Mariner

I have a 2005 model with 58,000 miles and have been having some front end noise when the wheel is hard over and moving to the left. The noise sounds almost like a metalic popping noise and can be felt on the right side steering knuckle when moving and turning slowly. I inspected the front end and found the lower ball joints to be bad and replaced them. The noise improved but did not go away. I figured that since the lower ball joints were bad that I should probably do the uppers as well and just finished changing them out to no avail.

Without trial and error replacing the whole front end does anyone have any ideas what else this could be?

I can not replicate the noise by simply turning the wheel back and forth the vehicle must be moving so I'm guessing probably not the steering gear. The wheel bearings seem to turn smoothly and while on jack stands I have pushed, pulled and pryed on various parts of the front trying to check for play/loose parts and can find none. I'm stumped...

papa tiger

My take is axle rotation, look to joints inner or outer.

Mariner

Guess I should have mentioned mine is 2WD.

D.WRECK

I have an 07 HD 2WD and mine has been doing the same thing. Mine used to do it when going left and right. Now it does it when going right. It does it in reverse and drive. I have been doing a lot of research and can't find anything. Here is a video of what mine sounds like. Is yours similar?

papa tiger

Too big a tire rubbing when cranked over hard. Pull wheel and look for signs of rub. Check shock, and finally look to steering gear for damage. With 4x2 also look at your front sway bar mounting bushings and attachment, also bent? It looks like truck is suspension moved from bump/angle of hill/turn. Sway bar doesn't like to do that. Bushings might be crying out as rubber complaints.

Mariner

Yes, mine is similar, but yours seems to be worse. Ball Joint replacement helped on mine but didn't eliminate it. I'll see if I can get a video of mine up tomorrow.

Mariner

I'm going to try and isolate it some more. If all else fails will probably try replacing sway bar bushings, and stabilizer links as they are cheap at least as as far as parts go.

papa tiger

maybe disconect links of sway bar to isolate sound to bar bushings. Dry bushings can be awful noisy. Had a 66 gta and it sounded like a corn picker after a rain.

Mariner

I'm going to try that today,thanks.

papa tiger

A shock absorber can also get perty bad and we know it isn't a bad/broken spring. That spring isn't in there upside down, or the powersteering hooked on upside down is it? But the noise must be in a moving rotational area. Top of spring, bottom of spring, inside shock absorber, ball joint at end of power steering cyl dry, some where hard to pinpoint. I've heard shock absorber seals sound squeeky, but this sounds like vibrate/binding/twisting/ rub. Try spraying stuff, when you find it will quiet down for a while.

__________________________________________________ ________

women might not find ya handsome, but they'll find ya in your F150
Ford Built_Ford Tough