Clunk Mystery + Searching for '05 Town Car Front Stabilizer Bar Bolts w/Clips

[05Town_Car]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here. It's great to connect with other owners! I've been having a bit of trouble with my 05 Town Car and was hoping you could help.

I spoke with Ford but it seems the part I need has been discontinued . Maybe you know someone somewhere who still sells it or an alternative solution!

I need 4X Front Stabilizer Bar Bolts - the ones that have the special locking clips attached that go into the frame.

While changing the stabilizer bar bushings the old ones just crumpled away... I have the unfortunate pleasure of living in the rust belt.

So that's mystery #1.

Mystery #2 is even better - a heavy front end clunk

For context, this has been an ongoing saga trying to get this car back in good health that's had me completely stumped!

As it's 200,000km strong it needed a bit of front end work. And to avoid future issues I've taken the plunge to replace nearly every part of my front end trying to renew it. I've replaced:

• links
• Inner and outer tie rods
• Upper and lower control arms
• Strut assemblies
• Steering rack
• Steering rack lines
• Steering shaft
• Hubs
• Rotors
• Caliper slider bolts
• Stabilizer bar bushings (got the wrong size, slightly too big so I'm waiting on the right size to arrive)

The parts are of good quality. No cheapie economy parts. But also not original Ford parts. But even with all this done I am still getting a heavy clunk most often when the car shifts its weight. AND it seems to happen especially often when you go from driving forward, switching to reverse and the clunk happens at the moment when you crank the wheel and start driving backwards.

Everything is new so I'm stumped! I'm going to replace the stabilizer bar bushings to the right size and HOPING that I can get your help to find those discontinued clips.

What else might be causing this? Bent frame bolts crossed my mind.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Norms1stTC]

Did you have your car on the ground (suspension loaded) when torquing upper and lower control arm bolts???. If not, you may have a bushing(s) that's bound or binded up. Those bushings within the upper and lower control arms should be pre-loaded before being torqued. As for the clunk, that could be it. Good luck. Also, as it may appear the clunk is coming from the front suspension, are you sure it's not your transmission mounts or motor mounts. I would also assume that both control arms came with the ball joints, meaning they're new as the control arms. Also, if your stabilizer bar is till on there with the larger bushings, you're going to hear that clunk until you get the proper fasteners and right millimeter sized bushings .

 

[Norms1stTC]

View attachment 15034

Hi everyone,

I'm new here. It's great to connect with other owners! I've been having a bit of trouble with my 05 Town Car and was hoping you could help.

I spoke with Ford but it seems the part I need has been discontinued . Maybe you know someone somewhere who still sells it or an alternative solution!

I need 4X Front Stabilizer Bar Bolts - the ones that have the special locking clips attached that go into the frame.

While changing the stabilizer bar bushings the old ones just crumpled away... I have the unfortunate pleasure of living in the rust belt.

So that's mystery #1.

Mystery #2 is even better - a heavy front end clunk

For context, this has been an ongoing saga trying to get this car back in good health that's had me completely stumped!

As it's 200,000km strong it needed a bit of front end work. And to avoid future issues I've taken the plunge to replace nearly every part of my front end trying to renew it. I've replaced:

• links
• Inner and outer tie rods
• Upper and lower control arms
• Strut assemblies
• Steering rack
• Steering rack lines
• Steering shaft
• Hubs
• Rotors
• Caliper slider bolts
• Stabilizer bar bushings (got the wrong size, slightly too big so I'm waiting on the right size to arrive)

The parts are of good quality. No cheapie economy parts. But also not original Ford parts. But even with all this done I am still getting a heavy clunk most often when the car shifts its weight. AND it seems to happen especially often when you go from driving forward, switching to reverse and the clunk happens at the moment when you crank the wheel and start driving backwards.

Everything is new so I'm stumped! I'm going to replace the stabilizer bar bushings to the right size and HOPING that I can get your help to find those discontinued clips.

What else might be causing this? Bent frame bolts crossed my mind.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Here's the part number for the mount bolts... Mystery #1

6W1Z-5E4490-AA

 

[05Town_Car]

Did you have your car on the ground (suspension loaded) when torquing upper and lower control arm bolts???. If not, you may have a bushing(s) that's bound or binded up. Those bushings within the upper and lower control arms should be pre-loaded before being torqued. As for the clunk, that could be it. Good luck. Also, as it may appear the clunk is coming from the front suspension, are you sure it's not your transmission mounts or motor mounts. I would also assume that both control arms came with the ball joints, meaning they're new as the control arms. Also, if your stabilizer bar is till on there with the larger bushings, you're going to hear that clunk until you get the proper fasteners and right millimeter sized bushings .

Yup, the car was on the ground/loaded when we torqued the control arms. And yes, they came with new ball joints. The one strange thing I found was that the upper control arms came with washers and one side was loose enough that washers were needed to seat it snugly while the other side was tight enough that it didn't need any washers.

In terms of mounts, it's possible they could be pretty worn but based on the way I was able to reproduce the clunk it seems more likely the stabilizer bar as you mentioned or something else. When driving it feels a bit squirelly (bounces a bit unevenly) when going over bumps. You can feel that it's firm from all the new parts but not how it should feel when everything is new.

The new bushings and clips is my first next step, I'll check those mounts too. After that, I'm a bit lost.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[05Town_Car]

Here's the part number for the mount bolts... Mystery #1

6W1Z54490AAView attachment 15035

Amazing. Thank you for getting me that part number. Should help tracking it down!

 

[05Town_Car]

Here's the part number for the mount bolts... Mystery #1

6W1Z54490AAView attachment 15035

Tried Google, Yahoo and eBay but it came back with 0 hits. Can you confirm the part number please?

 

[Norms1stTC]

Tried Google, Yahoo and eBay but it came back with 0 hits. Can you confirm the part number please?
View attachment 15036

Sorry bro... Forgot a letter

6W1Z-5E4490-AA

I forgot the "E"..... and the dashes. Gotta love those Ford part #s !!

THERE YOU GO.

 

[Norms1stTC]

Yup, the car was on the ground/loaded when we torqued the control arms. And yes, they came with new ball joints. The one strange thing I found was that the upper control arms came with washers and one side was loose enough that washers were needed to seat it snugly while the other side was tight enough that it didn't need any washers.

In terms of mounts, it's possible they could be pretty worn but based on the way I was able to reproduce the clunk it seems more likely the stabilizer bar as you mentioned or something else. When driving it feels a bit squirelly (bounces a bit unevenly) when going over bumps. You can feel that it's firm from all the new parts but not how it should feel when everything is new.

The new bushings and clips is my first next step, I'll check those mounts too. After that, I'm a bit lost.

I have an 02, I don't remember washers coming with mine, I remember the keeper nuts as I call them on the bolt, but no washers, of course the suspension was redesigned in 03 , so it may be possibly a factory part. Hope you figure it out, and welcome to the forum, enjoy your stay friend.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[Action]

6W1Z-5E490-AA - Genuine Ford Parts

Ford parts #6W1Z5E490AA, Base parts number #5E490, $17.96 online at FordPartsGiant.com. Wholesale-priced and fast-delivered Ford parts Bolt And Retainer Assy - Front Susp.

www.fordpartsgiant.com

Action

 

[05Town_Car]

Sorry bro... Forgot a letter

6W1Z-5E4490-AA

I forgot the "E"..... and the dashes. Gotta love those Ford part #s !!

THERE YOU GO.

Ah thank you! Much appreciated.

 

[05Town_Car]

I have an 02, I don't remember washers coming with mine, I remember the keeper nuts as I call them on the bolt, but no washers, of course the suspension was redesigned in 03 , so it may be possibly a factory part. Hope you figure it out, and welcome to the forum, enjoy your stay friend.

Originals didn't have washers but the replacements came with washers. Bit strange but it came together. Got parts ordered. Will update after I swap those out and see if the clunk continues.