What a day to roll the window down on the way to and from the JOB. Unfortunately, it uncovered an unknown noise from the left front of my 86 4x4. I've narrowed down the fact that the clicking occurs once per rotation and is loud enough that I when going strait down the road, you can hear it in the cabin. The clicking goes away under braking and you can make it go away just by applying light pressure to the brake pedal.

I jacked up the right front end tonight and checked for play in the front end with the tire still on the truck and there was none. (I just recently replaced the tie-rod ends and had it aligned.) Then I removed the tire and looked for play in the caliper, pads and hub assembly and there was nothing there either. The pads will move around a little, but you have to work them to get them to move. Then I checked the rotor guard and it didn't seem to be touching the rotor anywhere.

Finally I mounted the tire back on the truck and as I was cranking down the last lug nut, I used the tire iron to rotate the tire as fast as I could. Once it started going, the clicking returned. I can't tell where it is coming from so what should I start looking for? I'm a little afraid to drive it if there is something major wrong. I've never had a three wheeler and I don't think now is the time to start...

 

On a quiet smooth street, coasting in neutral at less than 30 mph, with the window down, I can also hear a faint but distinct clicking from the drivers side in my F150. It is very regular and consistent, one click per revolution. But I've never been able to pin down whether it was coming from the front or rear wheel (sounds are hard to pinpoint hanging your head out the window). I can only hear it under quiet conditions like described above.

The thing is, I recall that my last F150 (an '83) from years ago also made this same sound. So I decided it must be due to some normal function of the truck (not a malfunction).

 

After an hour or so of digging on the site, I found several posts that describe the issue as a brake shoe moving during wheel rotation. There are clips that are supposed to hold the brake shoes in place and I found that mine are missing on the left front. That should explain why the clicking goes away once I step on the brakes. I'm not sure if there are negative side effects from not replacing the clips, but I'll do it anyway. I'll go to the Auto Parts tomorrow to see if I can get a set.

 

I never lost a clip, but they were loose and that was causing a clicking noise on mine. Hopefully that will be the end of your clicking.

 

I'm not sure if you can get just the clips. But if you can't you could buy a new set of brake pads and use the clips from that. Then when the pads that are on there now die off you can use the clips for the new pads.

 

Brake shoe anti rattle clips.

Junkyard is also a good place to get them.

I can't keep them tight on mine with the bad roads around here...

 

You're lucky, mine sound like a typewriter when I go down the road...

TICKTICKTICKTICKTICKTICKTICKTICK

But at least I got rid of the squeaking and grinding. My back brakes were acting up. lol

 

Thanks for the info - am I correct in assuming anti-rattle clips go on the front brakes only?

 

yes. the back brakes are drums and use shoes. totally different animal.

 

I coasted down a quiet street tonight with the windows down and listened carefully - my clicking comes from the rear wheel(s) and pressing the brakes doesn't effect the clicking. Braking slowly only slows the clicking as the truck slows - it doesn't stop or change the volume of the clicking. So I don't know what my clicking is - the only thing I can guess is maybe wheel bearings clicking together which each rotation as they fall through the free gap in their races (if there even is such a gap)? The clicking is kind of maddening once I am aware of it.

 

Jack up the rear one side at a time and turn each wheel listening for the sound.

Or it could be a U-joint in the driveshaft. Try moving the driveshaft by hand with the truck parked and see if there's any play.

 

Hopefully it's something simple but it could be a pinion shaft (or other drive axle) bearing.

 

I just thought of another clicking sound I chased for weeks. Do your wheels have center caps?

I knew the vicinity of where the clicking sound was coming from, but for the life of me, I couldn't find exactly what was making the noise. I checked springs, shocks, bed bolts, lines and harnesses going down the frame, everything I could think of. Out of frustration one day, I kicked the left rear tire.

CLINK!

Screws on that center cap had come partially loose, and clinked once each revolution, and when you kicked it....

 

Are center caps these removable things shown here that I call "hub caps"?

 

Those sport wheel covers can cause clicking. Remove them to eliminate them from your clicking search.

If the sport wheel covers are the cause, the center metal piece of the fake center cap, is most likely the culprit. The piece is held on with tabs from behind, where the fake center cap is. Bend the tabs tighter, or in a pinch, use epoxy to hold them tight.

Most center caps on real wheels are held on with either lug nuts or screws or both. These wheel covers are fake wheels, etc, with fake lug nuts and fake center caps.

My last post in this thread about Brake Anti Rattle clips, was for the original poster, "superred2".