Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Tires, shocks, sway bars, air bags... What crosswind?
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SeaQuinn
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Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by SeaQuinn »

Howdy! Well I'm stymied and so is my local Ford shop. My 1999 has had an odd thumping sound behind the driver side seat area when I veer or turn left. The thumping is sporadic. I took it to Ford last week and they suspected both radius arm bushings were worn out on both sides and replaced them. They also replaced the long drag links on both sides. They then did a four wheel alignment and lubed everything. The rest of the front end is basically new from the P.O. After dropping some good coin, the thumping has started again. I took it back again today and drove with the Ford tech for 20 minutes and could not replicate the thumping.

The tech told me all is tight with the front end and they can't find a thing.

Pulling out of the shop to head home I made a left turn and the thumping started again.

I'll be getting the iPhone out with the bride and son to try to get this anomalie recorded but as of tonight I'm lost in space.

Anybody been there, done that, with a situation like this?

Thanks!
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skater
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by skater »

That's a weird one. If it sounds like it's behind the driver's seat, I would suspect something in the left rear, rather than left front.

Another option is that it's something in the van or on the van that's banging around when you go around a left turn, like a loose awning (if you have one on that side).

I'd also check the tires (all four) for any kind of odd problems. Try rotating them and see if the noise moves, too.

Of course, these are just guesses.
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jb1rd73
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by jb1rd73 »

Check the generator box, it might be loose in there. Good luck, I hate phantom problems, soooooo damned irritating!!!
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Tucsonan
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by Tucsonan »

Is it one thump, or continuous? maybe rear differential?
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"... but it's a dry heat!"
SeaQuinn
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by SeaQuinn »

Mystery solved! Kind of........... The thumping, when turning or veering left, only happens when the generator is running. I checked the box, clearance, exhaust mounts, etc. I can't figure it out. Ugh :?
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lido14co
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by lido14co »

Why are you driving around with the generator running?


Cliff
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by SeaQuinn »

We were driving around on a really hot day and my son in the back said it was hot even with the dash A/C running on high. I turned on the generator and fired up the cabin roof A/C. Did this to exercise the generator too. Is it not good to run the generator and roof a/c while driving?
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by nvestysly »

SeaQuinn wrote:We were driving around on a really hot day and my son in the back said it was hot even with the dash A/C running on high. I turned on the generator and fired up the cabin roof A/C. Did this to exercise the generator too. Is it not good to run the generator and roof a/c while driving?
We've driven with the generator running and the rooftop A/C on. Don't see any reason why this shouldn't be done. I can't imagine what part of that equation would cause something to go thump.
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Mgittrich
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by Mgittrich »

I have also driven a couple of times with the generator and roof AC running. I've never had a problem doing this and there was no thump while driving.

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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by VanDownByTheRiver »

I've had a bad generator exhaust hanger make a similar sound when the generator is running and its exhaust comes into contact with a vehicle frame member. Lateral acceleration would make this more likely.

It's easy to visually a defective exhaust hanger in under one minute. Just follow the generator exhaust pipe.

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SeaQuinn
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Re: Thumping Behind Drivers Side Seat During Left Turns?

Post by SeaQuinn »

Under the rig I will go :-) Thanks for the suggestion and I'll let you know how it goes. Where did you find the replacement part?
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