My 1987 F-150 has been making a strange noise lately. I 4-wheel my truck a lot, and this noise had never happened before, so I want to know what it is now. Ok, whenever the front end picks up or dips down into a ditch or starting up a hill and the chassis gets that little twist in it, there is a loud thunk from what seems to be the drivers side wheel. I don't know what it is, if I had to guess what it was, it sounds like something binding and then finally letting loose and thats what makes the noise. It didnt start doing this until about two weeks ago. Did a bolt loosen up, or is my front suspension going all to hell? Thanks for the help.

 

maybe a ball joint my dad had a bad ball joint on his 01 f 350 and when he would hit the brakes and sometimes some other things you would hear a clunk. hope this helps

 

Have you checked radius arm bushings?

 

no i havent (radius arm bushings), what am i looking for?

another thing that i have heard of is that if one of the bolts on the crossmember/transmission mount to the frame is loose, then the crossmember moves around and can bind the frame......is this true? can this be part or all of my problem?

 

The best way to check things out yourself is to get the front of the frame up on jackstands so you can get under it and start shaking things.

 

Radius arm bushing would be my guess. They are easy to change, only a $20 part. its at the end of your radius arm. jack up your truck by the frame not the suspensions and there is a litle braket that conects to the frame, unbolt it at then take the nut of the radius arm.......its not an easy one to get off.........then just pull off the bushings and put back on same way off. really easy if its like my truck. took me an hour.

 

It could also be Universal joints (U-joints). you can check to see if that's the problem by rotating the wheel while its in the air. if it clunks when you go around, look at where the axle goes in, it should be smooth if your u-joints are good.