My beloved 98' 4x4 w/ 69k is having an issue. If I turn or compress the suspension it makes a god aweful niose that sounds like turning a large rusted up bolt w/ a breaker bar. I've tried to determine exactly where it is coming from and the best that I can say is the right suspension/linkage area. The noise radiates so badly that once I think I have it figured out, the noise seems to move to another location. Very frustrating. I guess in some casses hearing in stereo is not a good thing! I've saturated everything w/ oil and it is worse than ever. Bc it happens when stopped and turning the wheel or when compression the suspension that it must be the tie rod.???

Anyone have a better way to track this down? I don't want to start replacing parts and still have the same problem.

BTW, the problem became drasticlly worrse over just 2 days.

Thanks!

 

Check your ball joints. Could also be your pitman arm, and tie rod ends contributing to the problem. Just replaced the upper and lower ball joints and pitman arm on a 99 F150 earlier today.

 

Anyone have any new information on this problem? I have the same type of problem going on with my 2000. When driving straight down the road it makes a horrible grinding noise and makes the whole truck humm. Take a turn to the left and the noise goes away, take a turn to the right noise stays with it. When going over bumps int he road that rock the truck pretty good the noise goes away when the front end seems to be compressing but returns as soon as the suspension settles down. I have thought about a wheel bearing or cv joint??? Any ideas anyone? I have jacked it up and rotated the tire but no noise what so ever. Any help woudl be great!
Thanks

 

Sounds like the wheel bearings need to be replaced.

 

i had that same problem. i had to replace the ball joints and tie rod ends

 

Mine turned out to be the lower ball joint. I had to shoot grease into the boot to get the noise to go away. It was tough to track down, but the noise has been gone for a couple weeks now. I have no slop in the joint, so I didn't replace it.

Yours sounds more like a bearing problem.

 

Thanks for everyones input aboptu the bearings. I was hopeing that it would be something cheap like a wheel weight int he tire or something!! haha I will jack er' up in the morning and see if anything moves, maybe disconnect the front end and take er' for a spin just to make sure it isnt a cv or something. I am with you all tho on the bearing. uuugh.. Anyone want to come and do it for me? hahaha I got beer!! Thanks everybody!

 

Check the sway bar linkage at the control arm. Make sure the rubber bushings are good and the long bolt isn't broken. A friend of mine had what sounds like your noises and he found the long bolt was sheared off but was missed on many checks of the front end.