SCplatinum

Just installed my zone 6" lift on my '13 ecoboost 4x4. I kept the 2 inch leveling kit on it just to test cv angles and they are not really bad but I was thinking about getting built cv'a or taking the leveling kit off. Installation wasn't bad and after alignment it ran great for about a day or two. Now when I put it in reverse or turn in reverse or sometimes turn slowly forward I get some popping noises from the front end.. I've been told it's the struts readjusting because they had to be twisted to be reinstalled after I rebuilt them on a wall mounted compressor. I feel like it could be my cv angles but the truck still drives great with a little speed. I know all the bashing that comes with a leveling kit on a lifted truck so that is unnecessary but any trouble shooting ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Robert

Wiggum

I get this same noise too when going very slow and turning the wheel very hard right/left ... I have checked everything multiple times and nothing is rubbing or hitting, and the truck is smooth as a baby's butt otherwise. I hate the sound when it happens, cuz it makes me feel like my truck is somehow "broken" ... but I think it's just one of those things you deal with from the leveling kit.

but, if someone knows precisely what's causing this, I'd love to know.

(edit to add the following

FYI - my truck only has the 1.5" AS leveling kit up front, and a 2" rear block. No other mods (unless you consider 34" tires vs. the stock 32" tires). And the "pop" sound doesn't always happen ... it only happens SOMETIMES when pulling into or out of parking spaces where I'm moving REALLY slow, using the brakes, AND turning the wheel as far left/right as it can go.

Blazin2011

I had that happen to me. At low speeds when at full lock left/right it would click/pop in the front end. Check the steering stops, that was my problem. Since the lower control arm is steel and the steering knuckle is cast, the cast is a stronger metal and it makes a burr on the control arm. File off the burr and grease it up, it worked for me!

Wiggum

Hrmmm.... that could be it. I'll have to check and see if that's it. If there's a notch/burr on there between the two, when you crank to full lock, it DOES flex the suspension a little bit and that could be what's causing that "pop" when the knuckle rubs on the LCA's steering stop bump thing.

Thanks!

Wiggum

UPDATE:

I checked the wheel stops on both the knuckles and LCA, and there's not really a burr on either, but the driver's side is a LITTLE rough. So, I did a little back and forth in the driveway turning into the carport (which is where I typically hear the sound) and got it to do it most of the time, and was mainly focusing on the sound itself and what kind of vibration I could feel when it happened.

What I noticed was that it didn't seem to be coming from the wheel stops, so I figured it has to be one of the joints/connections down there that's popping. I could only feel the most faint of vibration though, so that didn't really help me out.

So what I did was get under the truck with a can of WD40 and spray the heck out of every possible joint/connection down there ... ball joints, tie rods, sway bar links, bushings on the UCA and LCA, etc. Then I got back in the truck and did the back and forth thing again, and the popping was gone.

While I was not able to identify the specific culprit, it DOES seem it's a lube thing. When I get time I'm going to have to get back under there with some real grease/lube and make sure every one of those connections is properly lubed/greased and sealed.

texasfx2

iTrader: (1)

I had the same issue mostly stopping and starting at low speeds. Ball joints and bushings all checked out good. Finally figured out the struts were in a slight bind since I added the pro comp strut spacer along with Bilstein adjustable struts. Sprayed some lube on the strut shaft and noise went away. I guess the only real fix would be aftermarket struts long enough to compensate for the strut spacer such as King or Fox.

Wiggum

yah, it may just be part of the price you pay for using spacers in lieu of new struts or coilovers. Thing is, it ONLY happens at very low speed and when fully locked left or right. The truck rides/steers/etc smooth as butter otherwise. If I HAVE to live with it, I will ... it just hate it.

SCplatinum

Update: 2.5 leveling kit was just too much on the stock cv's. Kit taken off problem solved. Thanks

Wiggum

ANOTHER UPDATE:

Last time I posted in this thread, I mentioned going a bit nuts w/ the WD40 on everything that moves on the front end suspension/steering/etc ... and that the noise went away after I did that. My plan was to get back under there when the noise resurfaced (so that I could try again to identify it and then use a marine grease to lube it).

Well, after a week now, the popping when steering is fully locked either way is still gone. I can only assume that it was something in there that had not fully settled, and was still trying to find its final resting place ... and the WD40 helped give it that little bit of needed help.

Of course now it will probably come back when I park my truck at home tonight LOL ...

but anyway, just wanted to say it's gone, and I couldn't be happier.

RBowman

I know this is an old thread, but I just resolved a similar problem and figured my experience might help anyone who has this issue in the future. I bought my 2014 XLT 4x4 SCrew new in Dec 14 and had a local shop put the Rough Country 2.5" leveling kit on. When I picked it up it was popping and creaking when I would turn hard while driving slow, and sounded like paint cans rattling when I hit bumps. I brought it back to that shop twice to fix the noise but they just couldn't seem to do it. I took it to another shop in town, where a friend of mine is the head tech, and watched as they pulled apart my butchered front end. The other shop had broken both 4x4 actuators and snapped the stud off of one of my CV axles and welded the stud back on there and stacked washers so it would tighten up. Once they replaced all of the broken stuff (paid for by the owner of the 1st shop btw) the rattling went away but the popping remained. They kept the truck another day and ended up telling me they had no idea what was causing it, but didn't think it was unsafe. I drove the truck like that for 6 months until I couldn't take the noise anymore. I brought it to the Ford dealership hoping that they would fix whatever it was under warranty, but was prepared to shell out some cash. They called me an hour after I dropped it off and said it was good to go. Here was there explanation:
"We had to lube the bump stops on your lower control arms. That should be done every time we change the oil but it looks like we haven't been doing it. Sorry about that. You won't hear that noise anymore."

Naturally I thought, "Lube the bump stops?!? Huh??? Was I low on blinker fluid too?" I fully expected to get back in my truck and have it still popping... figuring they didn't drive it. Well, I picked it up and it was quiet as could be. Has been every since. I have never in my life heard of lubing bump stops (I am assuming he meant the steering stops) but it seems to have done the trick. However, if anyone asks me in person how the problem got fixed I am going to have a hard time answering with a straight face! Lol!