I am borderline stroke level with my 04 F-150 4X4 new style front end. I hear creeks and groans, especially when turning back to the left and I can’t stand to drive it with the windows down… I also hear it over small speed like bumps: it’s bad enough that I get these strange looks from people in the parking lots as I drive by but I am also concern that this could be a safety issue.
Here is what I have done. I replaced my front “coil-overs” at 35,000 and added a 2 inch level kit. Now before you start pointing at the level kit, this issue has started over the last 5,000 miles (at least noticeable to me) and it been 2 years since I did the level kit. Now at 51,000 the noise is unbearable...
I have jammed a needle grease point into the ball joints since I can’t grease the OEM joints, sprayed every conceivable moving part under the front end with grease from a can and the result, only a small amount of relief. Any ideas??? Can't find the problem!!!
I’m frigg’in goin batty over this…

 

I think your bushings are doing that.

 

bushings?

As in stabilizer bushings? Any way to check them???

I just crawled under and hit all the body mounts with an impact and they all turned but I didn't really torque them down... I had the driver's side head replaced this spring and thought they may have lifted the cab to have the clearance to pull the head. Very little difference.

 

well I would crawl underneath again heh with a good flashlight and check the rubbers around your sway bar etc for cracks, maybe take a screwdriver and see if the rubber is still in decent condition and not dried up. Have you ever just tried "bouncing" the suspension while the truck is sitting and listening where the noise is coming from? Get the truck rocking a bit.

 

I have tried to isolate the noise but to no avail... It seems as if it is coming from the driver's side but that is the best we can do. My 16 year old daughter has much better hearing than me and she can't pin point it either.
The only thing I know about bushings is the wear marks on the point of contact... That is the only way I know how to judge them.
I have been volunteering at the County Fair all week and after a small trailer repair tomorrow I am going to search under there a bit more and post my findings.

 

Get a length of hose and put it to your hear and use the other end to fish around for the sound. This is a easy way to locate that hidden sound. I'd guess something is loose/worn with the sway bar also. Sway bar bushings are pretty cheap.

Also double check the torque on the leveling kit regardless. You may also have some dry ball joints. but both those give you more of a thump to rattle sounds.

 

I found a couple of photos on the web showing how worn bushings will show wear on the metal parts so I will be checking that later this morning...

I picked up a small pin that goes on the end of my grease gun and jammed it into the ball joints to grease them; yes I know I will need to replace them now but I am still trying to locate this noise, which is more of a creaking or the sound of a door when you pull it open...

 

I am going to post a recap of this issue: First of all I am frustrated with this creaking noise. I can tell you that when I did drive down to the dealer to have it checked out it was raining pretty well. When the tec got in and took it for a ride around the lot NO creak noise at all. ??? So evidently water lubes up whatever is dry or worn and then there is no creaking.
After I crawled under there and sprayed everything that move I still have the creaks when turning left mostly, a little to the right but mostly left. There is also a small bit of noise (creaking) when bouncing the front end. It seems to be coming from the driver’s side but that is as far as I can pin point. May be someone can pinpoint something to look at closely because of the primary annoyance is when turning left.

 

Are you sure it isnt coming from the back? My truck groans like crazy but it comes from the leaf springs popping and cracking because the grease/pads/whatever is in them has worn out and metal on metal makes god awful noises. lol.

 

There is a noise that come from the rear (I think) but its a whirling like noise when I am turning. I believe the dealer sprayed something on some sort of boot and it stopped for a couple of days. That noise goes up and down in pitch and has something to do with the rear end (again I think).
The creaking is most embarrassing and annoying. It does seem to be in the area of the drivers front wheel and you hear it mostly when turning left.
I am causing more damage to the components of the truck just trying to find the cause. I have poked the outer tie rod ends and ball joint to shoot grease in there and still the noise.
My only relief is when a good country tune comes on the radio I crank it up and can't hear the damm thing anymore...

 

Sorry but this makes me laugh, its like an itch you cant scratch and driving you nuts!, I know if I saw my friends under a truck going nuts trying to find a creak and groan I would laugh pretty hard. :P
Can you record it somehow? This is so bad its gonna start driving ME nuts! hehe!
When I had creaking problems in the past it usually came out of a bushing, if you have the front jacked up and turn side to side does it creak?

 

i had a very similar thing going on w/ my tuck. I swear it was coming from the front and it ended up being both upper rear shock bushings. You can easily check the shock bushings for excessive play but bouncing your box up and down from in front of the wheel well while looking at the bushings. My upper shock bolts ob longed the mounting holes and the squeak i head anyways was the back-side of the bolt head rubbing.

 

old trucks are supposed to make alot of noise. thats designed into them so you go crazy and go buy a new one.

get some good penetrating lube spray like triflo teflon. start by spraying the rear leaf springs where the leafs come together and rub. then hit other areas that might cause the noise and would be silenced when getting wet in the rain. i had a 90 f150 that the leafs made a lot of noise. shot some lps2 in there and they were quiet for a month or so.

 

That is one that I have tried and the answer is NO. If I raise the front off the tires the noise stops. I know there is a noise from the tires but this is more like a bad door creaking... almost puts me in mind of the noise that I heard from a couple of the plugs I took out several months back. Its more than likely metal on metal.
I hate to say it but I may have to drop the shock tower this weekend just to look for play. Shocks are new but stioll at 51,000 this is crazy.

 

it really sounds like ball joints to me. jack it up and check them for play