E450 chassis Tie rods "CLANKING"

Aspect27Guy · 07-30-2020, 11:32 AM

The first two months of owning my Winnebago Aspect 27 were heavenly. Two weeks ago returning from a campground in the mountains, we encountered rough washboard dirt roads. i took it slow -- usually under 20mph and slower on the rough washboards. Suddenly there was a constant LOUD metal "CLANKING" banging noise with every bump and ripple in the road. The noise was right under my feet in the E450. I have been down these and many other washboard dirt roads in the past with no such noise at all, but somehow this loose metal banging was suddenly there.

I pulled over and crawled under. I have the aftermarket Hellwig anti-sway bars and heavy duty steering stabilizer under there, but they were all tight and solid. I could, however, twist and jerk the steering tie rod connected to the driver-side wheel. I deduced this was the cause of the clanking, but why would have started all of a sudden?

For the last full week it has been at my mechanic's shop. He has spent hours under the chassis. Replaced the tie rod section in question -- still clanking. Replaced the passenger side longer tie rod -- still clanking. Hours of pulling and yanking on everything underneath trying to deduce why we can't stop the banging.

He gave up and sent me away and my rig is now at the RV Alignment shop, and they are scratching heads too. Has anyone else ever experienced this and have a solution? Mechanics tell me the tie rods have to twist and pivot to do their job, but why the sudden and continued loose-sounding banging over bumps and dips is really frustrating. Did I lose a bracket or clamp that kept this from happening before? I may never know. Is there such a bracket or clamp?

Looking for perspective and solutions if you have them. Thanks ahead of time!

Morich · 07-30-2020, 12:06 PM

I would jump immediately to a broken ball joint as they are now made of a material of something like plastic/nylon and do break but that should be so obvious to them looking that I would have to avoid saying such a weird thing!

Winterbagoal · 07-30-2020, 12:21 PM

Have driven on rough roads before, sometimes at a crawl to protect the undercarriage of the vehicle as much as possible.
Since it started "all of a sudden" "on a washboard road" you've either broken something off, bent or twisted it out of spec, or have lost some other piece of the puzzle.
Since it's an E-450 chassis, has Ford had a look at it yet? I would get it to them asap, and get it diagnosed and repaired.

Morich · 07-30-2020, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

Have driven on rough roads before, sometimes at a crawl to protect the undercarriage of the vehicle as much as possible.
Since it started "all of a sudden" "on a washboard road" you've either broken something off, bent or twisted it out of spec, or have lost some other piece of the puzzle.
Since it's an E-450 chassis, has Ford had a look at it yet? I would get it to them asap, and get it diagnosed and repaired.

I might double down on not driving too far as things that are loose enough to clank might be pretty close to loose enough to come apart and that can be when the left tire turns out at the same time the right one does! Not a happy time if going 60!

Aspect27Guy · 08-03-2020, 08:34 AM

Okay I think the problem has been resolved -- at least temporarily. After replacing. both. sections of tie rod and reattaching the steering stabilizer, I needed a new alignment. I asked him to look for anything that could be clanking. Turns out what this issue may have been all along is that the front leveling legs were rattling and banging around. He had given them a shove while underneath and "clankety-clank" within the metal housing the legs pull up into. He wedged some cardboard up around the gap and wouldn't you know it, not one bang or clank on the ride home.

I could have sworn the noise sounded like it was coming from under my feet and forward, but he legs ride just under and back a little bit, so the sound was transferring up underneath me and fooling my ears, I guess. I head out today for a week of driving the RV along the Oregon coast. Perhaps the first time I use the levelling legs, the noise will return, but at least I have a point of focus to attend to if I hear the banging again.

I hope this helps someone down the road. Now, to figure out how to do a more permanent fix than wedged cardboard ... wish me luck or send ideas. Maybe thick rubber squares?