Showerthought: I finally figured out why that one car always came back with the same noise

This old Ford Explorer kept rolling in every few months with a front end clunk. We'd check the ball joints, the sway bar links, the struts, you name it. Nothing was ever loose. I spent maybe six hours total over three visits looking for it. Last week, I was putting it back together after the third check and noticed the lower control arm bushing looked fine, but the bolt was a different grade than the others. Turns out the owner had replaced it himself with a standard hardware store bolt that was just a hair too long. It was bottoming out in the frame pocket under certain turns, making a solid 'clunk' but not showing any play. A $2.50 washer as a spacer fixed it. Ever have a problem that was just a simple fix hiding in plain sight?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly_craig1mo ago

That "just a hair too long" bolt is the kind of tiny detail that can drive you crazy for months.

ryan_stone1mo ago

Ugh that sounds so annoying @holly_craig lol. What project is it holding up?