Front end thud

[redeknightjr]

My new to me 09 Tahoe Hybrid drive pretty smooth, EXCEPT if there are ripples in the road or slow over a speed bump. It is the front. On rippled roads it is harsh and may even drift. Going slow over speed bumps there is a thud almost like when the struts extend. I am thinking strut issue, but what else could it be?

1SG Retired

 

[hoytheld]

Hub?

 

[93blkongreenpro]

Sway bar end link

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[1_8TTony]

Could be many things.......you're gonna have to get the front end up off the ground and try moving things around. As the front end is raising up off the ground, look at the upper control arm bushings, see if you notice any lateral movement.

Just guessing here, but since you mention "thud" while going slow over speed bumps, I would say the problem is the upper control arm bushings. Thud sounds heavy, that upper control arm has the most tension compared to all the other front end parts it (due to the geometry).

Drifting while going over road ripples would lead me to believe (again), the upper control arm bushings.

When the upper control arm bushings wear out, they can affect the alignment of the tires........road ripples cause a prolonged misalignment of the tires resulting in drift.

.

 

[1_8TTony]

Sway bar end link

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Could be the sway bar end link because of the thud sound........but the drifting would lead me to think of the upper control arm.

Any "jingling" sound while going slowly over potholes?

 

[08HoeCD]

Could be a disintegrated sway bushing...my coworker couldn't locate a sporadic 'clunk' for weeks then finally discovered one of his sway bar bushings had effectively rotted away to nothing. Sway bar was still captive in the bracket.

 

[ajaxnxs]

Top check the bushings

 

[AppocAlexx]

how many miles are on it?

if your over or close to the 100k mark I would rebuild the whole front end. Just did mine and have noticed a huge improvement in the ride up front, I was even able to get it close to perfect for the alignment. Reminds me I need to take it in and get that done.