Something's Loose On The Front!

[TonyD]

My 1998 Galaxy 2.3 developed a very loud knocking noise from the front end recently. Someone suggested that the front drop links should be changed.

I changed the front drop links but the knocking sound continued.

The Galaxy promptly failed its MoT test with excessive play at the top of the passenger side front strut top. I was told to change the top mount and all would be fine.

I have changed the top mount; the Galaxy passed the MoT re-test; but the knocking noise remains!

 

What else do I have to change on my Galaxy to cure this knocking noise???

 

Any ideas please?

 

Thanks,

 

Tony

 

[dbc]

My 1998 Galaxy 2.3 developed a very loud knocking noise from the front end recently. Someone suggested that the front drop links should be changed.

I changed the front drop links but the knocking sound continued.

The Galaxy promptly failed its MoT test with excessive play at the top of the passenger side front strut top. I was told to change the top mount and all would be fine.

I have changed the top mount; the Galaxy passed the MoT re-test; but the knocking noise remains!

 

What else do I have to change on my Galaxy to cure this knocking noise???

 

Any ideas please?

 

Thanks,

 

Tony

 

 

I have the same mate. Not change the top mounts although there does appear to be quite a bit of play. The drop links are brand new also.

 

I have been told it could be the anti roll bar mounts. Will be investigating tmrw night so will let you know.

 

Anyone else got any clues before I get my hands dirty??

 

Thanks

[TonyD]

I found out what was causing the excessive play in the strut top - the top mount was fitted upside down!

 

My Galaxy has only just passed an MoT; surely the anti-roll bar bushes would have been checked as part of the test?

I'm wondering if there could be something more serious wrong with my Galaxy? I can't see any signs underneath of the car being repaired after an accident etc.

The Galaxy also handles very well; very well for its size in any case.

 

Anyone got any suggestions? Please?

[lokey]

YEP i have the same problem,knocking noise from front when going along but does get worse when over rough ground,it does it from 5mph and will just keep clanging when it feels like it.

To try and cure it i have replaced,

1. 
    
   

front n/s shock and strut top

front o/s shock and new strut top

front lower engine mounting

top middle engine mounting

both drop links are solid and are the anti roll bar bushes

both track rod end joints are fine,i have had 5 people look at it on diferent ramps.

we put it on a single poster and jacked the wheels up seperatly to try and trace it but no such look

we then put it on a four poster and removed the wheels,spending a good 30 mins with a bar on every joint we could find but nothing moved an inch!,,im going to set fire to it tomorow if i dont find the offending part:(,

my e-mail is ahartwell@hotmail.com

and my phone number is 07790 845 975,,,,I HAVE SPENT A FORTUNE SO I AM NOT BOTHERED IF SOMEONE WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR THE AWNSER,I WILL PAY THROUGH PAYPAL IF REQUIRED.

[TonyD]

A friend suggested that I check some sort of stabiliser bar between the gearbox and the chassis. I don't know what the hell he's going on about but I guess it's worth a look.

 

The knocking on my Galaxy is so severe at the moment that it sends a shudder through the whole car! Whatever it is. it isn't afftecting the handling.

[gregers]

tony,with the engine off and bonnet up,grab hold of the engine and try to rock it,if you can then i would say its the restrictor/stabilizing bar,common problem im afraid do a search on it.

[TonyD]

tony,with the engine off and bonnet up,grab hold of the engine and try to rock it,if you can then i would say its the restrictor/stabilizing bar,common problem im afraid do a search on it.

 

Thanks, I'll go and check it, I'll post my findings soon.

[dbc]

I had a good look at mine last night whilst replacing a drive shaft oil seal.....what a job that was!!!!! ;)

 

Anyway, I couldn't find anything other than some movement in the strut top mounts. Thing is the movement on the other side is the same and no noise from there.

 

The drop links are new although I didn't fit them as they were on the car when I got it recently, and couldn't feel any play even with a 2 foot bar levering things around!!

 

Gonna have a go at tighening the top strut mount later to see of that helps......very strange

[TonyD]

I've checked the engine for any movement; I can't see any excessive movement; there's hardly any movement at all.

[TonyD]

I had a good look at mine last night whilst replacing a drive shaft oil seal.....what a job that was!!!!! ;)

 

Anyway, I couldn't find anything other than some movement in the strut top mounts. Thing is the movement on the other side is the same and no noise from there.

 

The drop links are new although I didn't fit them as they were on the car when I got it recently, and couldn't feel any play even with a 2 foot bar levering things around!!

 

Gonna have a go at tighening the top strut mount later to see of that helps......very strange

 

I've changed both top mounts; everything is nice and tight; and there is no play at all. The clonking noise continues.

 

Could it be down to anti-roll bar bushes? The noise and the shudder through the entire car is incredible; I don't know if a couple of knackered bushes could create so much noise?

[lokey]

Well i feel the same as you,,i put new drop link bars on today and the noise still there!,,someone mentioned that the noise could be from the gearbox to engine mounting,,i fitted a new one of them and still have the noise,and i fitted the top engine mounting,and two new shock tops and struts and shocks and calipers were replaced as were the hubs before i purchased the car.

only thing i have not changed is the anti roll bar rubbers but the bar is solid and does not move even with a large pri bar and some real presure.

i have run out of ideas.any help would be good.

[Steven.Langdale]

A worn ball joint on the lower arm can cause simmilar noises to knackerd drop links (Had both!) At least you can just change the ball jount rather than the whole arm like my focus ;)

 

Though you normally get the clonking with that rather than something that can be felt throughout the car.

 

Check for play in the ball joint and let us know.

 

Steven

[TonyD]

A worn ball joint on the lower arm can cause simmilar noises to knackerd drop links (Had both!) At least you can just change the ball jount rather than the whole arm like my focus :angry2:

 

Though you normally get the clonking with that rather than something that can be felt throughout the car.

 

Check for play in the ball joint and let us know.

 

Steven

 

If a ball joint had play in it would it show up in the MoT? I've jacked the car up and there is no play in the wheels at all. If it's dry tomorrow I'll take a look at the anti-roll bar bushes and may change them.

[dbc]

If a ball joint had play in it would it show up in the MoT? I've jacked the car up and there is no play in the wheels at all. If it's dry tomorrow I'll take a look at the anti-roll bar bushes and may change them.

 

Hi Tony, I've had a good look now and got a mechanic mate to look also. On mine with the wheels on the ground if you grap to top of the wheel and rock quite hard there is a distinct knocking. I thought it might be wheel bearing but we tracked it down the the strut top mounting bush. Will be replace this week sometime so hopefully sorts it out.

 

Can't find any play anywhere else in the suspension. When you say you've replaced the top mounts do you mean the plate that sits in the top in the engine bay or the bush on top of the strut that sits up inside the wheel arch?

[TonyD]

Hi Tony, I've had a good look now and got a mechanic mate to look also. On mine with the wheels on the ground if you grap to top of the wheel and rock quite hard there is a distinct knocking. I thought it might be wheel bearing but we tracked it down the the strut top mounting bush. Will be replace this week sometime so hopefully sorts it out.

 

Can't find any play anywhere else in the suspension. When you say you've replaced the top mounts do you mean the plate that sits in the top in the engine bay or the bush on top of the strut that sits up inside the wheel arch?

 

I've changed the large bushes at the top of the strut, that sit inside the turret. There's no play in the 'plate' that sits on top, inside the engine bay.

 

I had a bit of hard time changing the bushes. In the end I cut a spark plug socket in half and welded a bar to it. Then I used a small bar and an allen key and hey presto! I was expecting something to break; but I was pleasantly surprised when nothing broke!

[dbc]

I've changed the large bushes at the top of the strut, that sit inside the turret. There's no play in the 'plate' that sits on top, inside the engine bay.

 

I had a bit of hard time changing the bushes. In the end I cut a spark plug socket in half and welded a bar to it. Then I used a small bar and an allen key and hey presto! I was expecting something to break; but I was pleasantly surprised when nothing broke!

 

Yeah its a pain to do without the right tools. especially to get access!! A swan neck ring spanner does the trick.....or your make shift tool!! :o

[Bjorn-H-J]

Hi Tony, I've had a good look now and got a mechanic mate to look also. On mine with the wheels on the ground if you grap to top of the wheel and rock quite hard there is a distinct knocking. I thought it might be wheel bearing but we tracked it down the the strut top mounting bush. Will be replace this week sometime so hopefully sorts it out.

 

Can't find any play anywhere else in the suspension. When you say you've replaced the top mounts do you mean the plate that sits in the top in the engine bay or the bush on top of the strut that sits up inside the wheel arch?

 

I've changed the large bushes at the top of the strut, that sit inside the turret. There's no play in the 'plate' that sits on top, inside the engine bay.

 

I had a bit of hard time changing the bushes. In the end I cut a spark plug socket in half and welded a bar to it. Then I used a small bar and an allen key and hey presto! I was expecting something to break; but I was pleasantly surprised when nothing broke!

 

 

Hi folks, I'm adding on this thread...

 

My -96 Galaxy have had such knocking noise for more than a year now. Very annoying although everything is working ok. The car has gone thru Mot without any remarks. I have tried to resolve, but not able to. Anti-roll-bar links have been replaced with Ford original, and shock absorbers have been replaced (CRC5-56 for days and eventually got the nuts off) . Bushes on top of the strut, inside the turret are new. Still, I have the noise! I have noticed when going over street bumpers with both wheels equal, no knocking noise appear, but as soon as I have an uneven movement, e.g. if one of the wheels going more up or down than the other the knocking noise appear.

 

I have checked Haynes to see if I have had the correct assembly of the top pieces of the McPearson but the book does not really show the assembly order. I am a bit afraid I have switched the order of the first nut and the bearing so that the thrust bearing is not fixed.

 

* Do anyone of you have the correct assembly of all the bits and pieces of the McPearson? The two nuts, the bearing etc.

 

* What can be the reason for the knocking only appearing on uneven ground?

 

:)

[mobile armchair]

Hi Tony, I've had a good look now and got a mechanic mate to look also. On mine with the wheels on the ground if you grap to top of the wheel and rock quite hard there is a distinct knocking. I thought it might be wheel bearing but we tracked it down the the strut top mounting bush. Will be replace this week sometime so hopefully sorts it out.

 

Can't find any play anywhere else in the suspension. When you say you've replaced the top mounts do you mean the plate that sits in the top in the engine bay or the bush on top of the strut that sits up inside the wheel arch?

 

I've changed the large bushes at the top of the strut, that sit inside the turret. There's no play in the 'plate' that sits on top, inside the engine bay.

 

I had a bit of hard time changing the bushes. In the end I cut a spark plug socket in half and welded a bar to it. Then I used a small bar and an allen key and hey presto! I was expecting something to break; but I was pleasantly surprised when nothing broke!

 

I had a strut bush to replace on my 96 2-litre galaxy a few years' back. The garage could not undo the nut (rusted as the strut top collects water under the w/screen) without the whole strut turning round. It ended up with a new strut (expensive!) They were very apologetic and said that next time they would soak the offending nut in penetrating oil fo a week before attempting to move another one. NO idea if this is a lame excuse for poor mechanicking, but others on here might like to confirm what I'm saying before you struggle away ... nut also a pig to reach, so the making of the special tool with the spark plug socket is proper engineering! respect :)

[Rosie]

Hi

 

I had the same problem,and my good local mechanic replaced the anti rollbar links, and problem solved.

 

Hope this is useful

 

Rosie