2002 F150 4x4 SCrew

This has been done on the truck:

Upper Ball Joints/Control Arm
Lower Ball Joints
Front Wheel Bearings
Sway bar end links (done previously)
Idler arm
Inner tie rod ends
outer tie rod ends
Alignment done
Shocks

All bushings relating to above have been replaced or inspected.

Still have a clunk when going over noticeable bumps like small pot holes. It's loud enough that I thought it was wheel bearings and ball joints. Those were bad, which is why they were replaced, but thats not the cause. Now I know.

What in the HELL can cause this clunky noise? Im at a loss. It's got 250k on it so now that Ive got the front end good, I may seriously consider ditching it if I cannot pinpoint it.

 

you sure its the front end ? how about body mounts to frame, or rear axle hangers, etc ? how about sway bar frame mount/ clamp.

 

No, Im not SURE its from the front. I just know it sounds like its from the front when the front wheels go over bumps. I did check the sway bar where it bolts to the frame in the front. You can move the sway bar back and forth a little, but the rubber is totally intact. I don't think that's it.

Keep throwing out ideas, and ill check one by one.

 

have you checked the exhaust manifolds...yeah you should hear some extra rumbling when its running...so that is pretty far fetched.

still obscure....check the tranny mount?

closer to the front wheel bearing?

 

The noise is considerably reduced when I removed that shock on that side. Still did it a few times though. I hit the bottom mount with the impact wrench, but Im certain its tighter than spec and Im not willing to crank on it any more. Probably just have to live with the noise until it gets worse and can be identified.

The other thing I noticed is that the axle shaft on that side is 'loose' Its torqued down, but you can grab the black part and move it inboard and outboard and get a metal on metal sound. Is that normal? Could that be the cause?

 

if the rubbers on the shock mounts or the hole is enlarged, you might have the bolt torqued, but still have slop inside the fitting. Sometimes an extra washer or a new bushing will help that ,............ not sure what "axle" you are talking about. If your on the front half shaft, the shaft should be TIGHT in the wheel hub and the 32 - 34 mm bolt (?) should be tight and not move........ on the backside between the tire and the differential you will have some wiggle / play in the slip joint, CV joint. It should not wobble but can extend as needed when the wheel goes up and down on shock, or you turn corners/

 

I think he means end play in the hub (in and out on the splines)
that wouldn't be good
If so, that's probably the noise

 

I think I was one of the first people that had the front end "clunk". My solution? I removed the oem transfercase and went with a aftermarket "atlas 2.0" with a redesigned driveshaft etc. Never had the "clunk" again.
Mine was in the "YOKE", yours may be the same.

 

The shocks are BRAND NEW...like three weeks old. I think Im going to have to buy some chassis ears. There is nothing on the front of this GD thing that is loose or sloppy or otherwise out of whack. Its only when going over bumps that I hear it and its only on that side. Im going to take out the shocks altogether and see if the noise goes away. Then, im going to swap them when I put them back and see if the noise moves. Maybe the new Bilsteins are defective. The Axle halves are OK according to the description above. The wife says the noise sounds like its at the firewall or on the side. It LITERALLY sounds like a loose hubcap (which I don't have), or like there is a loose socket buried in the frame rail....which is not possible....metal on metal and its loud enough that I cannot drown it out with the radio comfortably. If I didnt just do the ball joints and hubs bearings, I would swear to god that's what it was. This noise is actually the reason I spent 3 weeks doing this work in my drive.....and I didn't get it. F---

 

Z97 ------what "yoke" and "clunk" are we talking about ? The rear drive shaft splines would make a "clunk" when shifting from fed- rev, and torqueing the shaft.. the fix was to remove and grease the splines.......... I think the original poster was talking about a "clunk" when he hits a bump ..?

 

All I know is I had a "clunk" that FORD could not solve, so I took it into my own hands and replaced my oem borg warner tranfercase with a after market "atlas 2.0" and a redesigned drive shaft.
I've not had ANY clunk since. If "ag" has replaced his whole front end to no end....then he may want to entertain that his yoke is causing the problem.
At least consider it.
Just a thought.

 

Man, I thought I had it! Hood was really sloppy. But...not it. :/

It could be the yoke. But if is it, im not replacing anything related to that. Its an old truck. 4WD still works great.....if thats what it is, its purely an annoyance. Im more concerned for safety...I wish I could locate the noise...even if I opted not to fix it. The axles in the front seem loose, I can rattle them with my hand, but its not enough mass to make the noise I hear. The steering shaft in the engine bay has about a 1/2" of up and down slop in it, but again, it does it when turning too, and that binds up the shaft to prevent movement up and down...so its not that.

It actually sounds like its independent of which side I run over bumps with. Not sure what it is, but Im pretty confident at this point that whatever it is....its going to fall off when it finally comes completely loose. It might work itself out. Its loud....

I cannot duplicate it going over speed bumps. It takes a specific sharp bump or depression to make it do it.

I broke down and bought some chassis ears....im going to try them out when the weather dries up.

 

AG
I have a new yoke that I will NEVER use again so, If you want it for $20 plus shipping you can have it.
I still have the receipt for it. F67Z-4841-CC = $161.93.
Let me know.

 

What is the 'yoke'? Perhaps I can check mine and see if that is what it is?

 

Yoke is typically the ends at which the driveline attaches. You will have one at the pumpkin, and the transfer case. If you have some excessive 'wiggle' then it could be worn bearings/yoke. But sometimes it is such a subtle difference that it may be hard to feel.

I would jack up the front end, tires off the ground, and 'wiggle' the entire drive train for the front. You may find it that way. Otherwise, on the ground there may be enough pressure that you would not notice a difference/problem.