Ran over a curb now creaking noise from front suspension

[Ardy]

2019 Mustang with 20,000 miles. Oversteer on wet road (don't make fun, I could've made up something less embarrassing).

-Ran over curb with tires in the same direction (rolled over curb, didn't hit sideways).

-Zero rim damage

-Tires did not deflate

-Car does not pull left or right at all at any speed

-Steering wheel does not shake at any speed so alignment seems untouched? Or could it still be messed up?

-Nothing about the car feels any different other than this noise that I noticed the next day:



What do you think I should do now to fix it?

Someone told me add grease to it, but hitting a curb doesn't cause grease to go away. That might hide it but underlying problem could still be there.

Thanks

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[sk47]

Hello; Here is where I may show my ignorance of how the front suspension of a mustang is laid out. If it has a McPherson strut type there is a bearing surface at the top of the strut assembly. When you turn the steering wheel the assembly rotates on that bearing surface. I have heard other cars making a similar noise when that bearing surface is not right.
I am not sure what sort of damage may have occurred but hitting a curb at even slow speeds can send impact shocks thru an assembly.

Maybe take the front wheels off the car and have a look see. Check the shock part of the strut for leaks. Look for crinkles or ripples in the painted or coated surfaces of the front suspension. Look for lower A arm being bent or just not looking right.
Open the hood and check the strut towers for damage. You might also listen for the sound with the hood open to see if the sound may be coming from high in the strut tower which would be that bearing surface I mentioned.

I was driving at around 60 MPH one early morning and hit a rock the size of a small melon with the right side wheels of a car. Burst two tires. Bent the front lower A arm and caused the struts to leak. Bent the wheels. I wound up replacing the strut assemblies, wheels, tires, lower front A arm and even the front wheel bearing on that side of the car.
Got lucky on the struts. Had put new struts all around less than a year before and the guys at Advance let me have replacement struts under the warranty. I had to replace the a-arm and wheels + tires. Might have gotten away with the wheel bearing as it looked OK after I had it out, but already had the new one purchased.

If the front suspension is not a McPherson strut sort of assembly then ignore my comments. My wild guess is you have some sort of damage, so have a good look.
Good luck

 

[Norm Peterson]

sk - ^^^ it is a McP strut arrangement - differing from the conventional strut/A-arm design only in that the "lower arm" is being approximated by the combination of a lateral link and a trailing link (Ford seems to be calling the trailing link a "front lower arm") and two ball joints at the knuckle instead of only one. The strut and its upper mount are the same.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

OP - see if you can narrow down which end of that arm the noise seems to be originating at and go from there. You'll want a mechanic's stethoscope. Look also for damage/dents/bends/cracks/spotweld integrity at and around that arm's chassis-side attachment.

I think between your age and your as-of-this-morning avatar picture

there's enough information to make a pretty good guess at how it happened . . .


Norm

 

[BigRed550]

OP - see if you can narrow down which end of that arm the noise seems to be originating at and go from there. You'll want a mechanic's stethoscope. Look also for damage/dents/bends/cracks/spotweld integrity at and around that arm's chassis-side attachment.

I think between your age and your as-of-this-morning avatar picture

there's enough information to make a pretty good guess at how it happened . . .


Norm

Pretty sure we are here to discuss what’s wrong and how to fix it. Not find out what happened. He already said what happened and there’s no reason to make that snarky comment.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Pretty sure we are here to discuss what’s wrong and how to fix it. Not find out what happened. He already said what happened and there’s no reason to make that snarky comment.

We can choose to only fix the surface problem here, or we can try to nudge OP to where it's not as likely to be repeated. Even I was 18 once, with some of the exuberance and all of the inexperience implied.

Did you bother to read the first paragraph I posted to OP or did you skip right over it and go straight to the nontechnical part because it had a picture?


Norm

 

[Drugdealr]

Had that same sound come from my 2015 when I hit a rail road track at 60 mph (don’t ask). Anyways, turned out it was the top hard to the strut assembly. Like the first comment mentions, there is a round plastic that holds bearings, it had snapped and made noise when turning the wheel. See attached.

 

[sk47]

Had that same sound come from my 2015 when I hit a rail road track at 60 mph (don’t ask). Anyways, turned out it was the top hard to the strut assembly. Like the first comment mentions, there is a round plastic that holds bearings, it had snapped and made noise when turning the wheel. See attached.

Hello; If the sound does turn out to be from that bearing surface the OP can replace the entire strut assembly. I have rebuilt the strut assembly with just a new shock part and reused the springs and top bearing when there has not been any damage. Saves some money but adds a lot of labor. In this case replace the entire assembly.

Also everything else needs to be checked. When all is fixed a good front end alignment will be needed.

 

[Ardy]

Thanks eveyone for the replies.
Do you think taking it to the dealer would work or would they be able to tell it happened due to an impact? (Car’s under warranty)

 

[Drugdealr]

Thanks eveyone for the replies.
Do you think taking it to the dealer would work or would they be able to tell it happened due to an impact? (Car’s under warranty)

From my experience, dealer don’t due much to sort it out for you as this was user error and they can prove it based on the damaged suspension component. I had mine fixed and ready to go in about an hour with the right tools.

 

[sk47]

Thanks eveyone for the replies.
Do you think taking it to the dealer would work or would they be able to tell it happened due to an impact? (Car’s under warranty)

Hello; My guess is this is not a warranty covered issue. This is collision damage seems to me. You might try the insurance but that also will likely bite you in the behind with rate increases. The fewer accidents you report, generally the better off you are.
I fear this is one you will be better off paying for out of pocket. I also am a skeptic about going to a dealer. If you cannot do the work yourself then find a good independent shop.

 

[sk47]

From my experience, dealer don’t due much to sort it out for you as this was user error and they can prove it based on the damaged suspension component. I had mine fixed and ready to go in about an hour with the right tools.

Hello; This is the way I could afford to have vehicles for decades. I learned how to fix things. I could buy a tool and have it often for less than the labor charge. Some shops such as Autozone will let you rent tools. Last time I rebuilt struts I rented a better tool from them than the one I own. Nice thing was they gave me all the money back when I returned the spring compressor tool.

If I could not fix things I would have been broke all the time. If Replacing an entire strut assembly you will not need the spring compressor. The assembly will come with new springs and should be a job with simple hand tools, a floor jack and jack stands.

Keep in mind the damaged part(s) cannot be determined by me from the internet. You will have to see for yourself or hire it done.

Good luck. By the way the less the insurance or the Ford dealer is involved, the better for you. Insurance may be a way to go if the damage is extensive. You could have some costly damage once it is checked out. Hope not for your sake.

 

[TeeLew]

Why are you doubling down? Let the OP do whatever the hell he wants. Why even tell him to change? Why the insistence on telling people what to do?

Because what people want to hear and what they need to hear are often at odds. Norm was doing the latter.

 

[Ardy]

Most likely there is a witness mark on the tire

There's definitely nothing on the tire and I can't see anything looking bent or hit on the suspension.

Does anyone know approx. how much money I'll waste (from the diag. fee) if I take it to the dealer and they say it's not covered? I've had good experience with them in the past (for valve cover oil leak)

 

[Norm Peterson]

There's definitely nothing on the tire and I can't see anything looking bent or hit on the suspension.

Does anyone know approx. how much money I'll waste (from the diag. fee) if I take it to the dealer and they say it's not covered? I've had good experience with them in the past (for valve cover oil leak)

I think it's still going to be in your own interest to at least try to pin it down a bit better with your own stethoscope. In a pinch, you may be able to use a long screwdriver to similar effect, but the right tool does do a much better job.

Check at the strut tower for strut mount issues, both ends of both lower links, and even the structure around the lower link attachment points. See if you can get at the strut itself - if it bent it's at least possible for the squeaking to be seal related. Check the strut to knuckle fastener area for evidence that the fasteners used to be in slightly different locations.

If nothing else, you'll go into a professional diagnosis with a little more understanding.


I didn't think to mention this before, but maybe you could try to measure your alignment - camber at least - and compare one side against the other? This can be done with amazingly simple and inexpensive "equipment".


Norm

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