I was planning on asking you guys first ... but instead made a trip to PepBoys about this new clunky/thunky kind of noise I've been getting (particularly in the morning after cold start) while driving over even the smallest road bumps. Seems tohave gotten worse since the wintercold tempskicked in even though I only live in NE Florida.As predicted,Pepboys told me the front struts and mounting plates were probably the culprit. They also suggested the bushings holding the tie rod? could use replacing. Don't remember the name but it's that long steel rod connecting between the two front wheels. Well long story short I blew over $400 on credit of money I don't have to replace the struts and mounting plates. On the way back home I could swear I heard the same noise

The vehicle has 90,000 miles on it so I'm hoping the struts were a necessary maintenance ... but I still have this noise problem I can't seem to get rid of. It's really annoying, and I can even feel it a bit from a cold start through the steering wheel. Could this be those two pesky bushings they were talking about? The ones that cost like 1/4 of the parts/labor of the struts/plates? At least I could complain to Pepboys and maybe get that done gratis. I don't know. Thanks for any tips. I'm really at my wits end with this.

 

Read this thread. I think you will find it answers your question...

https://www.chryslerforum.com/m_2237..._/tm.htm#22411

 

Yeah, that sort of answers my question ... but I'm still not sure exactly what bushings we are talking about. Also, I sure got taken on those struts. I haven't tested it off a "cold start" yet as I'll do tomorrow. The truck does seem a bit more stable now and takes the bumps with less "bump", but like I said I think the noise is still there as much as ever even with the new struts.

If the noise is there as loud as before tomorrow (probably will be) I'm going to see if Pepboys will do anything to help me out on the bushings. I don't know why they push those struts so much and the "mounting plates" on top of it as they cost another 50+ a piece?! They showed me the old struts which did look cheaper .. typical. Also the old struts had no springback, which I guess they should have? I don't know, but I feel pretty stupid when I read about people replacing struts for the 1st time in caravans from the 90's! This is a 2005 Oh well, live and learn I guess.

 

If the noise persists, replace these in order:

1. Sway Bar Bushings

2. Sway Bar End Links



The "long steel rod connecting between the two front wheels" is the sway bar. The bushings are located about 1/4 of the way in on each side. They are famous for making noise (partially because of the way Chrysler designed the brackets with only one bolt).

At each end of this sway bar are vertical end links that connect the sway bar to the suspension. These have little swivel joints on them...and could wear and clunk.


PS I stay away from Pep Boys. [:'(]

 

UPDATE:

The noise seems to have been reduced by a large amount by replacing the struts and mounting plates. Also, the truck seems a bit firmer on the handling which is an improvement.However, I can see the part about the sway bar as I'll still hear the noise from time to time. It's more of a "certain bump" type thing now. If I go over a bump while turning it will sometimes make the clunk noise. I suppose that's because those bushings also need to be replaced.

I just wonder if I could have *only* done the bushings and eliminated the problem altogether ... or if the struts are actually a necessary replace at 90K miles? They showed me that the old struts did not have any "spring" left in them. When pushed down they stayed down. However, I don't know that is all important is the purpose is only to dampen the springs?

 

While it's true that a gas-charged strut or shock should extend when released, I'm not that sure that it makes the strut "bad". See below.


I don't even know for sure if the OE struts are gas-charged.

Here's what the gas does:

- Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_Absorber