Clicking from drivers side front

[Maintain]

No, it's not a rock. And you can only hear it with the window down and light throttle while going 30+mph turning right. It's like Click Click Click Click. Sounds like metal to metal contact actually. I know I need to replace the ball joints but I only hear it on this side. Any other options/problems it might be that I could fix when I install new ball joints?

[clancy1920]

Try locking in your hubs and see if it goes away

[mschn99]

check the both tips of your front leaf springs. there are plastic insilators that wear out. they are servicable, but it is a two person job. if they appear distorted or missing odds are that is your clicking. you could also have a sway bar link making noise but turning shouldnt really affect them......Marc

[Maintain]

mschn99 -- Can you elaborate some? How are they serviceable and why is it a 2 person job? I'm going to compare the passengers side to the drivers side to see which one is "bad" or distorted.


I've also noticed a big CLICK or almost a BANG when I hit a deep pothole at low speed. Honestly these clicks sound like when my Mazda's C clip dropped off the axle and eventually siezed up the internals of the front pumpkin.

[mschn99]

Originally Posted by Maintain

mschn99 -- Can you elaborate some? How are they serviceable and why is it a 2 person job? I'm going to compare the passengers side to the drivers side to see which one is "bad" or distorted.


I've also noticed a big CLICK or almost a BANG when I hit a deep pothole at low speed. Honestly these clicks sound like when my Mazda's C clip dropped off the axle and eventually siezed up the internals of the front pumpkin.

the spring insilators are just plastic that snaps in to the lower spring and has lock tabs. one person needs to pry the springs apart (unloaded, the front of the vehicle should be supported from the frame) and the other needs to push what is left of the old insilator out and then CAREFULLY put the other one back in. they usually dont snap in on thier own. once the insilator is in the propor position....the first guy can slowely let up on the spring while the other guy guides the insilator into the hole strait....but make sure to NEVER get your fingers anywhere where one of the springs can pinch it.......pretty easy repair.......

the Bang could very well be a ball joint but the most common would be a sway bar link....a pretty cheap fix and not all that difficult....just a couple nuts.......the left one is different from the right one though......

Unless you drive with your hubs engaged all the time....it wont be an axle u joint. the front axles do not spin in the unlocked or auto mode unless the hub has failed....the easiest way to figure this out is raise the front end and make sure that the front axle doesnt turn when you turn the tire....if it does, the hub lock or axle could be making the noise.....but this would be the least probable cause of it of all the possibilities........Marc

[Maintain]

I think your first 2 paragraphs are probably my problem if its not JUST a balljoint issue. Thanks, will be looking in the "tech forum" for some info.

[xtremesj]

I had a similar problem and it was really noticeable after hitting a bump you would hear it and then it would go away. What I found wa the spindle bearing inside of the spindle was bad. The bearing was completely dry and it was metal to metal against the axle shaft. At the time I could get the spindle bearing but nobody had a new axle stub shaft for under $400. I took the stub axle to a machine shop where we built up the damaged area with weld from a mig welder and then machined it back down to the proper O.D. This fix was done over three years ago and have not had the problem back. I was told that it was a common problem on the drivers side as the bearings were not greased from teh factory. Hope this helps
steve

[Maintain]

I sure hope my problem isn't that bad!

[clancy1920]

My hub did the same thing. I don't have auto locking hubs but the nuckle has the little tube coming out of it for the vaccum line and it is capped . Well the cap came off and magcloride that they put on the roads out here in the winter got in side and killed the needle bearing. I was able to get the needle bearing at Napa for like 10.00. The big inner seal had to come from ford. Mine made the same sound but I could get it to almost go away by locking in the hubs.