I have a 94' 4X4 with a 5 speed and there are a few things going on up front that aren't right. Everthing is on and off. None of the problems are going on all of the time. Especially off when I get it to my mechanic! Hee, Hee. Anyway, there's a loud ticking sound, not the lifters, this is my third 4.0 equipped Ford so I'm pretty used to the 4.0's few downfalls. Its a highpitched ticking sound that gets faster and slower as speed increases or decreases. Also a banging sound? Sounds like something is trying to engage or disengage without my permission. If I pull over and engage the transfer case, and drive a bit, the noise, at least, goes away. My mechanic inspected the front end and found nothing. The loud banging sometimes occures at full use of the steering (during parking). Any suggestions?

 

I don't know about the clicking.
As for the banging, check the passenger side radius arm bushing.
These are notorious for going bad, because of the close proximity to the catlytic converter.
When you are in 4x4 drive the front wheels are pulling against the radius arm, thus quieting the banging.

 

I agree with the previous post. The passenger side strut rod bushings go bad and will exhibit the periodic banging you are referring to. The variable speed clicking you refer to may be related to the fan blade, serpentine belt, or on of the pulleys/tensioners. Does the clicking occur in park as you rev the engine, or does it only occur when it's moving??

 

The "clicking" sound only happens only when the truck is moving. The sound is speed sensitive. The noise will go away after I place the truck in then out of 4 wheel drive.

 

On the banging issue, the radius arms have the polyurethane bushings installed. You can feel banging through the floor boards! Kind of like if you rammed into a curb. I didn't do that. Thats how someone else describs it. A real hard bang.

 

I have had to work on my radius arm bushings 3 times in 200K miles. First was right side dealer warranty around 20K miles. Second time was left side at about 75K miles. At that time I decided to replace both sides with extra heavy duty rubber set( for an F150 I think). Those lasted to around 170K when one gave out again. This time, I replaced both with the polyurethane (red). If they live up to the claims of durability, they should last till the truck goes to that big crusher in the sky.
Remember to verify right side has the metal heat shield installed over the front bushing half (facing catalytic converter). If not there, get one and install when you install new bushings.
Dialtone

 

When the radious arm bushings go out or go bad did you feel the banging? Both of the cats have there heat sheilds banded on. Spot welds went a while ago. The bushings are the polyurethane kind so did these too go bad?:-staun

 

When a bushing goes bad, you can tell by the clunk, bump, bang or whatever you want to call it. It is most noticed when you hit a bump or pothole in the road, during quick stops, ect, and the sound comes from the floorboard area about where your feet are on the side with the problem. You cannot easily tell the bushing is bad just by looking at it from underneath without removing it (Unless it is completely destroyed) The part that goes bad is a neck like protrusion on the front bushing half that goes into the cross arm and insulates the radius arm from direct metal to metal contact with the cross arm support.

The metal heat shield I was referring to is not the cat shield itself, but a large cupcake holder shaped metal cover for the front half of the radius arm bushing on the right side only. If it is not there, any bushing installed will fail early because of the excessive heat generated by the catalytic converter in close proximity to it. If it is not there when you replace your bushing, get one and install it at that time.
Dialtone