Mariner

Glad I was able to help. I guess I'm going to order the bushings. I wondering if I should just spring for the Master Kit while I'm at it and just replace all the bushings with polyurethane. Having seen these go out at only 58,000 doesn't give me the warm & fuzzies about the rest of them.

Mariner

Here's a video of the bushing movement. You need to go full screen and look very closely.

papa tiger

The other side probably isn't far behind. Maybe all would be a nice project, they look nice too.

Mariner

Got the same movement on both sides.

transmaster

You want to replace your bushes with Black Polyurethane ones. The Black prothane incorporate graphite in the plastic and are self lubricating. polyurethane lasts much, much longer then the OEM urethane parts. For average driving these will be the last set of bushes you will need to install on your truck. Once you have them installed you will notice how it tightens up your front end even over what it would have been with the stock urethane bushes. I would suggest doing the same for the rear suspension. It really does make a huge difference. Suspension bushes are a big problem in the old Cadillacs and the one I did with these prothane bushes was a much different vehicle it went from a wallowing old ghetto glider to a tight behemoth that could actually take a corner at speed. Here is the home site for these bushes.
http://www.prothane.com/

Here is he product guide for Prothane bushes. Those of you out there with the Twin Traction Beam front ends note the bush set for it this will fix a lot of the evils this front end has.
http://www.prothane.com/productguideall.pdf

transmaster

They used to have these Prothane bush sets in what I would call Ford Blue. That would have really looked sharp.

Mariner

I ordered the bushings earlier today in red. Apparently, it takes a couple weeks for them to ship. I'll document how it goes. I've seen some home made pullers made up from pipe fittings and all-thread. No need to use an arbor press. I'll try to get some pictures up when I do it. If these don't fix the noise, and this sounds like a worthwhile project anyway, then probably the only place left to look will be the steering rack/tie rod assembly.

papa tiger

They got bushings even for the coil springs. What happens to the front end is the wheels change caster/camber as they crank over hard and actually grrr/slide/grrrowl/slide/rub the road/slide/grrrowl/grip and slide. It's easy to get the sides bangen back and forth on them loose bushings. Each assembly wants to fit snug in there. Even trunion mounted steering can do it if it gets loose. you found it. The front end usually goes the way your going anyway. Water resistant grease can only do so much.

Mariner

Well yesterday I received the new poly bushings and today I disassembled the front end and removed the lower control arms. As suspected the bushings could be seen to have some separation of the rubber. I now have the cap washers off and tomorrow morning will go to O'Reileys and get a loaner ball joint removal tool. I have searched high and low and have not been able to find a good tutorial on lower control arm bushing removal and installation for an f150 anywhere on the net. About the best I've been able to find is comments on using a ball joint tool to bush the bushing out. I know you can use a torch, but I'm saving that as a last resort as I don't really want to mess with changing the temper of the metal (especially with aluminum). I've been taking pictures and will write up a "how to" with lessens learned after I finish this. I must say it's frustrating with the lack of information out there on how to do this. Anyone who reads this and has done this before please feel free to sound in.

papa tiger

Take the arms and bushings to your machine shop and have them instal em. That way you don't chance wrecken em and half to buy more. Naturally they fit tight so they stay in thar, especially if you don't have a heck of a big/strong vise. It's what I would do. Bushings in the springs are just as bad usually. If you or a friend have an A frame press you might have luck at home. Think Harbor Freight have em for $150 or so.