BF Falcon 2010: Mystery front end noise, time to investigate...

I do an assessment of my front end to find out why is my car chunking when I go over bumps?

[@tecnaman9097]

Helpful video, thankyou Markx. Just a little tip when retracting the caliper pistons. Place a suitable size socket in the piston recess to push against so that the pressure is applied evenly in the centre thereby preventing the piston from potential cocking in the bore . This vid will be a great help to DIY'ers and save $$$.

[@markxtinkering]

Cheers for the tip tecnaman and appreciate the comment.

[@shniknej]

Absolutely fantastic video. Thank you so much. The description of what movement of parts should be, has helped me identify the issue in my car. Legend

[@markxtinkering]

Thats awesome, glad you enjoyed the video had a win yourself 👍👍 Cheers, Mark

[@HPHyenadon]

Thanks for the video. Don't think I have any knocks going on but it's good to see this stuff for guidance. I don't touch my car because I am too scared of screwing something up. These videos are good for education when you don't have mechanically minded friends to help out (I've only got the service manual and even those lack in a bit of info or are unclear sometimes)

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks for the feedback HPH, this is a big part of why I do what I do. If it helps someone else then that's my reward. Thanks for watching, Cheers Mark

[@ThePaulv12]

I've got an SY1 AWD Territory with the same knock. I checked absolutely everything in my front end last Sunday and found basically nothing in the bush department except sway bar rubbers that were about the same as yours. All ball joints, and control arm bushes seem fine. Because of that, I did run a spanner and socket over everything and found many loose-ish bolts. I was hoping the subframe and upper control arm bracket mount bolts were the cause as some were fairly loose actually but it made no difference. On Monday, my phone detecting my swearing and the still persistent mystery front end clunk, must've sent the data to the KZbin algorithm gods so here I am. I did no KZbin search but this vid was in my feed none the less. It is an SY1 Territory and I was going to bite the bullet and convert it to SY2 front suspension for about $1200 in parts once and for all. While it was apart I was going to do the front diff bushes, CV shafts, tie rods and tie rod ends. I did find a broken boot on one of my sway bar links so I was going to get some new adjustable links and Nolathane D-rubbers anyhow, but after seeing this vid I'm ordering them on eBay right now before doing any bloody SY2 control arm and knuckle conversion LOL.

[@markxtinkering]

Glad you got some value from the video. I think the clunk in mine was the bent sway bar bracket and the bar was hitting over bumps. Good luck with your Territory. Doing the whole front end is rewarding especially when you feel the difference in the handling 👍

[@raystone4673]

Good video. Pretty good lighting for us to see detail. Those rubbers were solution to my EF falcon some time ago. Rego checker picked what it was, I was imagining all kinds of reasons before that. Good work.

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks for your positive feedback Ray and glad you got some value from the vid. Cheers, Mark

[@christurner6295]

Great video. Step step process to locate the clunk I’ve just started hearing in my falcon’s front end.

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks for your positive feedback Chris, much appreciated. Cheers. Mark

[@axelfoley1768]

Great diagnosis. Job well-done too. Thanks man, I can take some inspiration from this.

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks Axel, glad you enjoyed the vid.

[@PaulyDownUnder]

Love your work, thanks for sharing!

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks Pauly, glad you enjoyed the vid, cheers Mark

[@jayzah]

Good job, for me it was the right hand side ball joint and sway bar bushings, cheers from NZ

[@markxtinkering]

Hey jayzah, thanks for your positive comment and glad you enjoyed the vid 👍👍 Cheers, Mark

[@tobo26]

Shout out to anyone with Australian made Sidchrome gear. Maybe it's time to invest in ratchet spanners bud? Tip: If you leave an old brake pad in the calliper and push both pistons down while using the piston tool, will be quicker than compressing each piston separately.

[@billaskie9114]

I had problems with the lower bushing for the strut bolt attaching ---looked ok but rubber was buggered --- replaced bushings both sides -- noise gone.

[@markxtinkering]

Hey bill. It seems there can be a few things that make similar noises in there when they are flogged out. Just had to revisit my sway bar bushings and put some lub on them due to loud creaking noises. Packaging said the bushings were new lub free technology...wrong. lasted 6months then started making noise. Thanks for watching and your comment. Cheers. Mark

[@gianttrance5180]

Great video thanks. Next time, g-clamp you railway sleeper dolly to your workbench, so it doesn't fall over every time you hit it. I'm going to use this to troubleshoot my son's BA falcon, as it has similar knocks in the front end

[@markxtinkering]

Cheers, good suggestion. Good luck with your sons car 👍👍

[@gianttrance5180]

@@markxtinkering Just a quick update, the bushes were flogged out on my sons BA wagon, and thanks to you, we knocked the whole job over in 30 minutes. Really appreciate your help, thanks.

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks for the update, really appreciate your comment and glad you got some value from the video.

[@cary-vx3wq]

@@markxtinkering really important, how do you loosen stuck nuts on sway bar link nuts in a ba front, is putting a small spanner on end and holding while turning nut enough?, and the end that goes on control arm once nut loosened is it ok using multigrips to hold the bolt on the old links while finishing undoing nut, thanks

[@markxtinkering]

Hey car10002 y, from memory there are flats on the actual link rod, so a shifter or similar to hold that still while you crack the top and bottom nuts should be enough. I think the nuts are self locking so may appear to be "stuck" and the whole thing is turning. Once you hold the rod from turning I'm pretty sure it will come apart. Good luck. Cheers, Mark

[@ademnacakli]

it was the swaybar links for me $25 for the apir on ebay and no nocking noise for a few months then back again. i think i need to investigate everythink like you did.

[@markxtinkering]

My wagon was an ex taxi so it has done a lot of kms, so suspected anything and everything to be flogged. Got lucky and knocking hasn't returned. More vids coming in the near future replacing worn front bits, water pump ect. Cheers Mark

[@gordon295]

Nice one !! Well done ... :)

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed.

[@bossdog1480]

Congrats on your video. Good non shaky camera work Needs the volume up a bit though. I can only just hear your commentary. Mine makes the same noise. It's the lower control arm bushings which I will fix by replacing the whole control arms instead of stuffing around with pressing bushes and ball joints in and out. Price is not too different.

[@markxtinkering]

Appreciate the comment Boss Dog and the feedback. learning as I go...will work on the volume issue. Cheers, Mark

[@susu198215]

@@markxtinkering what size is the nut for sway bar bush bracket?

[@markxtinkering]

Its been a while since I did this job, but it was either a 12 or 14mm

[@jimclarke1108]

Great work mate, saved yourself a packet.

[@markxtinkering]

Cheers Jim, appreciate your comment 👍👍

[@5UPRAH]

Was it the sway bar bushes in the end? Also what about that ball joint? Did you replace that?

[@markxtinkering]

The noise went away...so im guessing that was the issue.I didn't replace the ball joints at time, i just wanted to see what was going on under there...but i will be making a future video of replacing them and more.

[@Buzzhumma]

Control arm bushings ? Mine has same noise over bumps

[@markxtinkering]

I think it ended up being the bent sway bar bracket allowing the actual bar to hit on something over a bump. Also the new red bushes made a lot of noise 6months later. These where the no lub required type but ended up taking them off and lubing anyway. Now the front is silent and handles great.

[@Buzzhumma]

@@markxtinkering ok good to know . I will check my sway bar bracket too .

[@Buzzhumma]

Nice one aussie

[@tranlee5622]

What was the issue? My territory made same noise and mechanic said it's the radious arm.

[@markxtinkering]

Everything was good except for that sway bar mount and rubbers. Guess thats what it was.

[@orion_033]

Hey mate how did you get the nuts behind the sway bare bracket? Or are the screws self tapping? On the outer side

[@markxtinkering]

The main big bracket has torques heads on the wheel well side and nuts on the inner chassis side. You can get a ratchet or a ring spanner on them. The sway bar clamp has fixed bolts on them and the nuts are accessed from the inside of the main bracket. Have another look at when I take them off and on. Good luck 👍

[@orion_033]

@@markxtinkering cheers mate!;

[@Deadshilz]

Personally being a boilermaker welder and knowledge about how steel moves under heat and tension etc etc. I would replace the sway bar tower as the steel has now weakened and bent back to its original position which had caused alot of metal fatigue making it extremely weak and making it dangerous. You should of went to a wrecker and purchased a good second hand one. Either way nice vid

[@markxtinkering]

Totally agree, it was only a temp fix. I now have a spare so will look into replacing the straightened one.

[@julianalderson3938]

Good vid thanx

[@markxtinkering]

Glad you got some value. Cheers, Mark

[@MrAlvincheryl]

Where to get those red bushes? Please

[@markxtinkering]

Try either Repco or eBay

[@RodneyMcGiveron-vj5cq]

Great vid but it'd be no later than early 2008 to be a BF....My FG was built in April 2008..otherwise terrific...

[@markxtinkering]

Thanks for your positive feedback. Your right about BF stopping in 2008 in the sedan but the ute and wagon continued until 2010. So I have the last year of production. The factory compliance plate says BF so you can't argue with that 👍😁

[@RodneyMcGiveron-vj5cq]

@@markxtinkeringI stand corrected...thanks for that..

[@sp00kyravioli55]

rocko and proud

[@cryptoozzy3866]

I have a fg g6 I replaced both front shocks a year ago but now I have very squeaky noise when going over big bumps or speed bumps at low speed. Advice what it could be?

[@markxtinkering]

Hey Crypto, funny you should have this problem because my front end squeaks and creaks all the time now. The sway bar bushes were no lub required type so am thinking to dob on some of the lub provided with the other bushes. Also there is a trick for motorbike forks to stop them binding, some call it stiction (maybe google it). Dob some lube on the shock spindle then bounce the shock quickly so some gets under the shock oil seal. This job is on my list because the creaking is dam annoying. Let me know how you get on. Cheers, Mark

[@eazyrider6122]

Sway bar rubbers are deffinetly shot.

[@markxtinkering]

Funny thing was I had planned on replacing them anyway, so already had the new set on hand.

[@mickbrumer]

Sway bar bushes were my problem too.

[@marklowe7431]

That's me

[@kristophersmart3436]

Its a link pin

[@halfhalf9006]

be a real man do it with out gloves

[@markxtinkering]

Been there done that. Previously worked in a job with a lot of chemicals so protecting against this formed into a habit. I will endeavour to be a "real man" from now on 🤣🤣

[@halfhalf9006]

each to his own did you end up fixing the sound in your front end@@markxtinkering

[@markxtinkering]

Yes, it was the sway bar mount being bent up and mis-aligning the sway bar.

[@deidremcintosh6892]

Fantastic vidieo thank you ,oh and the gloves would give you a better grip too. Gotta except stupid comment hey ,you are so helpful and explainations are awesome🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘🛻🛻🛻🛻🛻🛻🛻🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗🚗

[@markxtinkering]

Thankyou for your positive feedback and makes me happy that someone gets value from my videos.👍👍 Cheers. Mark