front end clunk? couple questions

[melmount]

I may have been confusing too, I recently changed the sway bar link bushings, I reused the ones for the bar itself. They shipped thw rong diamater to me. But i dont think they are loose, dont appear to be, i took them out and did not see anything.
Today I removed the trac bar, i greases the sides and center sleeve etc. I tighten it as much as i could. I dont think thats the issue, but i did notice once i did this the clunk is quieter and more frequent, possibly. My wife drives this most of the time, so its hard for me to diagnose.
How would i tell if a trac bar bushing needs to be replaced? Also which one do i need(bushings) They offer 2 different eyelet measurements. Whats the eyelet?
and do i need 15.5mm or 21.5 mm??

[AFBLUE]

Originally Posted by melmount

the trac bar bushings, i can buy from energy suspension, they have 2 different part numbers, one is for a 21.5 mm eyelet and the other is 15.5 what are they referring to? i dont know what to measure?
thanks

The different sizes are the size of the hole where the bushing goes in the trac bar. The early 99s are the smaller bushing. 99-04 are the larger 21.5mm size.

[missmanj]

just had mine in for exact same reasons today bushings were gone on the front sway bar, $250 for parts and labor.

[gonestrokn]

Originally Posted by missmanj

just had mine in for exact same reasons today bushings were gone on the front sway bar, $250 for parts and labor.

Holy crap! just what did they replace? there are two bushings in the middle of the sway bar that you can buy at napa auto for 15 bucks for the two of them. It's hard to tell if they are bad, for 15 bucks and the time it takes to take out 4 bolts, just replace them. As for the end links its easiest just to buy new ones. Ford sells the whole end link bushings and all for $105 a piece. I thinks you can get them for around $75 a piece at Napa. Easy way to tell if the sway bar is your noise, just take it off, end links and all and drive around, see if your noise still exists. If the noise goes away, start with the two bushings in the center cause they're cheap and easy to replace yourself.

[2003PSD]

I am curious if this solves the problem. I have the same thing. Its cold here now and I don't have a garage. I was going to get the bushings and see if it cured the problem. I found these for $35 -Complete Front Sway Bar and End Link Bushings Set - 32MM

[melmount]

i just took apart the pass side(back half) leaf spring shackle and bolts and cleaned and greased everything. put grease on the bolts etc. I wil let you know if that had anything to do with it? maybe the ac always dripping on it causes some rust or something?

[melmount]

was not the shackles or leaf springs, I am back to the body mount. i removed the bolt and bottom part of the mount. i noticed the the part(center part) THE GOES BETWEEN THE FRAME AND FLOOR WAS LONG. iT WAS BOTTOMING OUT ON THE NEWLY REPLACED BOTTOM PART. I will let you know if grinding that down so the bottom will actually snug up and tighten things. I think this may be it.. If not I quit looking.
will let you guys know

[The Reapar]

I had a noise up front and the bracket that is bolted/welded to the top of the frame rail that holds the sway bar end link had broken loose. I removed the sway bar, problem solved. Might check that.

[ScottyP5947]

Mine does the inconsistent popping thing when I am braking, and it turns out my ball joints are shot. I got under the truck and put it on jack stands and put a pipe under the tire and lifted up on it with my toes (wife was not home!) while taking a good look at the ball joints themselves. That's the only way I saw that they were bad. Just lifting on the tire didn't seem loose, but there was clearly movement at the joint. I have my parts on order and hope to have it done by a Ford dealer mech as a side job for $200 bucks labor. At that price it's not worth the drive to lowe's to make the seal driver.
I'll let you know if it cures my woes.
Scott

[melmount]

well, guys.I think mine was the body mounts, i replaced one bolt and one bottom some time ago. I was checking the tightnesson the stuff. All was always tight.I could not figure it out. well, the bolts were tight but the mount center section was too long. (piece between body and frame.) I am sure when itg was new it was cool. But somehow when i tightened it allup they were bottoming out on the bottompieces. I used a 4 inch grinder and cut down the nipple pretruding the frame about 1/4 inch. I can now tighten the stuff up.I just drove 50 miles,no clunk when breaking. HOpe this helps someone