Creaking noise in the front end?
 

I have a terrible creaking noise in the front end of the truck. It only happens when turning and the truck is on the ground. I have tried tracking this darn noise down but it seems impossible. It almost sounds like a metal on metal noise yet I cant find anything involved with the steering to cause the noise. It's like a creaking/clunking sound with some ticking like it gets snagged on something.

Has this happened to anyone else? I've heard a few local truck with the same noise but they cant figure it out either and neither can the shop. The noise is frustrating as hell:-arrgh

Check your ball joints for lack of lubrication, as well as your tie rod ends and pittman arm.

I had a similar noise in my '86 bronco. It turned out to be the upper shock mount bushings, they were worn completely out and the threads on the shock were rubbing on the hole in the coil spring tower and causing the creaking while turning and taking off.

Weird.. Shocks are nearly brand new doetsch tech shocks with urethane bushings so I'm sure those are fine. Tie-rod ends are ok so that would leave the pitman arm. I have not checked that nor do I know how to. What do they do when they are no good and whats the best way to check it?

I've read somewhere that someone found a metal plate in the sub-frame that was just riveted in and causing movement. But I cant find the thread anymore nor that plate

I will make a video of it tomorrow.

Dry axle u joints? These still have to pivot even in 2wd.

since we dont know what truck you're talking about, I'll add that it could be kingpins... maybe 86 was the last year for them though. Probably a ball joint, do they have grease fittings? Shock bushings wouldnt make noise just turning the wheel.

Truck is an 89 F150 2wd 302. Has brand new and greased u joints. No grease fittings on the balljoints and replacing those SOB's looks to be a pain.

You can poke a hole in the dust boots on the ball joints and squirt some lube in that way.

ahh good idea... what kind of lube would be best? Same grease for u joints and such or like some white lithium or wd-40?

On a 2wd the ball joints should be fairly easy, rent a ball joint press,a pickle fork and either a 1 1/8 or 1 1/16 wrench.

I have tried tackling them before.. What a PITA! Needless to say I still have brand new in the box ones. I used all that before and no luck.. getting them out and pressed in was a joke.

was told the ball joints in these are nearly indestrucatble and that the noise coild be in my radius arms. Lucky me I have new bushings for those as well.

Now those radius arm bushings are a real pain. Best way to do those is drill out the rivots and rebolt the brackets on.