Have read most of the posts about clunks. pops thunks and other noises in the front end and have looked closely at everything suggested. Have found nothing loose that I can put a finger on.
95 F150 SC 302 AODE 125K - it was undercoated several years ago prior to a trip up north, so the suspension rivets, joints etc aren't as visible as a uncoated suspension.
Recently a clicking/popping noise that I have assumed for years was the brake pads shifting back and forth started getting more frequent. usually as I came in drive or moving slowly in parking lot etc. Has not gotten any louder just more frequent. Yesterday installed new front pads looked at the sheet metal clips that snap onto the ends of the caliper bracket cleaned them and put them back in. No change, possibly getting more frequent. Have tried walking along outside and have not been able to spend enough time to pinpoint the source.
Is it possible that the spring clips for the pads should be replaced to keep the pads from shifting? Or is it likely something else like I beam pivots, radius arms, bracket rivets, can start without external evidence - I have jacked up front wheels and put crowbar under tire and moved both front tires to check ball joints, radius arms with no apparent movement and no noise like I am hearing.
Plan to try spraying some of the suspension joints with lubricant as soon as I can get some help to drive and listen outside at same time to see if I and eliminate or change noise.
Any thought will be appreciated - Thanks in advance.

 

Update - went over front end visually nothing jumps out. Started tightening bolts at trans crossmember and mount, just a small tweak with 1/2" pull bar. Checked radius arm bracket bolt (1) and 3 rivets have no signs of movement, checked front pivot bracket bolts close to torque reqm't. Rear bracket is riveted. Found one, right side, radius arm nut loose - not to 100 ft #; removed nut, washer, spacer and looked at rubber -OK. Torqued both nuts to 100 Ft #.
Noticed both pivot point bushing ruber pieces don't look as full as I would expect (don't fill the space completely between the bracket front and rear faces) but don't really look bad.
Sprayed lube on axle pivots and radius arm bushings, one at a time.
Walked around front of truck while moving til probably neighbors think I'm Crazy.
No Change.
Any ideas???

 

I seem to be the only poster on this one.
Sprayed body mounts with silicone and thought it made some change but shortly later back to the same clacking noise at low speeds and when changing direction.
Tightened body mount bolts except ove rfront tank to be sure ther wasn't any looseness. Noticed front mounts are cracked but not totally destroyed.
No one with any ideas??

 

Had the same problem and took me forever to find my problem and I found it was the lower shock bracket on the drivers side, once I replaced the shock I found that the bolt had some pits in it and was a little loose. I tightened it and the clucking noise went away. It's worth a try.

This was on my 95 F150.

 

Thanks - replaced front shocks about a year ago but will recheck cross bolts and lower brackets bolts as soon as I can.

 

Checked torque on shocks cross bolts, lower bracket bolts upper grommet compression. Everything looks good.
Looked at all the bracketry in front for any signs of shifting both at edges of brackets and at rivets/bolts - I would think that I could see crscking or joint separation id something was moving but can't pick anything out.
All comments welcome!

 

95x15 - Can't really help you out a lot, but can empathize...got the same problem. No visible signs of anythign loose. Replaced radius arm bushings, shocks all in the last year.

I was thinking U-joint, or maybe tie-rod issues? No clue really. My truck does this when cornering at low speed, taking off in a straight line from a light and under other circumstances. Forward, backward cornering...doesn't matter. But it sounds like a "click" and not a "clunk" - at least to me.

I'm giving up and finally made an appt with my mechanic. Truck is going in to get checked out on Thursday. If they find anything, I'll let you know.
Rob

PS - should have mentioned, mine is 96 f150 short bed 4x4 (Eddie Bauer) with the 4.9l I6 and a manual trans

 

What did you find out? I get a thunk at slow speeds (oxymorin?) and I cannot find anything lose, neither can my mechanic. I am begining to suspect my front tire on the driver's side..as the thump seemd to co-inside with each full revolution of that tire.

 

Nothing yet, my appointment is tomorrow. If/when I find out what is causing it, I'll post a reply.

 

Just got mine fixed with the help of a local tire/front end chain.
Took it in and the technicians hunted and checked everything; after a few minutes talked to them. They told me they had heard the noises before and found a tech fix from several years back which pinpointed the transmission support connection to the frame as the source of the noise; the repair was to install a piece of rubber sheet gasket between the connection.
What I did was remove the lower frame flange bolt and loosened the two inner gusset bolts to the tranny suppport and jacked up the support to slide the 1/16" rubber sheet with a punched hole for the lower support bolt and tightened the three bolts to specs for AODE (different than other trannies) 50 ft# max. Did this only on right side which fixed the noises with only the very limited driving done today.
Hope this helps.
My thanks to the tire people who did not charge for their time - i will go back there.

 

I feel as though I am monopolizing this thread but here are a couple further thoughts.
A somewhat faster fix that would probably work would be to drill 1 or 2 holes (I would try 1 to start with at the front or rear edge of the crossmemeber to lower frame flange and put a 5/16" or 3/8" bolt washers and selflocking nut on to cut down on movement and noise; could be done without unbolting anything.
Noticed there was a shiny contact area under the flanged nut in the center of the crossmember indicating it had been moving which would be reduced by adding another one or two fasteners in this connection.
Any comments or thoughts appreciated.

 

So this is a dead post, but I wana reply anyway... My truck is a 92 F150, makes that noice no matter what. and it goes away when brakes are applied... im assuming the pads are loose then...