Hootsworth

A few weeks ago, I replaced my front brake pads on my '07 F-150 FX2. Since then, every now and again, I hear a 'clunk' sound coming from my wheels when I make a turn. It's occasional and I can't quite pin-point to any situation that triggers it consistently.

I can't say my brake work is the cause, I just happened to notice it within the last few weeks. Here's where I'm at.

There is no pulling to the right or left, the truck will drive straight if I point it straight. No issues with turning, aside from the clunk, it will turn just fine. The brakes seem to work just fine as well. When I push the pedal down the truck stops in a reasonable distance.

I did notice, while taking my calipers off, that one of the boots on my caliper pistons is pretty beat up, but the piston itself wasn't seized or anything when I took it off. I was able to retract it just fine to get my new pads on. One of my rotors does have a gash in it, enough to catch your nail no doubt, that goes all the way around the rotor consistently.

I'm going to take the wheels and calipers back apart in the next week or two because I need to do the rotors/rear pads anyway, I'm just curious if anyone has any suggestions/ideas of things to look at that could cause a clunk noise on turning while I'm in there.

Thanks!

Edit: I did use Anti-Seize at points where the metal would rub metal within the caliper.

johnny_tucson

Clunk sounds like a common complaint when ball joints are going or have gone out. UCA, lower ball joint, tie rod end links and sway bar links are the usual suspects. How many miles on the current suspension. I reckon a clunk could also be a hub.

techrep

iTrader: (1)

check the caliper bolts for security

Hootsworth

So, after checking my previous work I looked today to find my stabilizer link bushings completely missing from the diver side. Looking up further it seems that the prime symptom of this issue is more body roll while turning and a 'clunk' while turning. My caliper bolts did need some additional tightening though!

So I have a couple of questions,

1. Is there any particular reason these bushings would be gone outside of age?
2. Will driving around on them cause any significant issue other than body roll/clunk
3. Anyone have a how-to on replacing these? I'm hoping I can get away with an easy replacement of the bushing.

Summers22

iTrader: (2)

I just replaced mine with AC Delcos. They have a grease zerk in them. Super easy to remove and replace but I dropped the whole sway bar to replace the bushings as well. Got them here:

Hootsworth

I replaced my Sway Bar links and the clunk is gone. The overall ride quality went up a good bit too. So much so that I'm willing to bet those bushing have been long gone and I just haven't noticed till now.

dyeguy1212

iTrader: (1)

Wow, can't say I've ever seen the bushing completely gone! Crazy.

Hootsworth

Yup. To be honest, this is my first truck that wasn't a Ranger/B-Series. I say this because my truck now has SIGNIFICANTLY less body roll than it ever did before. So I'm willing to bet that the sway bar links have been shot for a long time now. So much so that I've basically not had a sway bar for that period of time as well. The passenger side bushings were still attached, but they were shot too, completely cracked open. Just sticking my thumb in the openings caused them to pop off.

Either way, I've replaced both links and my truck rides really well now.

Fbcoach

I'm thinking that I'm going to replace mine with MOOG sway bar links. I heard MOOGs are pretty good. Either that, or I'm going with AC Delco like Summers.

dyeguy1212

iTrader: (1)

Moog makes great suspension components! I replaced my entire front end with Moog when I got my truck ~ 5 years ago.