I recently purchased a 2002 Escape XLT 4wd and have found this site very helpful in working out all the little "bugs" that the truck came with. I recently replaced the front stabilizer links because it sounded like they were shot. The truck has 75k on it and they had never been replaced. After replacing them, the noise is still there. It is almost the same sound that you would hear from a bad stabilizer end link. What else could it be? The noise seems to get worse after the truck has been driven for a while. On smaller bumps, driving slowly it almost sounds like a continuous rattle /thud coming from the drivers side tire. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Rattling noise on bumps, replaced stabilizer links.
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I don't know if it's the same noise or not, but my front end was creaking and replacing the tie rod ends fixed it. (Not sure of the terminology, I may be thinking of the same part you fixed already.) Seems like my '01 was at about the same mileage at the time. I didn't do the work myself so I can't go into major details though.
I had the same problem last year. The strange noise that I encountered when I started all of this was coming from the BALL JOINTS. That was the last thing that I changed on my SUV. So here is the items that were changed in chronological order. Struts, shocks, strut bumper, spring insulator, break pads and rotors, upper strut bracket, and ball joints. All of these items are wear items so it doesn't hurt so bad when I tally up the prices for them. It sums up to around $650. :cuss: Luckily I was able to do all the labor.
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Okay, I figured it out. I would first like to say thank you to everyone for all the ideas and help. It was the outer tie rod end on the drivers side. It had a TINY bit of play in it which was just enough to make the noise. It cost less than $20 and I didn't even have to do an alignment, so I am really happy. Thanks again everyone!
eace:I have more pics of it and a thread for my Escape here: LINKajc6882 said:
I bought it as specifically made for an Escape, and it went on without any issue, bolting directly to the hardware already on the truck with no modifications. It doesn't impede the headlights like it appears to. It's not a snug fitting guard, it sits forward significantly, which bothered me a bit when I first installed it, but I've come to like it that way.
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For anyone with this issue in the future, the 02 also has an issue that sounds just like this. Its the engine mount vibration dampners. there ae three of them at the back of the motor and if they go the engine makes this horrible vibrating noise at different RPMs
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