I have an appointment tomorrow morning for these symptoms. A crunching sound on low speed (very low speed, like parking) left turns. A rapping or thumping when going over small bumps at 10 -35 mph. They just replaced ball joints 3 weeks ago. Crunching was still there, rap/thump started about 2 weeks ago. Steering was really tight ( almost sportscar-like) for the first week. Now it wanders and "bump steers". I wonder what they will find.
03 f250 supercab 4x4 5.4L 6 speed.

 

Catfish,
I typed the TSB exactly as it read, there is no better definition as far as I know. Sorry....

 

Your suspension symptoms seem exactly like mine!
Again, nothing to do with the steering!

MY situation IS a front suspension or frame/cab noise issue on a 4x4.

No complaints about "tight" steering here, MY truck drives just fine. It just pops and/or creaks in front end when or after flexing the front end or chassis.

Maybe I'm just being too particular? The old leaf spring design in the front of my '04 4x4 may just be subject to this kind of pops and creaks? I'm thinking about taking a can of spray lube to the front end springs to see if this helps?

 

I'm familiar with this sound too. Mine makes 2 different kinds of sounds though. Sound one is a popping if I go over small bumps (i.e. pot holes, speedbumps, etc) on the left side. It feels like a clunking noise under the floorboard. I have remedied this by retorquing my lug nuts and trac bar bracket. This helps temporarily, but the noise always comes back after a couple of weeks. It seemed to start at about 2500 miles. The only problem is that I put my leveling kit on at about the same time, so I don't know if it might be the culprit or not, and it's not like Ford is really going to help me with a suspension issue when I've put aftermarket parts on, understandably. Sound two is a loud, violent pop when my suspension is in a bind and I am turning hard. Case in point, I was pulling a boat out of the water at my lake and while turning a hard right and pulling a ran over the curb with my left front tire and "pow!" goes the left front corner. This pop is very aggrivating, and I have seen both pop one and two described in different threads. I think some bushings can be replaced to cure one pop, but I don't know which one it is, and will Ford warranty these bushings at 6800 miles with a leveling kit? Wh knows, but please post any follow ups from service depts.

 

I would think if pop #1 is the cab mounts, Ford would fix it - and that's what it sounds like. I have something like that too, but turned out my steering stabilizer came loose (Rancho, bolted in place of stocker).

pop #2 sounds more onerous, as in a ball joint or something.

A leveling kit is just a spring pack, no? If so, Ford should help no matter what - all you did was replace the front springs or add a leaf... it's worth a shot.

 

Well mine is strictly factory. No mods at all. But I have the apparent same agravating front suspension noise or cab bushing noise that R1ZOOM confirmed above.

There were other threads on this here, but I can't find them now.

I figured that this was only an issue with 4x4 and with SuperDuties with the diesel from some old past info I found here.

....????

I'd really like Ford to help me resolve this and I don't want to beat this child anymore!

What to do? Need some good advice!

 

After my appointment with the dealer, they said the funny steering was due to me having the hubs locked. Ok. I onlocked them and the steering feels good, no pulling, no bump steer. But the poppity pop (or is it thubbity thub?) is still there on small bumps at low speeds. They didn't find anything loose in the front end. Maybe it it is those cab bolts. I am going to have the service manager ride with me next week. We'll see what happens.

 

t_j82,

Just went to the dealer the other day concerning the 'rubbing' feeling that seems to be coming from the steering shaft. My service dept. determined it to be the rubber boot that the steering shaft passes through the fire wall. A new rubber boot has been ordered and should be installed next week. It takes about 3 hours to fix because they have to pull out the shaft. I'll let you know if it cures the problem.

 

any update yet

 

hmmm, maybe it is what mine does?? i get a clunk sound and feel through the floor when turning most times over bumps, sometimes when flat. i looked at the tie rod and it seems to be coming in contact with the axle when turning a tight turn, and this can be amplified by a bump which helps them come in contact even easier. it seems like this is whats happening. turn you wheel all the way to the right and see how close the 2 are.

 

Haven't got it done yet. I'm planning on dropping it off for the day to get this done as well as the snap ring in the trans. I just need to find a time I can live without my truck for a day.

 

Mine sounds like the same thing as kmbarr100. Please poste when you get it back and let us know if it helps.

Thanks.

 

I had the same thing when my truck was new. Heard a rubbing sound and felt it through the steering wheel. They replace the rubber boot. It did it even with the new boot. Someone here suggested lubricating where the column went into the boot. Simple solutions are sometimes the best! I did it with some sort of spray lube and the sound went away. Been 3 years and has not come back.

 

Here's the latest; dropped the truck off at Ford dealer for the day for the steering noise issue as well as 05B27 transmission snap ring recall (got a rental truck because of the recall). 2 hours later I get a phone call......seems the part department ordered the wrong rubber seal for the steering shaft. Also, they tell me the 05B27 recall parts are not available yet!!!! Why the hell is the Oasis program saying my truck is recalled, approve a rental vehicle and yet there are no available parts yet???

Anyhow, my invoice states (concerning the steering issue) that the techs "verified noise when turning wheel....used engine ears to pin point noise to the lower steering column rubber seal at the fire wall."

I'll keep you guys up-to-date.

 

Man these service departments sometimes just can't get it together. Thanks for the update though. I have not recieved anything from ford regarding a recall on my transmission yet. I checked the date on the transmission, it is 11/04/04. Not sure if it will be included or not.