Front end repair covers the joints, bushings and linkages that connect your wheels to the car and let them steer and move: tie rods, ball joints, control arms, sway bar links, wheel bearings and bushings. AutoTech Clinic inspects and repairs all of them at our Dearborn shop.
A clunk over bumps is the symptom almost everyone describes, and it has a dozen possible sources. We put the car on a lift and load each joint individually rather than replacing parts until the noise stops.
- How Long
- From about 1 hour for a single link to a full day for multiple components.
- Same Day
- Usually finished the same day.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Front End Repair
- A clunk or knock over bumps and railroad crossings
- The steering feels loose or vague, with play before the car responds
- The car wanders and needs constant correction on the highway
- Uneven or rapid tire wear despite a recent alignment
- A humming or growling that changes when you change lanes
- A creak or groan at low speed turns
What We Do
- 01
Load Test Every Joint
On a lift we apply load to each ball joint, tie rod end and bushing in turn and check for play. This is how you find the one that is actually worn.
- 02
Check Wheel Bearings
We spin and rock each wheel and listen. A growl that changes when you steer left or right points at a bearing rather than a tire.
- 03
Inspect Bushings and Mounts
Rubber bushings crack and separate with age and salt, and a failed bushing produces the same clunk as a worn joint.
- 04
Replace What Is Worn
We replace the parts that failed the test and tell you about the ones that are getting close so you can plan, rather than quoting the whole front end at once.
- 05
Align and Road Test
Any steering or suspension replacement changes alignment, so we align afterward and road test to confirm the noise and the wander are gone.
Why a Clunk Is Hard to Diagnose From the Driver Seat
Sound travels through the structure of the car, so a noise that seems to come from the passenger side front can originate at the driver side rear. Sway bar links, strut mounts, ball joints, control arm bushings and even a loose exhaust hanger all produce a similar knock over bumps.
The only reliable method is to get the car on a lift and load each component in turn until the play shows itself. That is why we do not quote a front end repair over the phone from a description of the noise.
Which Parts Are Safety Critical
Not every worn part is urgent. A worn sway bar link makes noise and slightly affects body roll, and it can wait a few weeks. A badly worn lower ball joint can separate, which drops the wheel and the corner of the car onto the road at speed.
We tell you clearly which category each finding falls into, so you know what has to be done now and what can be scheduled. That distinction is the most useful thing we can give you.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- Which components are worn and how many
- Whether a ball joint is serviceable separately or comes as part of the control arm
- Rust seizing parts together, which is the biggest variable on Michigan vehicles
- Press work required for bushings and bearings
- The alignment required afterward
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.