[tallyF350]

Hey guys is there a step by step to test/track down front end noise?

Here is what I have replaced in the past 3 months:
New Drag Link (both ends)
New Track Bar
New sway bar links
New Shocks
New Hubs both sides
New Upper and lower ball joints

All of the above got rid of 60% of the noise, but I am still hearing a knock when I turn left or right or go around a curve left or right....I have read every thread and cant seem to find a checklist for diagnosing clunks.....:dunno:

Last night I had my wife turn the wheel while I laid under the front end but the engine noise made it impossible to find the noise.

 

[AzPatMan]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you.
Replaced all but the shocks. I'm beginning to think it's just all the suspension and body bushings.

 

[1999_7.3L]

front axle U-joint?

 

[smokeum99ta]

Loose track bar bolt? It is susposed to be 410lb of torque I think. Just a thought that's what was clunking on my truck.

 

[tallyF350]

front axle U-joint?

How do I check the u-joint?

 

[1999_7.3L]

How many miles are on the rig?

 

[tallyF350]

How many miles are on the rig?

176000.00 rarly use 4wheel drive. When I did the ball joints and HUBs the ujoints seemed good, but that was just from handling them when I pulled them out on the shaft.

 

[1999_7.3L]

Thats the only thing i can think of, I couldnt begin to tell you how many front U joints i have put into fords in general. With that milage, they are probly original.

 

[tallyF350]

Is there a way to check the ujoints without removing them?

 

[Turbostang500]

I use a small prybar inside the joint and apply a little pressure while looking for movement. This wont help with a tight rusted up one but if you have a clunk then I doubt that part is tight! Lol

 

[tallyF350]

Loose track bar bolt? It is susposed to be 410lb of torque I think. Just a thought that's what was clunking on my truck.

How do you torque to 410 lbs?

 

[AzPatMan]

with one long pipe, sleeved on to the torque wrench!

 

[Turbostang500]

How do you torque to 410 lbs?

A 4:1 multiplier and a torque wrech set to 102 ft lbs. Input turns 4 times to 1 turn output. See if you can borrow one from an agricultural shop or a heavy truck shop. Seems high to me but I have never looked into it.

 

[tallyF350]

A 4:1 multiplier and a torque wrech set to 102 ft lbs. Input turns 4 times to 1 turn output. See if you can borrow one from an agricultural shop or a heavy truck shop. Seems high to me but I have never looked into it.

I am going to take it out tonight and see if the sound goes away then put it back in. This should eliminate it as a source of the clunk...

 

[Turbostang500]

Yeah that should. Just dont do any hard cornering! Lol

 

[tallyF350]

I took off the track bar and the noise was still there. So I took off the sway bar where it mounts to the axle and the clunk went away. I just replaced the end links and I thought the axle bushings looked ok.
Questions:
Are the end links supposed to move on the rubber bushing?
do these axle bushings look bad? I cant figure out where I would be getting metal to metal to make the clunk on the axle attachment.

 

[ars5147]

The clunk is usually from where the sway bar bushings are on the axle. My leaf sprung 6.0 would eat those bushing about every 10,000 miles. I got the lifetime warranty ones from autozone and would just return the worn out one for new ones. Ten minutes to change them and no more clunk.

The sway bar bushing clunk always sounded like something hitting the floor under my feet while driving. They can look fine and still make noise. Get some new ones, they are about $14.

 

[tallyF350]

The clunk is usually from where the sway bar bushings are on the axle. My leaf sprung 6.0 would eat those bushing about every 10,000 miles. I got the lifetime warranty ones from autozone and would just return the worn out one for new ones. Ten minutes to change them and no more clunk.

The sway bar bushing clunk always sounded like something hitting the floor under my feet while driving. They can look fine and still make noise. Get some new ones, they are about $14.

On the money!! That was it...I replaced the axel bushings and that fixed it..