I know I just need to take the truck in to have the front end inspected, but I just figured I would get some thoughts on what it could be.

There is a definite clunk in the front that can be easily heard during driving over bumps or uneven road and it can be felt through the floor board. Visually nothing is awry. Probably needs shocks. And my front springs are straight to very slightly curved downward. Can bad shocks cause the springs to go bad prematurely? It has only been this way for maybe 2K miles or so, but is getting progressively worse. No steering problem except for the wheel going where it wants over high speed bumps such as on the freeway. Truck was aligned not too long ago and it does not wander on the road, and there is no abnormal tire wear.

 

If it's the infamous SD/Excursion leaf spring clunk, taking it to a dealership could just warrant more horror stories of being told you're hearing things by the sales associates. It's my leaf springs in mine, I can spray them down with PB Blaster, and it goes away. The polyeurathane spacers are all but gone, I just haven't gotten around to replacing mine yet. Only problem is that several things down there can make a clunk, CV Joints, shocks, etc.

 

Mine was the sway bar bushings on the front end

 

X2, raise the front if you on some stands and feel if anything is loose. Be safe chock the back wheels and set the parking brakes.

 

sway bar links on mine, changed them out and it cured the problem. Got them cheap online.

 

So sway bar bushings and check the spacers on the springs.

What about my springs? Is it normal for the springs to be straight? Could any of these problems mentioned lead to any type of catastrophic failure during driving?

 

I've heard of the body mounts making noise over time too, just something to check out...

 

jc8825 my truck does the same dam thing. this summer i did new poly sway bar busings and end links, new u joints pass side stated to get movement, new shocks, new u joints in front drive shaft. and i still have that dam clunk. my local off road shop the biggest in at least a hundred miles said that alot of these fords the rubber bushings go bad on the rear front shackle and clunk. since my factory springs r sagging like yous anyway im saving uo and buying a set of x codes and poly bushings and fixing the problem once and for all

 

Well I will have it all checked out and post up what fixed the problem.

 

The sway bar bushings are a cheap easy fix that quieted mine down too. Start with the front bushings for about $20 and 15 minutes. Surprising how much those will quiet down the clunks even if they dont look worn out.
I think its normal for some F250 springs to look flat, depends on which springs they are equipped with. Shocks wont cause springs to change shape. Sounds like you could use new shocks and a front stabilizer shock.

 

Okay, it is the sway bar links. I ordered the links and the sway bar bushings from the parts store and will put them on here shortly. The shop wanted $550 parts/labor to do it. I just figured I would do it my self for much less. I only have hand tools and whereas a couple bolts were extremely hard to loosen, I had the links removed and the sway bar dropped in about 45 minutes. If I had had power tools, maybe 15 minutes. $300 labor charge for 15 minutes? Crazy.

 

Yes, labour rates definitely encourage DIY. I've got the same noise so I'll probably do the same thing.

 

Did you replace the u-joints in the front axle shafts?
If so, I need to know how the shafts release from the front differential. (Is there an "internal retaining clip" that has to be removed by opening the differential, or is there an external way that the axles are retained which needs to be undone to remove the axles?)

My 2004 F250 Long Bed CrewCab 6.0 has started "clicking/knocking" as I do a slow speed full lock turn, and it seems that the culprit is/are the front axle shaft u-joints.
Also, the "shroud" has come loose from one side, which lets it rattle. I will need to reattach it, as well.

This truck has over 150K miles of relatively hard use in the oil fields doing heavy hauling of tractors, backhoes, pumping units, pipe, and tanks; both over the road and on rough oil field service roads. It's also been all over the country on highways (and way back into some rough country) doing dirt bike and camper hauling to off-road events and trail riding. It hasn't been babied, but has had good regular service.
The only problems that I have had were with the EGR valve (3 times) and EGR cooler. Thanks to this forum, I found out about the 7 year 200K mile extended warranty before the EGR Cooler broke. (I purchased this warranty just eight days before the EGR cooler broke.)

Overall, I liked the '01 F250 CC with the 7.3 (that I had previously) better than the 6.0.


Thanks in advance for any help, and please feel free to reply to me in a private message.

. Jim
2004 F150 4.6L SuperCab
2004 F250 6.0L CrewCab
2006 GasGas EC300 (dirt bike)

 

i just jacked the truck up and put a brass wedge between the springs and even though the plastic sliders look good from the outside in the middle they r worn down to bare metal. i just took them out and put some real heavy thick grease in there until i get the new x-code springs. amazingly the grease by it self really quited down the clunking so far, if i wasn't going to install x codes i would just buy the new improved pads from ford and be done with it.

 

550 for links and bushings is nuts. Check here Moog Suspension Parts .com Make sure you measure your sway bar for the bushings first.

good prices fast shipping

spray some liquid wrench on all those bolts a few days prior. Helps a lot. or PB stinkster