When I accelerate from a stop or slow speed I hear a "pop" in the front end. It sounds like 2 peices of thick metal popping past each other. I'm pretty sure my springs aren't broke, what else should I look at? Or is this a normal 4x4 sound?

Truck is a 95 F-150 4x4 AOD with the 5.0.

 

Have you greased your front end recently? Are your hubs locked? Just some ideas.......

-Matt

 

The hubs aren't locked. No, I haven't greased the front end, that's a good idea. Now I have to buy a grease gun...

 

Yeah give the front end a good greasing. Grease everything, get the old grease out by squeezing new grease in. I grease the front end at EVERY oil change.

-Matt

 

I had the same problem.It turned out to be the transmission crossmember.I loosened the bolts and put small thin strips of rubber"intertube" fixed the noise.Took me forever to find out what it was.

 

I have a similar noise in the front end of my F350. Slow startup after a stop produces a "pop" that sure sounds like something in the right front suspension coming apart. I haven't been able to find anything wrong or loose and it's been doing that for several years.

The transmission crossmember??? Well, that's something I never would have thought to look at.

 

I have had the same noise check your motor mounts

 

Another thing is to check the bushings on your sway bar. I have a similar pop coming from the back of my truck, and it's from the sway bar bushings (or lack thereof).

 

Check the 1 1/8" bolt under your coil spring that retains the radius arm to the axle, then the 1 1/8" nut inside the spring which retains the spring. CLEAN YOUR SPRING then look for cracks, they can be very hard to see some times.And hey while you're at it & have the tools out go right down the line & ensure everything is tight, & bushings are good( & there!). If none of this produces for you check in the hub, 7 inspect your wheel bearings for proper adjustment.Sounds strange, but so does the cross member theory, & either one might be right!

 

on my 1990, I have a few of pops and clunks. I know what 2 of them are for sure. I have a radius arm bushing failing that clunks on acceleration/deceleration. and I have a front rad mount/body mount pulled through that clunks as well. I know how to fix em, but I am procrastinating.
Something to look at though.

 

The worn radius arm bushings are very common.

 

I have the same sound now, but it's when I back out of a parking space and turn to 'get on down the road'. I'll check it. Thanks...

 

I agree.....been there, it wasnt the worn bushings, it was the new bushings. When replacing that kinda stuff they say check them in 500 miles. I hadnt, and they had backed off the tiniest bit. Also may want to go ahead and check the nuts on the shock mounts and spring retainers.
Think everything that can be stressed when you start or stop.

 

You might want to jack the front up and check the ball joints on both sides of the axle. you really have to get close and push and pull on your tire in a front and back direction. mine did the same thing there about 45$ at napa.

 

Originally Posted by Steve91
The worn radius arm bushings are very common.



I too have had to change these Yd look there first