Hi,

I have a 97 f150 S/C which I recently purchased. When I take off from a stop, I hear a noise from the rear end. For lack of a better description, it sounds like the rear breaks didn't fully release when I let up on the pedal so there is a clunk. I don't get it every time. The truck has the Off Road package with the 17" wheels and the towing package. The only after market mod is a Gibson exaust. Any ideas?

 

hey zeke there are two things. one this may be some normal clearence in the rearend( the standard dealer answer to the noise you are refering to. or I found out the hard way that the lugnuts on the 97 f150 are the wrong ones and do not properly hold the wheel in place allowing it to slip back wards as you start off making the clunking sound i think you are refering to. hope it helps. there was a recall on all of the 97 that came out in early 98 while I still had mine. goodluck.

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Mine makes the noise also, and I have heard others do it. I'm not gonna sweat too much over it till something breaks which I don't think will happen, just turn the radio up.

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TRC, 97 supercab off road, 4.6, 5 speed.

 

Do a search here on slip yokes. Have yours lubed.

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J Randall
jbirddog@uswest.net
Arizona F150 4x4 SC '97

 

Hi All,

Well, it appears that the lug nuts might be the problem. I finally got to look at them this past weekend. What an incredibly poor setup. I torqued the lug nuts down some more and the noise went away. Does any one know how to tell the difference between the old and new lug nuts. I am assuming I have the old ones. Thanks in advance.

 

Well.. i too have a 97 150 S/C.. i have the flareside lariat, but it doesnt seem to matter... its a universal problem.. i took mine to my dealer who i purchased it from.. the rear leaf srings were out of line.. they aligned them and all problems went away..

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1997 F150 Flareside Lariat Supercab.. Maroon over Beige..JVC El Kameleon CD Player.. Pretty much stock for right now.. will soon change

 

I had the problem too. My dealer put the clips on the leaf springs that keep them straight, that was not the fix. They then replaced the slip yoke, no more clunk

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1997 4x4 5.4 ORP XLT extended cab Dark Toreador red Westin nerf bars tint HARDER THAN A ROCK AND FASTER THAN A HEART BEAT

 

I also had the clunk when my truck was still under warranty. The dealer replaced the slip yoke and when I left he said "You'll be back". Well now I have taken the drive shaft down about every 7,500 miles and grease the slop yoke on the splines where it goes onto the transmission tail shaft. I haven't had any more "clunk" sounds from that trouble area. Just be sure to block the wheels and mark the other end of the drive shaft with the pinion plate as the driveshaft needs to be put back up in the same postion.
(White lithium grease)
Hope this helps.

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RED-ONE
Red/Silver '97 F150 4x4 SC Lariat, Longbed, 5.4L, Auto, 3.55 LS, Power Grey Leather Captain Chairs, Tow Package, Sliding Rear Window, 10 disk CD changer, K&N air cleaner with housing modification, True Dual Exhaust out the back with chrome tips, 36" glasspacks, Nerf Bars, Extang soft top Tonneau cover, color matched front Bug Deflecter, window drip guards, cranked torsion bars, custom spring pack for rear, Michelin LTX A/T LT265/75R16.
5700lbs of rolling blue oval fun.

 

The bad, my wheels gonna fall off, lug nuts are silver. The new recall ones are black. If ya got silver nuts, go get black ones. Ya know what they say, once ya go black ya never go back. Or at least that's what I've heard. There is a recall on this and it won't cost you one cent. There is also one on the rear leaf springs you may have.

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1997 F-150, 4.6, automatic, Dark Toreador Red, Supercab, Flareside, 4X4 Off-Road, Towing Package, Chrome Grizzly Wrap Around Push Bar, Ford bedliner, Code Alarm Sure Start RVS remote starter, and Lots of TLC!! (Besides being an F-150 nut, I am a Ford auto technician.)

 

Sycoholic,
I found that I already have the new lug nuts. What is the spring problem?

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97 F150 Super Cab, Flare Side, Black over Silver, ORP, Towing Package, Gibson Exhaust, Smittybilt Frame Mount Blk Powdercoat Bars

 

Well, i thought that the springs were the problem.. but you can say i told you so.. It was the slip yoke.. what ford wont tell you is that they put out a TSB, NOT a RECALL for it as they did with the leaf springs.. i am having that slip yoke fixed on thursday so i will let you know how everything turns out..

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1997 F150 Flareside Lariat SC.. Dark Toreador Red/Gold..K&N Filtercharger..JVC El Kameleon CD Player.. Pretty much stock for right now.. will soon change