2010 Jeep Liberty 2WD - Stock.
We recently did front end work: upper arms, lower arm ball joints. (I dont recall if we did sway bar bushings or not and prior to this I think there was some tie rod word and farther back from strut work but I don know if the issue occurred after that. I am inclined to think not.) Nevertheless, what I notice now is that there is a SIGNIFICANT and often SEVERE knocking sound which is intermittent as follows. Driving straight, on flat AND smooth roads, it is not really apparent. However, on unsmooth flat roads (poor condition blacktop) and particularly at incline grades (up), I can get a significant and often server rattle/knocking sound. It is on the order of I would say 10-50Hz, and definitely seems to be initiated from bad road surface texture, and is severe enough to cause me to pull over. It can be LOUD. If I go much slower, or the road surface smooths, or the incline resolves, it can correct itself, but there is something quite obviously wrong. I've heard it across speeds in the range of 30 to 55 mph and potentially even wider.
Also, I would note that I have 2 different makes of balls joints on the vehicle as it turns out. Don't know if that contributes or not.
Also, I have not been able to get a correct alignment from the shop.
I did order one of those multiport listening devices, but have yet to try it. It's fricking HOT here. Waiting until it cools down. But would anyone know the cause of this. I would think someone with alot of experience would know exactly the problem here. Thanks
Well watch my video, finding the source of car noises. Scotty. It's on YouTube. You'll be able to pinpoint the noise and if you don't want to buy that expensive wire less one you can get wired ones. It's fine. Car noises on Amazon for as little as 70 bucks. It will always pinpoint the noise
@scottykilmer Well, I finally got around to playing with the multichannel wired acoustic sensor. While I'm not that impressed overall with the product (channel to channel variability, one channel was defective), I believe I was able to directly identify the source. Clamping on the top (center) nut on the shock in the engine bay, both sides, seems to be most sensitive and I could hear a sort of rattle driving it back and forth a few feet over the driveway entry curb. Luckily I didnt have to road test with all those wires but used a few wire ties to keep the channels wires underneath out of harms way. But those signals were quiet for most part, it was just the top.
I then pulled the wheel and closely inspected the strut. While Im not experience AT ALL in what to expect, I did notice that the very top mount section of the hat, looking from inside the wheel well, seems to be crooked, dislodged and have some sort of lubricant exposed. I did take pictures, but I dont see any way to post them in this forum. In any case, Im going to pull the passenger side tomorrow and inspect. I already have have replacement assemblies (yes, I know, you frown upon that chinese crap, but Im cheap), so will probably start to tackle the swap assuming i see the same thing passenger side.
@scottykilmer oh geez.. this response above is not applicable at all, that pertains to a completely different vehicle. The solution to this noise problem was simply that the tranny oil cooler lines were slapping against whatever metal was next to it (maybe an tranny pan or an oil pan, dont recall). This was because the screw post clamp for those lines was broken and those lines are really only held firmly at one end. I simply added a piece of pipe foam insulation around the lines and issue solved..
but I dont see any way to post them in this forum.
The article on the front page titled “Read this First-Forum Guide” has instructions for how to post a picture.
Once Scotty answers a question he doesn't normally revisit that question. Glad you found the source of the noise and an inexpensive remedied.The solution to this noise problem was simply that the tranny oil cooler lines were slapping against whatever metal was next to it
