I have noticed over the last month or so that I have a rattling sound coming from my front - drivers side. I have only heard it when riding down farm/woods roads while hunting. It only seems to occur with the oscillation of the front suspension due to the rough terrain. Now, I’m not talking about flying down the road at 35mph, merely easing down the road at 5-10 mph it is very audible. It sounds like something is loose up there.

However, the other day I put the truck on jack stands, removed the front - drivers side tire, and couldn't find anything loose. I visually checked both sides and couldn't find any nut that looked backed off or anything suspect. The truck has an Auto Spring leveling spacer that I installed myself, so I'm familiar with the front suspension.

Then, with both tires mounted and the truck on jack stands I couldn't get any movement/play out of either side. Which would make me think its not a ball joint, so I'm stumped.

The only other possibility that I can think of is a blown shock. Considering the truck only has 38k on it I find that hard to believe.

I also have a weird noise coming from the rear suspension. When transversing over bumps or through dips. It doesn’t have to be a big change, just a sharp one. It sounds like there is slop back there. When the weight sifts off one side and to another you can here a kinda thud. I have no idea what this could be, but both of these noises are very audible with windows up and A/C on.

So, does anyone have an insight or suggestions. I bought this truck new with the idea of keeping it for a while, so I would like to get these issues fixed before they become more costly.

The truck is an '04 S-Cab 4x4

 

Did you try checking the torque on the sway bar endlinks where they connect to the A arms? Mine made noise, actually a clunking sound, when I didn't tighten them properly.

 

No, I didn't because I couldn't remember what they were suppose to be torqued to. I know I torqued everything back to factory specs. when I installed the spacer 3 years ago , but I have since misplaced the specs. for everything. Do you know them off hand?

 

I think it's 35ft lbs.

John

 

Did you take a pry bar under the tire and try to lift up while observing your bottom ball joints? You'll need to use something for leverage to make that quick bump like movement to hear the clunk. If you hear the cluck and see movement then your bottom ball joints are bad. Also with the truck on the ground try lifting up the upper control arm to check to see if it moves.

Far are torque I don't see any values for that on alldata. Oh I found it, it is 35 lbs.

 

My AF1 intake hits the hood, check that out.

 

ah ok i see what your saying, but don't the heat liner on the hood deaden the sound to where you don't hear it.

 

I have the same exact problem. I have the driverside rattle at slow speeds on rough roads. Drives me crazy. Me and the guys at work spent a couple hours the other day trying to find it. I have finally given up. I'm going to take it to a frontend shop to see if they can find it. I wrote a post about it several months ago with no luck.

 

Same noise, but on the pass side for me. I am eager to see if anyone has a solution to this.......

 

Its the lower ball joint. I have the same noise, and you can kinda feel it in the floorboard of the truck. I never got any play out of the lower until the other day, I finally got some play out of it on a lift with a prybar.

 

Well I wish I could say its reassuring to discover its not an isolated problem, but is not. When I tried to get play out of it I was just using my own muscle and leverage, but I will try the pry bar method soon.

So, the consensus is that its the lower ball joint in the lower A-arm. I can't believe I'm already talking about having to replace ball joints at 38k, thats a bunch of crap. Can these be removed and replaced or is it like the upper where you have to replace the whole arm? I don't even want to know how much that cast aluminum arm costs.

Anyone have any idea about the rear axle thud/clunk?

 

I wouldn't condemn the lower ball joint. It's far more likely to be the sway bar link. Sometimes you have to remove it to feel the slop in the joints.
As far as the noise in the rear try sliding some cardboard between the leaf spring segments.

 

I checked every joint on the truck, tightened everything and finally got out the prybar and quickly gave it an up and down and the ball joint had obvious play. I had about ~40k when I first heard it and now at 50K I finally was able to get play out of it. It has a snap ring on it, but I wonder what is involved in replacing it. I know all of the cars I work on, it is pressed into the steering knuckle and has to be pressed out with a special tool. I hope this one is easier

 

remove the snap ring, press out with the c-clamp & cup tool. Check ebay or summit racing. Prices are pretty much the same for a descent tool though @ $100.

 

You can probably get the tool from Advance Auto's Loan a Tool Program!