Loud Squeak
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2005
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Loud Squeak
I have a 2001 F150 5.4 4X4, 2 days ago my truck started making a terribly loud squeak from the driver side front around the ball joint area. I checked my ball joints but they dont really seem bad. The squeak is happening when I hit bumps or turn my wheels back and forth. It is very annoying and I was hoping someone here had a similiar problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Hurricane Alley
Typical problem. Check your swaybar mount bushings, the ones at the frame, not the links that go to the control arm. Mine squeak after I have driven my truck for a while and the bushings get warmed up. After my truck sits for the day, or night, it doesn't do it again until it gets warmed up again. You can either replace them or, spray them with some penetrating lubricant every couple of months. Maybe try spraying them and if it goes away, then you can decide if you want to replace them later. If it stays, then it is another bushing doing it but I know personally, it is my swaybar bushings on my truck.
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From: Hurricane Alley
Well, the only other thing I can think of is possibly the spring isolators which would require the coil springs to be removed to replace them. Again, spray some lube where the springs seat, top and bottom, and see if it goes away. Sooner or later, the lube will stop the squeek and you will have found the culprit....
New User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6
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From: Cudahy, Wisconsin
Squeak
I have this same loud squeak or "creak" from the same driver side front end. It started a few weeks ago and it's driving me nuts. I have a 99 f-150 with 98k on it. No problems with steering or anything else, but the slightest bump makes it squeak. I have a needle valve on my grease gun and have tried putting some grease into the ball joint boots and everywhere else I could get at but no help.
I did not try the sway bar bushings but I will tonight. Thanks, if I find it I'll post it.
Any other suggestions out there?
I did not try the sway bar bushings but I will tonight. Thanks, if I find it I'll post it.
Any other suggestions out there?
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Senior User
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Hurricane Alley
I can pretty much bet is the swaybar bushings as mine is driving me nuts right now too. Don't do it when the truck has been sitting and is cold but after about 25 miles of driving, it starts to do it. Since the bushings are really not hard to change I think I am just going to go get them and replace them. When I mentioned the spring isolators above, I guess my brain had lost a few cells because I was thinking about my old Jimmy....duhhhh....these things don't have springs!!! As the kids "in the hood" would say...."my bad"....I know, tacky....but it fit the moment.
I have heard of ball joints making the nasty sounds but, in my case, they are new, along with the upper control arm bushings, due to having to replace the entire arm, thank you very much Ford. Only bushings that haven't been replaced up front would be the sway bar and the lower control arm bushings. I still suspect the sway bar due to the sound and how it happens with the movement.
When I was filling up the gas tank this afternoon, another F150 pulled in behind me. His was REALLY bad. Sounded like someone dragging their finger nails on the chaulk board....thought I was back in elementary school again....ran right down my spine!!!!
I have heard of ball joints making the nasty sounds but, in my case, they are new, along with the upper control arm bushings, due to having to replace the entire arm, thank you very much Ford. Only bushings that haven't been replaced up front would be the sway bar and the lower control arm bushings. I still suspect the sway bar due to the sound and how it happens with the movement.
When I was filling up the gas tank this afternoon, another F150 pulled in behind me. His was REALLY bad. Sounded like someone dragging their finger nails on the chaulk board....thought I was back in elementary school again....ran right down my spine!!!!
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 479
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From: Syracuse
If that doesn't turn out to be it, a squeaky ball joint won't necesarily show wear. It won't take long before it does though, it just means it's bone dry. I was lucky enough to use a grease needle through the boot and save a squeaky ball joint once. I remember it like yesterday, I'd just "fixed" the blown out muffler with white aluminum flashing wrapped around it, and "fixed" the dry ball joint, and some @$# @#&* !#% %^ #@%^% ran a red light and T-boned me good.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,931
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98 mustang and 2002 explorer we have both did it. the sway bar bushings at the main frame were problem. had to remove the bushing, paint wih anti sieze and reinstall. o.k. now for 2 years. tried the spray oil an dit would last 1 week.--- i had bad ball joints on the 2001 F150, but never had a squeeke in them. Dont have noise in the bushings on the 150 either.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Hurricane Alley
Yes, it can, because the truck's suspension is still moving when you turn the wheel from side to side. Even the smallest movement in those bushings will cause the squeak with them. I bet you can bounce the truck, very very slightly, and get the squeak too. I am still betting on the swaybar bushings....
If you want to try an experiment....disconnect the swaybar by removing the links that connect the swaybar to the control arms, on both sides. Then, see if the squeak is still there. This experiment will only take a short amount if time as the links are very easy to get to. Let me know what you find!!!!
If you want to try an experiment....disconnect the swaybar by removing the links that connect the swaybar to the control arms, on both sides. Then, see if the squeak is still there. This experiment will only take a short amount if time as the links are very easy to get to. Let me know what you find!!!!
New User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6
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From: Cudahy, Wisconsin
I bought some "Slick 50" spray lubricant and juiced up every joint and bushing I could find and really gave it to the sway bar bushings. The squeak is gone.
If it comes back I'll take the next step as mentioned above and remove the bushings and coat them with anti-sieze. Right now it's a little cold here in Wisconsin to be playing under my truck any more than I need to.
Thanks for the help.
If it comes back I'll take the next step as mentioned above and remove the bushings and coat them with anti-sieze. Right now it's a little cold here in Wisconsin to be playing under my truck any more than I need to.
Thanks for the help.