so it wasn't the outer tie rods

[redleg6]

Went over to my dad's house this morning to tackle the tie rods. Got the truck in the air and the stands under it. Driver side front wheel comes off and I start my initial visual inspection. The tie rods on there now did not have any loose play in the them at all.

The recently replaced sway bar links were still good to go and the sway bar bushings/brackets did not appear to be worn. Actually the sway bar bushings looked newer than I expected. The upper ball joints were replaced recently as well, so I'm ruling these items out for the noise.

The upper control arm bushings showed some wear and should be replaced on both sides when time/money prevail. The lower control arm bushings were difficult to see, but I'm thinking new lca's are in order.

I grabbed onto and shook every possible movable part I could find except the Bilsteins.

After eliminating as much as I could think of I now wondering what else the noise could be.


I will get an iPhone video today of my driving through the neighborhood to catch the sound.

I'm sure Roadie will chime in, which I don't mind at all. Just irritated after a somewhat wasted morning, but still have not figured out what it is.

:banghead: (pretty much sums up my feelings)

 

[nopaybob]

As far as front end noise. There is some torque on the stabilizer bar and it may seem good and tight. However you can use a bar against the sway bar and check for movement with the front stabilizer bushings, Any movement can result in noise when driving.

In case you didn't, I'd advise to check your parts with the tire on. With one person observing and another moving the tire side to side, push&pull on the bottom and then with a bar under the tire for up and down, movement in ball joints, control arm bushings and tie rods should be addressed.

 

[triz]

That is correct. The sway bar has tension on it and most likely wont be able to tell just by shaking it. In fact it probably feels tight as hell.

I had the same problem with a thunk over bumps. I just replaced the swaybar links with the suspensionmaxx units and the noise was gone.

 

[redleg6]

sorry for posting late, ive got bronchitis and some weird upper respitory thing

heres the vid i took today, its on my photobucket, you can hear the sound really well just after the start

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/...4389B17-2900-0000043EF34656F5_zps470ce61f.mp4

 

[nopaybob]

sorry for posting late, ive got bronchitis and some weird upper respitory thing

heres the vid i took today, its on my photobucket, you can hear the sound really well just after the start

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/...4389B17-2900-0000043EF34656F5_zps470ce61f.mp4

Sounded like links to me, I would sink down in the seat drivin through our little town, On little bumps I would hear TING! , or CLANG! Mine were bad in the rear though. I was so embarrassed lol

 

[Ryda55555]

sorry for posting late, ive got bronchitis and some weird upper respitory thing

heres the vid i took today, its on my photobucket, you can hear the sound really well just after the start

http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/...4389B17-2900-0000043EF34656F5_zps470ce61f.mp4

[video=youtube_share;udS-OcNtSWo]http://youtu.be/udS-OcNtSWo[/video]

 

[Mooseman]

I also say end links. Use a pry bar and pry the sway bar up and down. Could also be the nuts that holds them came loose (had that happen to me a few times). When you replace them, use red Loctite and torque those suckers down as tight as you can. Found this video that is similar to our trucks and is pretty good for checking for suspension noises. It's a bit long with lots of blah, blah, blah so just go to 6:00 to get to the important stuff. Only difference is we don't have strut rods.

[video=youtube;scFbb43fwqk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scFbb43fwqk&NR=1&feature=endscreen[/video]

 

[seanpooh]

Eric the Car Guy does have some good videos to learn from. As for noises... when you jack the truck up and shake things, it's not the same as having a 2.5 ton weight loading the suspension. When my LCA bushings were worn, they would make a "creeeeek" noise when I applied the brakes and the nose dipped down.

Clanking always came from the sway bar links, especially if the sway bar bushings are worn which doesn't help but make more noise.

I noticed that you have a 4x4, did you take a hold of those CV half shafts and shake them? They might have play also. The front axle disconnect is nitorious of bearing failure which leads to a lose CV.

Another suggestion is shocks. I think the test was when the truck is on the ground, push on it and it shouldn't bounce more than two times... I really can't recall but give it a try.