5rebel9 Posted October 20, 2022 Report Share Posted October 20, 2022 Thought it about time to separate postings between our TWO Journeys (sons '11 mainstreet 3.6 AWD and the wife's 14 sxt 3.6 AWD). This thread is for the '14! Got about 4k miles on it since getting the vehicle, and odo showing around the 162k mile mark. Car has been doing GREAT with only a few "glitches" to work out upon getting it. BUT now the wife is saying there is a clunking in the front end at low speed over bumps/sidewalks. Most noticeable from inside the car and I'm hard pressed to hear it walking beside it as the wife backs out our driveway. UNFORTUNATELY, just like getting "check it out time" and weather coordinating to really look it over is proving just as hard for me as taking care of my son's '11. Those two seem to never stop going places long enough for me! My "gut feeling" is either a ball joint or control arm bushings, as the sway bar end links look brand new. I'll update this post when I have made progress on determining and repairing the problem. Just want all to know that both LOVE their respective DJ's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted October 21, 2022 Report Share Posted October 21, 2022 nope it is the strut bearing mount, at least that has what has been told for the last 8 yrs, my 2014 makes it as well kind of irritating but have got used to it,,has been discussed to death on the forum,,,surprised you havent read about it...i dont remember it happening on my 2011 main street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted October 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2022 10 hours ago, 2late4u said: nope it is the strut bearing mount, at least that has what has been told for the last 8 yrs, my 2014 makes it as well kind of irritating but have got used to it,,has been discussed to death on the forum,,,surprised you havent read about it...i dont remember it happening on my 2011 main street It MAY be that also! Honestly, I've not had time to "research" it here on the forum or my other sites I use for vehicles of the similar platform cars(Avenger/200). Been many complaints on those sites of the same concern and strut bearing plates NOT fixing the noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkeaton Posted October 21, 2022 Report Share Posted October 21, 2022 Our 2013 had that clunk. Dealer did replace the strut mounts (bearings) and it DID stop the sound for awhile, but it did come back some miles later. I attributed it to using crappy factory strut mounts to replace crappy factory strut mounts and just lived with it after that. 2late4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted October 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2022 20 hours ago, 2late4u said: nope it is the strut bearing mount, at least that has what has been told for the last 8 yrs, my 2014 makes it as well kind of irritating but have got used to it,,has been discussed to death on the forum,,,surprised you havent read about it...i dont remember it happening on my 2011 main street 9 hours ago, jkeaton said: Our 2013 had that clunk. Dealer did replace the strut mounts (bearings) and it DID stop the sound for awhile, but it did come back some miles later. I attributed it to using crappy factory strut mounts to replace crappy factory strut mounts and just lived with it after that. WELL ,,,, We are SUPPOSED to get a nice stretch of NICE weather thru the next week, and MAYBE I can get the wife to come straight home from work and give that '14 a good check out. Your responses have NOT fallen on "blind eyes", but in my years as an auto tech, I've seen the whole gambit of suspension noise causes. I WILL report back just what is found with this particular '14 DJ. jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted October 21, 2022 Report Share Posted October 21, 2022 the clunks or knocks i have heard sounded kind of like a problem i had with my 2009 caravan which i found out was the sway bar on one side had worked the bushing out of the clamp probally wasnt tightened at the factory to begin with, but that clunk was a lot louder than what i hear from inside my 2014 sounds like something is loose just a bit, but i checked it all over and never found anything never did complain to the dealership as it seemed to be a non fixable noise from what had been discussed here on the forum... NOW as far as squeeks if you are hearing them, i was able to find and fix that noise there are 2 round body rubber bushings one on each side just behind the front wheels and you dont even have to jack your journey up i used some silicon from amazon and sprayed them real good and that worked for a few months and then heard a few squeaks so i sprayed them again, after that time i havent heard any more squeaks for over a yr now DuPont Non-Stick Dry-Film Lubricant Aerosol, 10 oz 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,373 $7.99$7.99 ($0.80/Ounce) FREE delivery Thu, Oct 27 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon Or fastest delivery Tue, Oct 25 ) jkeaton 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted October 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2022 (edited) 16 hours ago, 5rebel9 said: WELL ,,,, We are SUPPOSED to get a nice stretch of NICE weather thru the next week, and MAYBE I can get the wife to come straight home from work and give that '14 a good check out. Your responses have NOT fallen on "blind eyes", but in my years as an auto tech, I've seen the whole gambit of suspension noise causes. I WILL report back just what is found with this particular '14 DJ. I would do it TODAY (Saturday 10/22) as the weather is wonderful for our area, EXCEPT that my daughter and 5mo old granddaughter are on their way out to visit AND I'm sitting with my "Ellie Mae" while wife and daughter enjoy an afternoon out! With the '14 DJ ! MY time with the granddaughter takes PRECEDENCE! Edited October 22, 2022 by 5rebel9 2late4u 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John/Horace Posted October 23, 2022 Report Share Posted October 23, 2022 (edited) On 2022-10-21 at 6:14 PM, 2late4u said: the clunks or knocks i have heard sounded kind of like a problem i had with my 2009 caravan which i found out was the sway bar on one side had worked the bushing out of the clamp probally wasnt tightened at the factory to begin with, but that clunk was a lot louder than what i hear from inside my 2014 sounds like something is loose just a bit, but i checked it all over and never found anything never did complain to the dealership as it seemed to be a non fixable noise from what had been discussed here on the forum... NOW as far as squeeks if you are hearing them, i was able to find and fix that noise there are 2 round body rubber bushings one on each side just behind the front wheels and you dont even have to jack your journey up i used some silicon from amazon and sprayed them real good and that worked for a few months and then heard a few squeaks so i sprayed them again, after that time i havent heard any more squeaks for over a yr now DuPont Non-Stick Dry-Film Lubricant Aerosol, 10 oz 4.5 out of 5 stars 5,373 $7.99$7.99 ($0.80/Ounce) FREE delivery Thu, Oct 27 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon Or fastest delivery Tue, Oct 25 ) I think you are referring to front stabilizer bar bushings. My brothers Caravans use to wear them out. Not expensive or that hard to change, rubber hardens up. Teflon silicone type spray will prove it’s the wear item…like you figured out. Edited October 23, 2022 by John/Horace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2late4u Posted October 23, 2022 Report Share Posted October 23, 2022 1 hour ago, John/Horace said: I think you are referring to front stabilizer bar bushings. My brothers Caravans use to wear them out. Not expensive or that hard to change, rubber hardens up. Teflon silicone type spray will prove it’s the wear item…like you figured out. yep that was the one on the passenger side had worked it way out of the bracket, the caravan only had 28 k on it at the time,,,, BUT that is not what i sprayed the silicone on, it was on my crossroad one on each side and are about the size of a hockey puck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5rebel9 Posted January 18, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2023 OK, here goes with my excuses for not posting back sooner! WEATHER, MY ACHING BACK, WIFE NOT GIVING UP CAR. I arraigned for my buddy to check it out and repair the "clunking" as the DJ also developed noisy/growling front wheel bearings. Both front bearings were replaced and the clunking was 98% the sway bar links. YES he said that from posts here that the hole in the strut assy. for the link stud was worn on both struts and he did put a washer on the stud sides along with new greaseable links. YES the old ones were pretty new, but cheapies and each had worn out sockets at the bar attachment ends. Total bill came to $500. OUCH for budget right after Christmas! YES there is still some minor noise from the strut mounts, but very livable for 172k miles on it, but most important is that wife IS HAPPY now! Locosiete 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John/Horace Posted January 25, 2023 Report Share Posted January 25, 2023 Yeah once the correct tools are out and it’s on jack stands. The interval is sometimes so close to failure on the next one, makes sense. Tie rods as well, especially if paying for an alignment. Shipping on parts up north is often higher; so buying a full set saves those $’s as well. Some of the better grade Moog sway bar links have grease fittings. Basically a life time replacement part if you grease them. Ball joints with grease fittings also an option; wife’s Journey has that now. If they are hard to change design (think Journey) and you keep your vehicles, the labor savings justifies it. Locosiete 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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