hard steering you can hear them clicking

[GenevaDirt]

doubt that is the knocking....if they knocked they would fall apart. Did you check the strut mount up through the inner fender? jack it up so the suspension is hanging....same with the rear. Try moving them towards the top as best you can. With the cars weight on them they would seem fine when checked...but as it bounces down the road it relieves the pressure and could cause the knocking. Had this happen on a car I once owned.

[kzbill]

How are your wheel bearings