I just thought I would share my recent experience with rebuilding my front end after 130K miles of reliable operation. I figured I will have the WK for a little while longer and it would be worthwhile to fix all the rattling and clunking in the front end.
After replacing the upper and lower control arms (balljoints were bad), hubs, halfshafts, swaybar links and bushings, (I replaced the shocks at 115K), and inner and outer tie rods, I decided I might as well replace the calipers as well (they had ripped boots and seeping pistons).
So, off to NAPA I went and sprung for their "Eclipse" series, semi- loaded remanufactured calipers. They came with 'new' hardware and looked great. Everything went fine on that install - except a bad sealing area on the casting for the banjo bolt copper washer. A little creative 'machining' and all was good. No leaks.
So, out I take it for a test drive and all seems well....except I hear some rattling (metal on metal) in the front end over smaller bumps. Rechecked EVERYTHING, including all torques. All good. Nothing obviously loose or left off.
Took it for alignment and all seemed good, but annoying rattling was still there. Thought maybe the rack was loose, and I ended up adjusting it just like written up elsewhere on here. The rattle got quieter (especially in turns), BUT still was there.
So, I jacked the front end up, took my 4lb sledge, and began hitting the LF tire to see if I could hear something. Boy did I! I also heard it on the RF side as well, which was worse.
WTF!?
I ended up tracing it directly to the new NAPA reman calipers. Took them off and took out the guide pins from t he brackets....HOLY COW!!
The idiots who put the calipers together actually CUT the $0.0001 bushings in half. The pins and bushings on the left are new. The other side was the same thing. The pin tips were hitting the inside of the caliper support.
Replaced all 4 pins and bushings with brand new Raybestos parts, and QUIET at last!!
NAPA SUCKS! I want 4 hours of my life back!
After replacing the upper and lower control arms (balljoints were bad), hubs, halfshafts, swaybar links and bushings, (I replaced the shocks at 115K), and inner and outer tie rods, I decided I might as well replace the calipers as well (they had ripped boots and seeping pistons).
So, off to NAPA I went and sprung for their "Eclipse" series, semi- loaded remanufactured calipers. They came with 'new' hardware and looked great. Everything went fine on that install - except a bad sealing area on the casting for the banjo bolt copper washer. A little creative 'machining' and all was good. No leaks.
So, out I take it for a test drive and all seems well....except I hear some rattling (metal on metal) in the front end over smaller bumps. Rechecked EVERYTHING, including all torques. All good. Nothing obviously loose or left off.
Took it for alignment and all seemed good, but annoying rattling was still there. Thought maybe the rack was loose, and I ended up adjusting it just like written up elsewhere on here. The rattle got quieter (especially in turns), BUT still was there.
So, I jacked the front end up, took my 4lb sledge, and began hitting the LF tire to see if I could hear something. Boy did I! I also heard it on the RF side as well, which was worse.
I ended up tracing it directly to the new NAPA reman calipers. Took them off and took out the guide pins from t he brackets....HOLY COW!!
Replaced all 4 pins and bushings with brand new Raybestos parts, and QUIET at last!!
NAPA SUCKS! I want 4 hours of my life back!
Attachments
-
525.4 KB Views: 110