I've got a rattle in the front end that's slowly getting more noticeable. It's in the suspension. I'm hopeing its just worn out shocks but, I thought I would run it by you guys before I start replacing things.
The only time it shows up, is when I'm not on pavement. When I ride in the yard, the little bumps make the front end rattle like something is worn out. Dirt roads, same thing. On the road, nothing.
I've put my hands on everything I can to feel for play in any components. Really can't find anything.
Hopefully, some of you have had similar problem, and found the cure.
No recalls have been done. Still has factory shocks(125K mi). It's not heat shields, it's not brake pads. Thanks for any input.

2WD or 4WD?

Describe the sound...sharp, dull, ringing, metallic, etc... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Can you feel anything in yer steering wheel?

Did you check the hood latch? That drove me crazy for months before I figured it was the cause of my rattle.

I had a same problem I figured out it was my idler arm. Every time I went over bumps heard a rattle in the front end.

Ditto on the idler, but before I got around to it, the steering damper helped a lot of the 'thuggathuggathuggathuggathugga' I heard after the steering was jolted by a bump or a rock.

Look at your sway bar mounting too. Mine had come loose and chewed up the centering collar that sits in the control arm on that retainer. When you torque the nuts to 20 ftlbf the bushings will be tightly compressed.

Sway bar end link bushings can sometimes fall apart and leave metal to metal contact. If you replace them, I'd recommend polyurethane bushings.

It sounds like I have the same rattle too. Mine is fairly loud when I go over a speed bump too fast. I describe it as hard hard plastic hitting each other. Kind of like the sound the knocker balls on the strings made when they hit together. If anyone can remember those from 30 some years ago. I have not had time to investigate the problem but plan on doing it soon.

It's 4WD. The best way to describe it, to me, it sounds like the shocks dont have any guts in them. It seems to ride and handle ok. I don't know how much slack the torsion bars are taking up though.
It's been this way for a long time. I'm just tired of hearing it when I'm off road. It's hunting season, and I'm having to listen to it alot.
Thanks for the input guys. I was hopeing someone would know exactly what it was. Maybe one of you are right. I'll report back when I find it.(may be a while) Thanks everybody.

3 experiences with that kind of noise - sway bar links shot, lower shock rubber worn out and rattling (most recent) and the hood hold up bar clip (plastic) broken, Replaced that with velcro and it works great.

I believe that I found the source of my rattle. It is where the passenger side drive shaft come out of the front differential. I can move the shaft up and down easily and can also move it in and out. If I hit it with my hand it sounds similar to the sound that I hear when going over bumps. Nothing in the Haynes book on this. Any ideas??