Mariner

Well I Isolated sway bar and it's not coming from there. I was out there by myself today pushing the truck to make roll a little and I could feel he pop on the steering knuckle but still couldn't seem to isolate it (I was out there by myself). Anyway I recorded a video with sound of the noise. I also tried spraying some lube as suggested to no avail.

http://youtu.be/OTbfg5QXqL8

papa tiger

Did you check your inner disc brake pad wear. It would be twice the wear of the outer one. It may be the worn making the sound. It is design to warn you with noise. You are in the gray area on brakes and mileage wear. The brg needed with new rotor so both can be addressed at the same time. You have pulled the wheel and seen no wear to the inner rim or ball joint area. Added pressure on the powersteering pump would make noise, but squeel, unless it is in such bad shape it is tearing itself up with cavitation. A pump can make some dreadful sounds. Try removing the belt and steering without it in your drive circle. It can be done after you warm it up some.

Mariner

Just did the brakes like 6-8 months ago and went with new rotors since no one had a machine to turn the old ones (need a special jig or something to mount). Bearings seem to be smooth, upper and lower ball joints replaced, I disconnected sway bar links so I know it's not part of the problem. I squeezed the outer tie rod ends with some channel lock while unloaded on jack stands and they seem tight. I don't think it's coming from the power steering pump as it seems to be quiet and smooth. I can FEEL a knock or clank in the steering knuckle while the truck is rolling if I put my hand on it. With everything checked so far this leaves the inner tie rod ends, the steering rack and lower control arm bushings as these are about the only front end components left that have not been vetted. How much fore and aft movement should one expect from the lower control arm bushings? Mine move enough that the bushings are touching their metal mounts at least occasional as evidenced by rub marks on the paint of the mounts. They are obviously designed to have SOME movement but I have no idea how much is considered excessive.

One final question... Is it normal for the steering knuckle to bottom out against the metal of the lower control arm or should the steering gear stop before it gets there? I have metal on metal contact with these parts and some very obvious metal wear.

papa tiger

Is the arm moving back and forth enough to hit it. Remove wheel and jack front end up and have a look see. Loose bushing would be worn. 1/16 in the bushings would be 1/4" at the spindle. You definately have a rub-a dub sound. Noticible damage would point to contact. Do you have a neighbor to looksee at. Take picture of and publish. Maybe others will have a looksee at their same area and identify with you. Might be looking at a bend or twist, bad Malf part. Have seen pot holes do a number on stuff. Can you remember hitting one hard. The contact area is your suspect sound now. I suspect adjustment is way off someway, but your allignment is straight. Maybe you can count threads and find a major difference in them from leftside to rightside of all steering ends. ie= one wheel will turn further out than the other right now.

Mariner

Here are some pics I took yesterday.







If you look closely you will notice some dark areas on the mount where the part of the bushing that has a ring with breaks in it has been making contact and rubbing. It's obvious that the bushing was designed to do this so that you do not have metal on metal contact. Question is... is it routine for this to make contact. The control arm would have to travel somewhere on the order of 1/4" on one end and about an1/8" on the other to make contact.

papa tiger

That's your obvious culprit, have a front end guru give you an estimate and go from what he recommends. Things have turned bad in there. It may be a bent bolt and busying misallignment by a hare loosened things up a smidge.

Mariner

So the rubber ring that sticks out from the bushing should not normally travel far enough to make contact with the mount like in the last picture where you can see the arcs rubbed into the mount?

transmaster

You need to replace your bushings.

http://www.prothanesuspensionparts.c...+F150+2WD+2005

Mariner

Yeah, I just got in from outside with my neighbor and I observed the bushings while going from fwd to reverse with the wheel cut hard. I noticed about 1/4" or more of fore and aft movement going from drive to reverse.

papa tiger

You have really helped a lot of people following this thread.


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