# Whats that noise!!!!



## plowzilla (Nov 19, 2004)

I keep hearing a bang/pop coming from the front drivers side ( I can feel it by my feet)when I hit bumps in the road. And this is also when the plow is off. Anyone have any ideas on what it could be? I am thinking ball joints but I am not sure. Someone also told me that Ford front ends are "soft". Oh yeh, its a 2002 F250. Thank you


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Get under and shake stuff and look for loose stuff. It could be a bad sway bar bushing, bad shock, loose exhaust pipe, steering stabilizer loose or loose wheel bearings. If it's plowed snow for very long it could very well be ball joints,do you have the hubs unlocked? It could be seized u-joint too.


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## makplow (Nov 2, 2005)

plowzilla said:


> I keep hearing a bang/pop coming from the front drivers side ( I can feel it by my feet)when I hit bumps in the road. And this is also when the plow is off. Anyone have any ideas on what it could be? I am thinking ball joints but I am not sure. Someone also told me that Ford front ends are "soft". Oh yeh, its a 2002 F250. Thank you


plowzilla, I think someone else posted that same problem a while back. Try looking back on past threads. GOOD LUCK


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## Plow Meister (Oct 16, 2001)

Have someone fire up the truck and wiggle the steering wheel back & forth while you are underneath checking all the ball joints. Chances are it's a track bar or upper / lower ball joint.


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## CARDOCTOR (Nov 29, 2002)

swaybar link ends would be my guess since ive replace a bunch on 3/4 ton fords
john


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## infineon954 (Dec 12, 2004)

I have the same truck with the same problems. The first time it was the swaybar busings. Then after 8 months the noise reappeared. Then I again replaced the swaybar busings. The noise was still there and like MickiRig1 said, I got under there and just started tapping and shaking things. I found that my drag link end(looks like a tie rod) is extremely loose.I haven't replaced it yet, but I'm hoping thats the problem. It seems like this year I am slowly replacing the front end on this truck.
Question for MickiRig1. "Would NAPA be a good place to go and get that drag link end?" or "Should I try and find aftermarket parts like MOOG?"


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## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

Radius arm bushing very common in ford trucks from Rangers to Explores to full size trucks, anything with the split beam suspension.


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## ADMSWELDING (Dec 26, 2005)

an o2 sd has a straight axle in front/mono beam i have replaces numerious ball joints my truck and customers jack up your front end enough to get a long prybar under the tire pull upward on bar and with other hand reach over tire and check upper ball joint for play youll feel it moving if its bad and visually it may have rust bleeding out from being dry if you buy new ones get ones with fittings and grease reguarly good luck


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## streetsurfin' (Jan 22, 2004)

Northern Auto Parts out of Iowa used to give discounts on suspension part packages.

http://www.naparts.com/


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Infineon954:
Buy from a good source, NAPA is good,stay away from the big box suppliers.
_Auto Zones real bad on it!_ The cheapest suppliers are no-way the best. I have ended up replacing parts from the "cheapest place" a few times,they gave me a "replacement part" under warranty but I still had to do the labor to replace it,again!!! If it's a name you never heard of beware,it may not not last. Being a FORD guy I always try to buy Dana,Moog or Spicer parts,TRW is OK too. Take your U- joints/wheel bearings with you to compare,most computer listings are wrong ,it saves you a few wasted hours.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

You can get MOOG, Dana or Spicer any where. Napa is over priced. IMO


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## infineon954 (Dec 12, 2004)

Where can I shop to get MOOG? Can't seem to find anyone


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Over priced Napa or your dealer and most auto parts stores carry Moog.


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## DAMSLandscaping (Aug 1, 2005)

Ive Got a 2000 F-250 with the same problem. Its worse when the plow is on. Ive had it into 2 shops. everyone says its nothing... Also if turn the wheel all the way to the right, when i straighten it out it squeaks or chirps.. Someone said at could be a U joint... VIP told me i didn't have U Joints on this truck... :realmad: lol..


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

Sounds like a ball joint going dry. If the spindle's still tight don't worry about it. It could even be a splash shield or something rubbing every once in a while.You will be replacing parts soon enough on the front end.Stuff wears out quicker with the plow on it.


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## ToolMaker (Mar 18, 2004)

My 1999 F250 does the same thing . Sounds like a bad shock , the noise is like under your feet. It started when I would turn right into a driveway , now it happens driving down a bumpy road .

So far I have changed 
ball joints 
shocks 
checked radius arm bushings (bushing was good although I think the the bolt was a little loose in the bushing )
checked sway bar bushings , but might try changing them if it has helped on somebody else's truck.

I have pretty much given up trying to find what is make the noise, if one on you figurer's it out please clue me in . Thanks Steve


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## Ggg6 (Oct 14, 2003)

ToolMaker said:


> checked radius arm bushings (bushing was good although I think the the bolt was a little loose in the bushing )


ToolMaker not to be sarcastic but from 99-2005 none of the 4x4 Superduties had radius arms.( no TTB front axle, or coil springs) 2006 does due to the coil spring front suspension. I am just wondering what it was you did check. Could you describe it? 
Another possibility that my own truck has a issue with is the panhard bar. It goes from the drivers side frame rail to the passenger side spring mount at the axle. It runs almost parallel to the drag link. Unbolt it on one end and tie it up securely and drive over a bump and see if the clunk is still there. When I say drive I mean in your own driveway or something similar, not go for a ride around town looking for bumpy roads with parts of your suspension disconnected. Check the mounts it bolts to as well. Also check the body mount bolts under the cab near where your feet are, they have been known to work loose.


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## Ggg6 (Oct 14, 2003)

DAMSLandscaping said:


> Someone said it could be a U joint... VIP told me i didn't have U Joints on this truck...


Whoever VIP is, they do not know what they were talking about. We most certainly DO have u-joints, and it is possible for the axle u-joints to squeak while making a turn. The stock u-joints and ball joints do not have grease zerks so you can't lube them up. They will need to be replaced if that is what the issue is.


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## MickiRig1 (Dec 5, 2003)

The bang/pop could even be a spring bushing or a loose bolt or mount. _Plowzilla_ jack it up and put it on jack stands and look at the springs and things. Take a pry bar to stuff and see if you have too much movement out of them. Try lubing the bushings in the spring eyes. You can replace them with urethane ones too. They are a lot stiffer and resist wear better.
You could even have the half shaft making noise when it slides on a turn.
It could be a lot of stuff that makes noise like loose body parts,exhaust,shrouds,cab and bed mounts, a tie rod end or sway bar/shock bushings. Sooner or later if it's a real problem it will rear it's ugly head.


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## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

Take your VIN. to a Ford dealership and find out if there are any recalls or techical service bullitins for you vehicle.


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## ToolMaker (Mar 18, 2004)

Ggg6, 
I did call it the wrong name, it was the pan head bar I checked the bushings in and they were good only I think they have to much clearance from the ID of the bushing to the bolt diameter.

I checked they sway bar and it looked good ( not loose when pulled on) but I still want to try tightening up the body mounts.

Steve


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## streetsurfin' (Jan 22, 2004)

I am more familiar with Dodges but I assume the forward drive shaft has a slip joint in it. Check that it is not frozen up. That may require removing one end from either the transfer case or differential. 

I know this is old and you likely have it figured out.


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## jsaunders (Jan 28, 2003)

Check spring U bolts- my brother is a ford tech and said that box vans are to be tightened at every oil change- Mine on my 350 pickup were loose- they hadn't been touched in a couple of years- I will check all of my trucks regularly from now on.
joel


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## Travel'n Trees (Jan 17, 2006)

Check the transfer case they have a bulletin on them they fall out of these super duty 4x4's it is common it happened to me bent drive shaft, new tranny and a bunch of excuses from FORD..


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## Ggg6 (Oct 14, 2003)

I did a check and found no such "bulletin" TSB, memo, or otherwise on transfer cases "falling out". I have never heard of this happening to any brand light duty truck on a "common occurrence". 
I do not see what the point is in sending somebody on a wild goose chase when they are trying to find a problem with their vehicle. 
I might be wrong, but I think I am starting to smell a troll.


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## Travel'n Trees (Jan 17, 2006)

Maybe you need to do some checking on your FORDS.


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## DJ Contracting (Dec 16, 2003)

*Did you fix it?*

So you have 27 post and we don't know if you found the problem yet , is it fixed?


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