trying to figure out if it's my driver side ball joints or shock that is bad. yesterday I was going through a neighborhood with speed bumps and the read wasn't the nicest of roads, either way even going over them slowly you could hear a pretty decent squeek. Sounded like when you open a rusted door on a car and close it. I dont hear it really when driving, but then I also have a 40 series muffler that helps keep sounds like that un noticed.

When I got home I went to the passenger side and pushed on the truck, rocking the truck side to side. The passenger side had no noice, but you could hear it on the driver side. It's pretty loud I'd say.

I guess I"m trying to figure out if it's the shock or the balljoints. truck is a 97 4x4 xlt with 115k miles. Shocks are orginals I'm sure.

Any help on determining which one it is would be helpful.

 

Id say shocks, do you know when the last time they were changed was?

 

I dont think they have been changed ever......
I'm not the original owner of the truck, but I would think they are the original shocks.

Is there a common way to tell which one it would be without just replacing them. (joints vs shock)

 

I've read on here people say you can lift the wheel off the ground and try to rock it from top to bottom and if you've got play in there the balljoints are shot. I've never tried it personally though.

 

I've heard the same thing, I'll give that a shot tonight.

I'm hoping it's the shocks....not really looking forward to doing the ball joints.

 

If they are original they are bad. Replace them. Stock shocks are junk and most do not last past 50K.

 

I turned the wheels with windows down and can hear the squeeking.

I put the fron end up in the air. The tire has no movement up and down, but a little bit of side to side(in out pulling on tire). Since the ball joints are on top and bottom I figured a sign of them being bad would be and up and down movement. Both sides have the same little side to side movement.

I looked at my lower joints, they too had been replaced at some point. They had greese fitting too. I noticed some tears in the boots, I went ahead and greased both till the grease started to come out. I still squeed though witch leads me to think its the shock.

Adding the grease in there should have atleast quiete it down or stopped it for a little.

When I push down on the front bumper/hood, the squeeking is there, and has some bounce to it. I was told front end is not suppose to have bounce but be firm.

Thoughts? I think I'm going to replace the shocks as well since they look to be the originals ones and have about 115k on them.

 

Sounds identical to what mine does. I think it's the control arm bushings.

 

Well replaced the front shocks last night, going to do the rear tonight.

Either way I pushed down on the front bumper last night and the sound was not there. When I got to work this morning thought I put the window down and there is still sound coming from the fron left.

So I'm back to the drawing board.

You mention control arm bushing.....by chance can you share a picture of where that is to make sure i"m looking at the right part.

I came across a thread talking about he pitman arm being a commong issue on these trucks and they can cause this issue as well.

Thoughts,

ps: Like I said, the tires will not move up or down, it's tight. I greased the joints, so it atleas shouldn't squeel right now correct? Still just trying to rule those darn ball joints out.