My wife drives a 2005 Grand Caravan which has developed a very constant knocking which is horribly loud inside the cabin. It's on the drivers side and sounds like it's coming from the behind the dash.
My thoughts were a bad strut bearing but when I grab the strut spring from inside the wheel well I cant tell if anything is loose.
However when I drive the van it knocks; like BAD! It's not just going over bumps either it's continuous. Like a couple of big rocks inside a clothes dryer.

So my question: any solid thoughts on what this could be? I'd rather not nickle and dime the problem until I find the fix.
Also if it is strut related is the sound worse than it acutually is? I wont be able to get around to fixing it for a week or more and the wife drives multiple times a day (stay at home mom, kid pickup, groceries, etc.)

 

I would lean more toward the sway bar links or the sway bar bushings. They are probably the problem 9 out of 10 times.

 

Don't go cheap on the links as they won't last. Not that the better ones last a long time but the cheap ones are junk.

 

Bad strut bearing don't make a knocking sound, they will make a grinding/rumbling sound when turning.

As others have mentioned it's a sway link. The best option is a Moog, not the cheapest, but the best option. NAPA products are OK, but I've had them fail.

 

So I had the wife take the van into Les Schwab last week for a diagnosis.
They said it's the strut bushing/bearing. They made no mention of the sway bar bushings.

I'll get under the van this week and double check for myself but if it is the strut I may have it done at the shop. I will need a spring compressor and have to have it aligned again wont I???

 

My thoughts exactly!!

My wife's 2000 GC was doing that and it was the sway bar links!

 

You can borrow the spring compressor at autozone and do the work yourself. I did it by my self and was not that bad! You also will need a breaker bar for the nut on the bottom of the strut. The spring compressor i got it at autozone for 39.00 and when i returned it the reinbursed my credit card! And yes you will have to get it aligned!! And yes get the sway bar links!!!!


Good luck!!!!

 

I tried several different spring compressors and I never did get the spring off. I took the assemblies to the tire shop where I was going to have it aligned and for pretty cheap, they transferred the new struts.

 

Today I replaced both end links and the knocking still exists. The ones I took out were very stiff still and didn't seem worn at all (probably replaced before I bought it). I wish I hadn't put the new ones in because now I'm out 60$

So where do I go now? Strut bushings?
On the drivers side (which is MUCH worse and has a much more prominent knocking than the passenger side) if I grab the spring I can twist it clockwise and counter clockwise a couple degrees. Not sure how normal that is but the passengers' side does not have that much play in it.

Any suggestions? I'm about to tear into this van this weekend.

Thanks

 

I have run across rack n pinion bushings making noise and even that rack making noise internally