hey it is a 92 f150 2wd with the 4.9 and aod tranny,



just recently i began getting a sort of popping noise when i hit certain bumps as if something was loose and knocking together...

and on occasion i also get a sound similar to like a dry cvjoint in an axle binding up....when i turn the wheel....i only get these sounds at random times....not at one set speed or ever time i turn to the left...its not like that ....

i have a lot of new parts in the front end...as follows

new coils installed by a trusted garage,new shocks ,1 new inner and outer tie rod also new rotors,pads,wheel bearings done by me ,front end alignment and new tires done by the same place that did the coils...

last night i jacked up the truck on th brackets for the (what i believe to be called radius arms)below the cab...and let the suspension "flop" and grabbed everything and shook the life out of it ....including the tire top+bottom to check balljoints(very lil play left side)tie rods both sides(tight),shocks+springs both sides(tight),(again "radius arm ends toward back both sides)(no play),spindle nuts both side(tight)

whatever it is it has to be in the left front ...with the clunk/pop that comes and goes i can feel something like an impact from whatever is moving around on the floorboard(is solid not rotted) this makes me think of the "radius arm bushings" which i have heard are commonly known to "fail"

but i really dont know ...i think im going to put in new balljoints and hope thats my problem

any thoughts are appreciated

H E L P

 

hey, my 94 f150 has the exact same problem, and its driving me crazy. PLEASE let me know how your ball joint work comes out, because if its good results for you, then i know its my joints, and i can stop sweating. thanks in advance, piperc

 

My 93 F 150 did the same thing.It turned out to be a loose brake pad in the left caliper.I just wahcked the corners with a hammer and problem solved.

 

it happens when i use the brake, or if i turn up hill. what did you smack with a hammer?

 

The caliper

 

pancake-

Your problem is more than likely the ball joints. The allowed limit for movement when moving the wheel the way you did is only 1/32". In other words, if it moves (and the wheel bearings are seated), the ball joints are bad. Specifically, the way you're supposed to do it is to support the front end on two jackstands, one underneath each I-beam directly below each coil spring. Then have a friend try to rock the wheel while observing where the spindle attaches to the I-beam (the ball joints). If there is 1/32" or more movement between the I-beam and the spindle, they need to be replaced. BTW, you should always replace anything suspension related in sets, so do the top and bottom on both sides at the same time.

 

I had a similar problem on my 1995 F-150 2WD. I replaced the drivers side radius arm bushing and the noise went away.

 

Same with mine....

Same exact noise... ended up being the drivers side radius arm bushing.... front end was dead tight... even went as far as checking tranny and motor mounts.

 

well, i had a similar noise in my front end of my 94 lightning, but mine would do it if i was pulling into a driveway at an angle were the body/frame would flex...took me 2 years to find the noise....ended up being the front fender attatching bolts (2) near the hood hindge/spring assembly. thers like this carboard looking spacer that goes between the fender and the cab frame that would move back and fourth cause a clunk noise. i replaced my sorta-worn ball joints, but that didnt solve the problem.... hopefully that helps....if it does, id like to know

 

1995 ford 150 long bed here. similar noise. Mechanic says it's Radius Arm Bushing, and I can see it. Now how can I replace it? Can I just remove the rear bracket holding the Radius Arm? There is a rivet there, can I just remove it and replace with bolt, or rivet? Or do I have to drop the whole front suspension?

 

There is some good information out there to replace the bushings. Check a Haynes or Chilton manual. The AutoZone website also has a pretty good repair guide. From what I recall you have to take a lot of stuff off to get the bushing out. Nothing complicated, but time consuming. And then you should have the truck aligned after the work is done. I was on the road alot when mine needed replaced so I took it to a garage. It was $90 for parts, labor and alignment. Hope this helps.

S.