Seemingly never ending quest to get rid of front end noise.

[LunaEros]

Ok. had a higher pitched rattle quite bad coming from the front on bot sides over even small bumps in the road which sounded a lot like this...

So I was told by a mechanic who has worked on more than a few of thes and he thought it was in the strut. So I got some good condition used strut assemblies from a guy in Texas that parts out LS's and S-Types. Put them in and the noise was a little less but got came back loud after a long distance trip. I also had along with that rattle a lower pitch kinda thud type rattle/rumble(?) from the front mostly left. I had them put it back up to look for it and the only thing he could find is the lower control arm bushings seemed to have more movement than normal. So I got two new arms with bushings and just had them put in. The high pitched rattle seems to be gone but the low pitched rattle/rumble is still there. He said that it's probably the struts. Specifically the strut plate.

I said I just replaced them to which he says yeah but you got used ones, right? I said yes but they were in better condition. He said they probably weren't much better because what happens is that when they get a lot of miles and time on them they have a bearing in them that gets worn out as well as the rubber in them and can make all kind of noises.
Is there a bearing in these? And can they make a low thud rattle/rumble or high pitched loose rattle sound if they're worn out?

 

[joegr]

Yes, they can.
Can you cause the noise by pushing down on the car while it is standing still? If so, a mechanic's stethoscope should allow you to narrow it down to the most likely component(s).

 

[LunaEros]

Yes, they can.
Can you cause the noise by pushing down on the car while it is standing still? If so, a mechanic's stethoscope should allow you to narrow it down to the most likely component(s).

I'll try but I notice I don't really hear it much when going over speed bumps slow. Just when I'm at normal road speeds and going over anything somewhat rough.

 

[clubairth]

I would never install used struts. You just don't know what your getting and after doing all that work I want things fixed.
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[Andrizzle]

Sway bar endlinks, one (or both) is probably loose.

 

[joegr]

I would never install used struts. You just don't know what your getting and after doing all that work I want things fixed.
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Well, they are actually coil-over-shocks, not really struts, so there is really not "all that work" to do to change one out. I have put used ones on my 06 after one of originals failed (in that it was making very annoying noises). I pulled the replacements from a car in the junkyard that looked like it probably had way fewer miles than mine. It worked out fine for me. Yes, I would rather have had new, but you can't get the factory sport shocks any more, and reportedly the aftermarkets are all crap.

 

[LunaEros]

Sway bar endlinks, one (or both) is probably loose.

No. The sway bar links, control arms front and back are all new.

Well, they are actually coil-over-shocks, not really struts, so there is really not "all that work" to do to change one out. I have put used ones on my 06 after one of originals failed (in that it was making very annoying noises). I pulled the replacements from a car in the junkyard that looked like it probably had way fewer miles than mine. It worked out fine for me. Yes, I would rather have had new, but you can't get the factory sport shocks any more, and reportedly the aftermarkets are all crap.

I'd rather get new as well. I'm sure they'd be better than old ones. But they only sell the "shocks" themselves and not the complete unit. I didn't want to have the extra steps of decompressing and compressing the springs.

 

[clubairth]

If you don't install new upper strut mounts you have a good chance of noise as they are wear items.
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[LunaEros]

If you don't install new upper strut mounts you have a good chance of noise as they are wear items.
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I guess I'm finding that out now.