Labs

Hello-

New here looking for some help. As of this morning I have a strange noise coming from behind the drivers side front tire. Sounds like a "rubber on metal squeaking" type noise. It occurs going over any bumps and a similar noise happens when I turn the steer wheel.

Today was the first I heard it. New snow today so I ran 4X4 into town.

Please help the newbie and thank you !!

Labs

05 super

welcome labs. sounds like an antisway bar bushing. what year truck? this might help out other members in their diagnosis.

Labs

Thanks for the reply...

2001 F150 Super Crew 4X4 79,000 miles...

If your diagnosis is correct, is it a professional's job or can a semi-useful guy do it??? How much are we talking moneywise??

THanks

Labs

05 super

if i'm right it is an easy fix for you to do.

1 raise vehicle
2 remove right front wheel/tire assembly
3 remove 6 retaining bolts and remove skid plate
4 remove both stabilizer bar to stabilizer bar link retaining nuts, washers and bushings and separate stabilizer bar ends from the stabilizer bar
5 remove stabilizer bar links from lower control arm if neccessary
6 remove 4 bolts securing 2 stabilizer bar isolator brackets
7 remove the stabilizer bar brackets and the stabilizer bar
8 remove the stabilizer bar by rotating the bar as it is removed through the right hand side of the vehicle.

i hope that's the prob. you may not evan have to do all the steps. if you can squeeze the new bushing into place while the bar is hanging down, it will save you some steps.

should wait for some more opinions first.

ronpowar

I had the exact same problem and it was a dry balljoint. These are none greaseable but if you use a needle on a grease gun you can go through the rubber boot and fill it up with grease.

Labs

ronpowar:

are you talking about the big accordion type rubber boot behind the hub of the front tire? Just pump a bunch of grease in there? Can I get a needle for my grease gun at a Walmart? NAPA?

THanks for the help!
Labs

shamm

Could be a ball joint or anti-sway bar end link. I recently had my right side anti-sway bar end link break. I made a popping noise over bumps and only when turning one direction. It was easy to spot once I crawled under the truck. It was an easy fix and I did it myself.

Ball Joints are another story... If you don't see anything with the anti-sway bar end links, then check out the ball joints. To do this, jack the front of the truck up just so the tires come off the ground (about an inch or so). Then try to wiggle the tires with a pry bar by wedging the pry bar between the ground and the bottom outside corner of the tire. You should get almost ZERO movement. If it moves, and you hear popping, it's at least "a" ball joint. Very common on these things. Not fun to replace, but definitely NECESSARY! Do NOT ignore bad ball joints. A) It's not safe. B) It'll destroy your tires a LOT faster.

Hopefully it's just one of the end links. Good luck!

ronpowar

NO! There is a little plastic cover that covers a donut shaped rubber seal. There are two seals, one on top and one on the bottom of the ball joints. Make sure the joint is not wore out because like mentioned it can be dangerous. Mine was just dry not worn out. You can buy grease needles at any automotive supply store but make sure it is a fine small needle.

Labs

thanks ronpowar...

Is this where I am going to start with the ball joint? Inject some grease in the center rubber boot? By the way, I do plan to have someone professional look at this for me as you can tell I'm a bit of a newbie (but I have to learn sometime)
THanks
http://www.sporttruck.com/techarticl.../photo_04.html

transmaster

There you go this is the correct plan of action. I can't say it enough a good Frame and Axle shop is a national treasure. If you are dealing with a twin I beam front end this is especially true, this front end is very strong but it can be a booger to work on. In your case you have half shafts, controlled by A Arms using a needle injector is the standard method of getting grease into a dry constant velocity joint. If your CVJ's are noisy they are most likely already bad, replace the whole half shaft and not just the CVJ's it is cheaper, these shafts are less the a 100 bucks each, and for that price you get new CVJ's and rubber boots.