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This is on a 2015 F250 4X4 PSD with 136K miles. I'm getting a metallic clunk in the front end when going over rough pavement or up driveway aprons. The long bar, steering component (not sure if the proper name) is kind of loose and flopping around, so I am assuming one or both of the ball joints are bad.
its been like 25 years or more since I have changed a ball joint........ pretty easy to do on this part for thise of you who have done it yourselves? When I call the shop on Monday, if the price is too high, I may attempt myself. Now, if only I can find my pickle fork tool....
the bar you are holding is the tie rod, so you would need tie rod ends. To check the ball joints, you need to jack up the front end and see if there is any play up/ down with the wheel/ tire
Have somebody get in the truck while running and you can observe as they turn the steering wheel back and forth a 1/4 turn or so. If the tie rod ends are shot you see/feel movement as the rock back and forth. Check the drag link, steering box to knuckle and be sure the rod end studs are not rocking where they go thru the knuckle. This would be the case if every replaced and the nuts cam loose. For clunking be sure its not the shock bushings or what I had, a slightly to big bushing for the bolt that thru the shock.
x2 on the lifting the tires off the ground, grabbing the tires from the top and bottom to see if there's play for BJs but my BJs (or at least one of them squeaked really bad when turning -- believe the ball cup inside the factory BJs is plastic, and once the grease gets old, must start to squeak. I'm almost at 153k miles and both sides, at different times, were replaced under the premium warranty (7 year or 125k mile) which is now expired since December 2023.
If you grab the tires at the 0900 and 1500 (3 and 9 o'clock) positions and there's play, that's a wheel bearing. But don't think you would have a clunking sound for the wheel bearing though.
x2 on the being able to rotate the tie rods some.
Everything has been replaced in my front end except the steering box, pitman arm, track bar BJ and bushing. But I have to do the track bar hardware listed as the bushing is worn and worse than the BJ which I don't believe was ever replaced. The front end is loose due to that...
I have an Apex Chassis greaseable Track bar BJ and a SPE Motorcraft track bar bushing kit. I'll do a thread on that job in the 6.7 Powerstroke section and create a thread/link to it.
x2 on the lifting the tires off the ground, grabbing the tires from the top and bottom to see if there's play for BJs but my BJs (or at least one of them squeaked really bad when turning -- believe the ball cup inside the factory BJs is plastic, and once the grease gets old, must start to squeak. I'm almost at 153k miles and both sides, at different times, were replaced under the premium warranty (7 year or 125k mile) which is now expired since December 2023.
If you grab the tires at the 0900 and 1500 (3 and 9 o'clock) positions and there's play, that's a wheel bearing. But don't think you would have a clunking sound for the wheel bearing though.
x2 on the being able to rotate the tie rods some.
Everything has been replaced in my front end except the steering box, pitman arm, track bar BJ and bushing. But I have to do the track bar hardware listed as the bushing is worn and worse than the BJ which I don't believe was ever replaced. The front end is loose due to that...
I have an Apex Chassis greaseable Track bar BJ and a SPE Motorcraft track bar bushing kit. I'll do a thread on that job in the 6.7 Powerstroke section and create a thread/link to it.
I am referring to the 2 ball joints on the track bar. Yes, the bars should be able to rotate some, but there should be some resistance, not flop around, (the source of my clunk sound).
Assuming were all on the same page with whats loose obviously that does not sound right. There is nothing in the front steering parts you should be able to lift up and drop with clunk. I cant say im up to speed on a 2015 but every truck or jeep Ive had that uses a trac bar has a ball socket on one end and a pressed in bushing on the other where a bolt goes thru it on a front end bracket. Just like a "eye" mount on a shock.
If one end is so worn out it flops around in its mount you have a potentially very dangerous situation there. If one end of the trac bar comes loose you could lose control of your truck as the steering goes south. Wish you could do a video,that would be very helpful.
I am referring to the 2 ball joints on the track bar. Yes, the bars should be able to rotate some, but there should be some resistance, not flop around, (the source of my clunk sound).
There's one BJ, passenger side and one bushing driver's side, which bolts into the frame bracket...
On mine, there was more movement, with some weight on the front tires as back and forth steering, in the bushing then my ball joint but I am replacing the balljoint because... well 153k miles and I am there.
No clunking sound out of mine but makes the front feel loose... because there's worn components.
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