Noticed yesterday I have a really bad squeeking sound coming from the driver side. Noticed it while going over some bumby road and some speed bumps. I can't really hear it while normal driving, but with the radio off and going over the speed bumps slowly you can really hear the sound. Sound like something that needs major lube. The sound it only coming from the driver side.

With the car off, I can go to the either side driver or passenger and rock the truck and hear the sound on the driver side. It's annoying. Sounds like a door that needs major grease added.

Question I have, Is it the ball joints or something else in the suspension. I really haven'nt noticed the sound when turning, just when going over slight imperfections in the road or over speed bumps.

I wasn't sure when shocks go out what it sounds like.
Whats a good way to make sure it's the ball joints?

This is on my 97 F150 4x4 automatic with the 4.6.

 

Also, I was reading over some posts. Are the lower ones that usually go bad?

Besides the squeel, what can happen safety wise? The squeel got real notacible yesterday and I probably wont be able to tackle this job till the weekend. Just want to make sure I dont loose a wheel, while driving.

 

I am having the same issue on my 98 F150...We are starting with the shocks because it is a cheap fix (and the need replaced) and then if that doesnt work we are going to look at tie-rod ends. My upper ball joints are good, but I am going to look at the lowers as well. Will let you know what we find out!

 

Welcome to FTE EllsworthFordMan! The squeaking in the front end over bumps is the lower ball joints going bad. Good luck!

 

Would they also be making that nose if the truck is stopped and you turn the steering wheel? It creaks as you turn it and as I go over bumps.

Thanks! I am really glad I found this site and look forward to contributing!

 

If the lowers are particularly dry, I could see that too.

 

My 97 Has the same issue,The lower ball joints have evidently been replaced,as they have grease fittings. The uppers however dont. I lubed the lowers hoping that the noise would go away . It did not. Im figuring that its the uppers at least in my case.
Either way,I agree its gonna be ball joints.

 

Yea same thing here, I turned the wheels with windows down and can hear the squeeking.

I put the fron end up in the air. The tire has no movement up and down, but a little bit of side to side(in out pulling on tire). Since the ball joints are on top and bottom I figured a sign of them being bad would be and up and down movement. Both sides have the same little side to side movement.

I looked at my lower joints, they too had been replaced at some point. They had greese fitting too. I noticed some tears in the boots, I went ahead and greased both till the grease started to come out. I still squeed though witch leads me to think its the shock.

Adding the grease in there should have atleast quiete it down or stopped it for a little.

When I push down on the front bumper/hood, the squeeking is there, and has some bounce to it. I was told front end is not suppose to have bounce but be firm.

Thoughts? I think I'm going to replace the shocks as well since they look to be the originals ones and have about 115k on them.

 

If it's making the noise when you turn the wheel, good chance it's the pitman arm. Get a needle greese adapter for your grease gun and inject some grease into the pitman arm boot. Worked great on mine. FYI, when I replaced the original ball joints on my truck at 90k, there was still good, clean grease in them. I have much more confidence in those "sealed" joints than I used to.

 

Thanks for the tip, Joe- I am putting it up today to go through it....I also get to replace a wheel bearing and brakes/rotors

 

Well replaced the front shocks last night, going to do the rear tonight.
Either way I pushed down on the front bumper last night and the sound was not there. When I got to work this morning though I put the window down and there is still sound coming from the front left.
So I'm back to the drawing board.
Someone mention control arm bushing.....by chance can anyone share a picture of where that is to make sure i"m looking at the right part.

Pitman arm, Picture of it would be nice too, why would it cause the squeeking I'm hearing? Looks like they are a cheap part to replace, is there a lot of labor involved?

Thoughts,

ps: Like I said, the tires will not move up or down, it's tight. I greased the joints, so it at least shouldn't squeel right now correct? Still just trying to rule those darn ball joints out.

 

To check the ball joints properly, jack the truck up under the lower control arms so that the suspension is loaded just like it is sitting on the ground. Get it up a enough to slide a 2x4 or prybar under the tire. Alternately, lift up on the tire with the 2x4 and then release it and check for movement in the upper and lower ball joints. This may require someone to do the looking while you are doing the lifting. Good luck!

 

It is official...The noise on my side was the lower ball joints. Both were loose

 

by movement, what am I looking for?

Also, if I greased the lower one, wouldn't the noice go away temporarily if it was the lower one? Planning to grease the top tonight. Just want to find out what is making the noice before throwing money into parts that might not need replaced yet.

Anything else to check that could cause the squeeking?

 

With the suspension loaded like that, the movement can only show up in the ball joints since the wheel has no forces acting on it except the pressure you are applying with the 2x4. Easy to see where the looseness is if there is any. Good luck!