I have a 1994 Accord that has developed a rattle in the left front of the car. I jacked the car up, and found a worn out ball joint on the upper control arm, so I replaced the upper control arm with a new Moog unit.

Rattle is still there, and I can't make the car rattle unless I'm driving it, so I can't tell exactly where it's coming from. Yesterday I jacked it up to look at it again and discover my inner tire shoulder is wearing, which means my camber is obviously off.

I'm normally not a "throw parts at it" guy, but wouldn't the only other component that affects camber be the lower control arm?

I read this https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...-accord-57764/ but it looks like the design of the later model control arms is a little different.

Given the time and effort involved pressing out/in 23 year old old bushings I'd probably just buy a new control arm with new bushings already installed.

Any direction on isolating the issue would be appreciated. It's frustrating when it rattles when driving and I can't make it rattle while in the air.

 

I found this thread

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...86/#post345473

Is that referring to loosening the two bolts holding the upper control arm to the wheel well, then moving them and tightening the bolts back down?

I simply put the bolts in the holes and tightened the nuts down. That would explain my tire wear.

 

A couple suggestions for you to check (may or may not be your rattling noise)

Have you checked the lower ball joint for any looseness? You might have to lift under the spring/strut in order to unload the ball joint in order to check it.

There's also a radius-rod that bolts onto the lower control arm & goes way forwards to a crossmember under the radiator. The forward end of that rod is attached with rubber bushings etc. and that's an easy thing to overlook when you search for rattling stuff.

Don't forget to check the anti-roll bar bushings & links also.

It's possible for incorrect toe adjustment to cause that wear on the tire, so that points back to the tie-rod which you already mentioned.

 

I just looked at that link about camber. Yes, I was talking about the bolts holding the upper control arm to the wheel well. But I don't really know how much room for movement is in those mounting holes. If the holes in the wheel well sheetmetal are large & allow a lot of movement, then you have to worry about that for proper alignment.

 

I checked the sway bar bushings and the radius rod yesterday and I can't get any rattle out of either of them by hand. I'll try unloading the lower ball joint and see what I get.

I'll loosen the two nuts and see if I can move the upper control arm outwards, then tighten the nuts back. If there is any movement allowed there that would help, but IIRC there was a square section of the bolts that were a tight fit in the holes in the fender-well.

I'll also do my best to check the toe. I use fishing line to align ATV's (which I work on all the time) and should be able to check to see if there is any major misalignment up front.

The rattle and tire wear could very well be independent of one another, but both need to be addressed. Hopefully if I find the rattle, I fix the tire wear.

 

Thank you for the response!

 

Another random thought - have you ruled out a loose wheel bearing?

 

A loose exhaust (or heat shield) can cause a rattle. There is a good ericthecarguy video on youtube on how to locate the source of a noise.

 

I hadn't really considered bearings. I've driven Accords for a lot of miles and never had a wheel bearing go out, but I have a dozen Honda ATV's in my back yard at the moment and they eat bearings left and right (of course, when you submerge them in water and mud that tends to eat bearings).

I guess jacking up the wheel, grabbing the tire at 12 and 6, and yanking to check for play is a good method to check the bearing?

 

This is a definite solid suspension clatter. Heavier metal than an exhaust shield.

Reminds me of a shock bushing that disappeared on my sister's Toyota Sienna. That one was obvious though. Don't see any missing or obviously damaged bushings on this Accord.