Clunking sound in front end
 

'01 F250 SD 95k miles. when i drive over bumps, manhole covers, potholes in the road there is some definate clunking in the front end. I thought it could be that my shocks were shot since they are original to the truck but now im not so sure. i jacked the truck up yesterday and shook the wheel around and it didnt wobble at all so i guess its not the tie rods. Maybe I should just change the shocks and see what happens.
Any ideas about my truck?

sway bar bushings...

either end links or the fat bushings that surround the sway bar itself is the most common culprit for that sound...

x2.....I just did mine and all is tight up front now. I started with shocks, that wasnt it. next was swaybar end links still didnt fix the clunk last I did the bushing and they were completely stretched and worn down to the metal.

Try to snug the bottom shock bolts up. My truck had a clunk or rattle when I'd cross over manholes or seams in the road and I found that the lower shock bolts needed to be tightened. Seemed to fix mine.

My SD did the same thing. It was the sway bar links, check the bushings while your at it.

I had the same problem. After replacing links, sway bar bushings, front upper and lower ball joints it ended up being an upper bushing on one of my front shocks. Could have saved $1,200 bucks by STARTING there!!!

Sway bar and end link bushings was the fix for me......

2004 F250 Sway Bar Bushing Replacement

Just finished up ALL my sway bar links yesterday with a good set of Moogs. What a job! Wasn't too bad until you get to the one that bolts up to the frame by the tank, what a major pita to get out, but I got it done - finally. Front 60 ft/lbs, rear 52 ft/lbs torque. Now the trick is finding sway bar bushings that fit my not so little lady. Front bar is 1.25" dia w/1.5" bracket width/face. Same size bracket in rear but bar is .75" dia. Only able to find Moog bushings for bracket width of either 2.15" or 1.875". Trying to avoid going with raybestos but may have to if I can't find Moog brand

So far, just with end links replaced she ride's and sounds mucho bettero!!

energy suspension as 1975 stroppebaja said, i did mine and the track bar bushings also and my truck has never been better. and cheap too, but you willl need a shop press thank goodness i bought one this summer

I made/used a homemade press. Vise and about a 4" length of pipe stock, worked like a champ and cost about $3.

Can you show a pic of this?

Not the greatest pic seeing as it was dark out when I took it but it's a 1 1/4 x 4" pipe nipple and 6" vise with one of the old factory link bolts laying on the anvil. Do you have the original ones still on your truck? It's easy to tell as there is no nut on one end of the link bolt only a flat flange. As I'm sure you know the new link bolts will have a bolt head on this end.

Getting the old ones off was the real chore. I had to use a good set of vise grips to hold that flange once the fitting was beginning to loosen to keep this flange/bolt from either spinning in the link or the rubber link flexing when trying to loosen. When I got to the one that was a major pita, one by the tank on the frame (driver side rear) had to have my wife hold the vise grip in place using the leaf spring as stop for the vise grips while she was laying on the tire in the wheel well (she loved it :'() while I was underneath stuffed between the diff and shock. I have a 6" lift on my ole girl but it was still tight quarters under there. Only enough room for me to ratchet back 1-2 clicks between grunts and I wasn't about to drop the tank or pull the bed for one bolt. If you can get your truck on a mechanic's lift instead of laying on the ground would make a world of difference.

Obviously you'll have to take the whole stabilizer arm off in order to use it in the vise. Line the pipe up on the arm so that the flat flange end will slip through the pipe freely and put in the vise with the open end of the pipe against one jaw and the "end" of the link bolt against the other jaw and crank the vise shut. Piece of cake, she pops right out!

Hope this helps and makes sense! Good luck!

does it sound like somebody is hitting the bottom of the cab with a rubber hammer? This is the sound i am hearing.

I have the same kind of noise when going over bumps, etc in the road. Have a '98 250 with all original bushings and shocks. Also have the trailer/towing setup from the factory with the air suspension system. Shocks seem fine...no leakage, and the truck comes right back up to trim height after jumping on the corners of the bumpers. The bushings in the the rear towing arms that bolt onto the frame and the rear end have deteriorated to the point of being useless...metal on metal...causing most of the noise I hear...having a hell of a tough time finding those bushings...Ford no longer makes or carries those parts...if you have those rear towing bars/arms, that would be a place to look for noise. Anyone have any ideas on what would work for a replacement bushing?...I would be forever in your debt!

Have you tried any of the sponsors here?