2005 Town and Country has developed a clicking/popping sound in the front, only when vehicle is in motion, during a turn. When I'm standing still, and move the wheel back and forth, no sound. As soon as I get rolling, the sound begins again with even the slightest change in direction. Almost sounds like a sway bar or loose wheel! I'll be out in the garage today doing some investigating, but any advice or help is welcome. Lease end is in 6 months, and warranty is up. Dealer has already replaced the steering rack about 6 onths ago, and I've replaced rotors at 24k miles (Rotors wearing out at 24k miles??!!...still arguing with Chrysler about that $400...)

Could almost be called a "snapping" sound...I'm a little scared of what it could be. Are factory replacemnt parts, like the steering rack, under any kind of warranty??

 

Well, the dealer took a look at it this morning and said the only thing they can find is that the sway bar bushings and end links need to be replaced....$372 plus tax if I let them do it. I'm sure I can do this myself, and the service rep agreed. Oddly enough he suggested going with aftermarket parts instead of paying over $130 from Dodge.

I was on the dodge forum and found bushing installation info on Caravans, which obviously is the same vehicle under the skin. Any recommendations on where to get the parts? We have the usual Napa/Advance/Autozone/Pepboys/National parts stores in town.

 

I get mine from NAPA. You want the more expensive parts which will last longer, as there are two grades. Sorry I don't have the part numbers or remember who the manufacturer was.
There seems to be a built in design flaw with the front bar. It eats bushings and end links.

 

i would pick them up from the dealer.they are made for that car. make sure you spray the links before you try taking them off.you can use a pair of vise grips right over the rubber boot just tighten you'll feel the part your gripping.i do these every day!

 

Would it help to just do the bushings? Sounds like more of a do-it-yourself project. Do I have to raise the front end, or can I do it form the floor?

 

It may be both the end links and the bushings need replacing. I use NAPA which sells Moog parts where I am. Use the more expensive bushings because they are made from Polly (blue), and will last longer. The NAPA links have grease-able bushings, which if you grease them, make the parts last longer.
You can change them with wheels raised off the ground, however don't tighten them up with the wheels in the dropped position. Put it back down on the ground to tighten/torque all the bolts. That insures that the bar is in the mid-point of its range of motion. If you can get under it to work, there's nothing wrong with doing the whole job on the ground. Links are usually rusted, so do whatever you have to to get them off, as you won't be reusing any of the parts.

 

Finally got under there and started wrenching. Got the driver's side sway bar bushing bracketloose,and decided to try something I read on another post. I slipped a small piece of rubber sheet about .0625" thick around the outside of the bushing, and cranked everything tight again. Took it for a test ride and voila!! The noise is gone. I think I'll leave it that way for a little bit and see if it cures it completely.

 

my car had a screeking sound every time it changes balance.
and I know it wasn't just the bushings, becouse I replaced them 2 months before that.

took those apart, and I thought it's becouse swaybar was worn out, and bushing was becoming too small to have a tight grip aroud sway bar.
so I also put a small piece of rubber (inner bicycle tube) but on the INSIDE, between bushing and SB. and it works just fine.
made 2 000 km since that, it's still OK.