Noise in front left

[GTMikey]

While on the track Saturday I was getting a vibration or clunking noise near my feet while making hard right hand turns. We took the wheel off and the rotor and suspension seemed tight and fine. Almost feels like it's from the middle of the car over to the left but only on the left front under hard turning to the right. Wheel bearings? Loose tie rod? Love to hear thoughts.

 

[cloud9]

While on the track Saturday I was getting a vibration or clunking noise near my feet while making hard right hand turns. We took the wheel off and the rotor and suspension seemed tight and fine. Almost feels like it's from the middle of the car over to the left but only on the left front under hard turning to the right. Wheel bearings? Loose tie rod? Love to hear thoughts.

I had a similar issue last October at MPH. It drove me nuts because we just couldn't find it. Actually had one of the mechanics from a race team at the track diagnose it as rear wheel bearings?? Anyway when I got home and was swapping wheels I found it. Broken front swaybar bracket. After some investigation it turns out these fail way more often than they should. Not sure that's your issue but I'd rule it out. My clunking was on hard left hand turns and it was the left side bracket that failed. When they pulled my motor for the header swap this winter there was actually paint missing on the top center of the bar where it rubbed against the crankshaft pulley.

 

[GTMikey]

That sounds about right. Almost felt like it was rubbing with wheel rotation or engine rotation on hard right handers It was when the car was under hard pressure turning right.

 

[cloud9]

That sounds about right. Almost felt like it was rubbing with wheel rotation or engine rotation on hard right handers It was when the car was under hard pressure turning right.

Exact same thing for me (except left). What swaybar do you have on your car?

 

[GTMikey]

I actually think you can hear the noise in the video. Or it could be that the GoPro was on the roll bar. First time I hear it is at 1:12. This was Spring Mtn outside Vegas on Saturday.

BTW, street tires on thus the squealing, Hankook V12's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6_jWuBEVB4

 

[WinterSucks]

Even on my much lighter Focus SVT I couldn't find anything wrong with the sway bar links yanking on it by hand, it was only while driving with real loads on it. And the Boss is much heavier. Can you get the same clunk if you have someone bounce the front with the wheel turned?

BTW, how did the V12s handle the track? I was thinking about them until I read that they chunk badly once they heat up on a track and I needed an occasional track use tire. They seem like a great value for just street use with the stock wheels, though.

 

[cloud9]

Even on my much lighter Focus SVT I couldn't find anything wrong with the sway bar links yanking on it by hand, it was only while driving with real loads on it.

I'm not talking about the end links, it's the main bracket with poly bushing:

 

[WinterSucks]

I'm not talking about the end links, it's the main bracket with poly bushing:

Ouch. I just meant that in the OPs case you can't assume it isn't a part because it looked or felt OK when you are sitting still.

 

[GTMikey]

Stock sway bar. Can you even get at that with the engine in the car??

 

[cloud9]

Stock sway bar. Can you even get at that with the engine in the car??

Definity. That pic is from the passenger wheel well. You can drop the plastic pan for oil changes and get at it from the botttom.

 

[Zquez]

If you've replaced your struts lately, also check the spindle to strut bolts. I had a similar problem that I was chasing and it ended up being on nut came loose even after I torqued it on.

 

[Zquez]

Even on my much lighter Focus SVT I couldn't find anything wrong with the sway bar links yanking on it by hand, it was only while driving with real loads on it. And the Boss is much heavier. Can you get the same clunk if you have someone bounce the front with the wheel turned?

BTW, how did the V12s handle the track? I was thinking about them until I read that they chunk badly once they heat up on a track and I needed an occasional track use tire. They seem like a great value for just street use with the stock wheels, though.

I've run with the V12s on the track. They're an excellent street tire for the money, but I feel like they aren't the best choice for a track tire. I didn't have a chunking problem, but they did get greasy after a few laps and lose considerable grip. I was running staggered so the fronts were working harder to keep grip than the rears, but once they got hot the car was under-steering in hard turns. That made it hard to be consistent with turn in and corner entry speeds.

Now, if I had a square setup, and had been checking tire temps and adjusting camber and pressures like I was SUPPOSED to do, it might have been a better tire for the track. I was fairly obvious that the camber settings were all wrong because I corded the inside shoulder. But that was before I had a pyrometer and camber plates so I can't dog myself too hard.

The problem with dual use tires is just like any other multi-purpose thing: okay at everything, great at nothing. If you have the tools and knowledge for proper tire tuning you might have better luck with them.

 

[GTMikey]

BTW, this was the header hitting the frame, all fixed

 

[WinterSucks]

Aftermarket headers?