Clunk while braking

[Farr-Stang]

Last winter i upgraded my front brakes with the Ford M2300 kit. This brake kit comes with 13" rotors and 4 piston calipers. It is the same brakes they used on the 2000 Cobra R. While changing the brakes i also replaced the wheel bearings and flushed out the old brake fluid.

The problem is that when i stop hard i sometimes hear a clunk coming from the front end, but not all the time. Sometimes it will clunk under light braking, but mostly when braking hard. I have even heard the sound when driving over a sharp bump in the road like entering a driveway, but this is quite rare.

I have been over everything under the front end from control arm mounting points, sway bar end links, tie rod ends, made sure the wheel bearing are tight, K-member bolts, g-load brace, strut tower brace, steering rack bolts, but have found nothing wrong.

I have tried bouncing the car to hear the sound but to no avail.

Is it possible it is something that i can't see like worn out spring isolators??

The car is parked for this winter and i would like to figure this out before spring.

[The Fox Master]

Originally Posted by Farr-Stang

Last winter i upgraded my front brakes with the Ford M2300 kit. This brake kit comes with 13" rotors and 4 piston calipers. It is the same brakes they used on the 2000 Cobra R. While changing the brakes i also replaced the wheel bearings and flushed out the old brake fluid.

The problem is that when i stop hard i sometimes hear a clunk coming from the front end, but not all the time. Sometimes it will clunk under light braking, but mostly when braking hard. I have even heard the sound when driving over a sharp bump in the road like entering a driveway, but this is quite rare.

I have been over everything under the front end from control arm mounting points, sway bar end links, tie rod ends, made sure the wheel bearing are tight, K-member bolts, g-load brace, strut tower brace, steering rack bolts, but have found nothing wrong.

I have tried bouncing the car to hear the sound but to no avail.

Is it possible it is something that i can't see like worn out spring isolators??

The car is parked for this winter and i would like to figure this out before spring.

Sounds almost like bad ball joints to me.

Which M2300 kit came wth 4 piston calipers?

[Farr-Stang]

Originally Posted by The Fox Master

Sounds almost like bad ball joints to me.

Which M2300 kit came wth 4 piston calipers?

The Ford part # is M-2300-X. I got it through a company in the states for $800 US. But I think they are now selling it for $900 US. I can't think of the name of the company right now, but it your interested i will find out.

Coming back to the ball joints, what is the easiest way of checking them. I have the car on jackstands right now under the control arms.

[The Fox Master]

Wow those are nice.

You will need to unload the front a-arm so the suspension is hanging freely. Place your hands at 12:00 and 6:00 on the tire and "rock" the wheel in and out while looking while feeling for play. Another method is to place a pry bar under the tire and shift the wheel/suspension upwards while looking for ball joint play. On some factory ball joints there is a wear indicator underneath that will get pushed out over time. I don't know if SN95s had this feature.

[Farr-Stang]

Thanks i will try checking the ball joints this weekend. Until then.

[foxhtn]

Would it be your proportioning valve? Some of those kits came with special proportioning valves as replacements for the originals I think.

[black sunshine]

i agree,ball joints,but check your sway bar mounting bolts,not end links and your upper strut mount nuts for being loose seen this before,no sense spending money when you do not have too.but if you have high mileage or gravel roads in your life ball joints are probably the problem

[Farr-Stang]

Wel after a couple of busy weeks i finally looked at my Mustang again. Checked the ball joints, they are fine. Checked all sway bar mounting bolts, they were all tight. The only thing i noticed was that the 3 stock caster/camber plate bolts were all 1/4 turn loose. Don't think this is my problem but won't know until the snow is gone.

[Farr-Stang]

Still have clunking noise when I brake. Not as much now. So I think I will go over everything again.