I have an Ford F-150; with about 180,000 miles on it; it's a 4 x4 off road; 1997... and in the last year I've had this squeak in the front; sounds like it's coming from the tires, but I've had that looked at and they even replaced the shocks already too? Just puzzled at what it could be or where it's coming from...
When I drive any little bump or crack in the road I hit it squeaks??? With the windows up and the music loud enough you can't hear it!!!

Any ideas!!! Please help!!!

 

Lower ball joints are bad.

Smitty

 

Grease the idler arm and check the ball joints.

 

I d have to say its the ball joints i had that same noise and i thought it was my timbrens but passenger side upper and lower ball joints were toast. good luck

 

I have the same truck but with over 200k miles on it. I have the exact same scenario. How can I look at the Bjoints to be sure its them and replace em and not the upper control arm bushings? The rubber u can see on the bushings on the upper control arms is cracked, but I think that is normal? Any ways i can get upper control arms for both side from advanced auto for under 100 bucks. And Hanes make it sound pretty easy to replace them. Its probably in Hanes book but I may of missed it, if it is my Bjoints and I replace them, do I need to have my truck aligned?

 

I had mine aligned my friend who did the ball joints had to put new upper control arms i think he said thats the only way you can get upperball joints in the 7700 is ball joint and control arm so my truck now has all new ball joints with grease fittings.

 

The only way to replace upper ball joints on these trucks is by changing the whole control arm. The good news is that they don't cost too much more that the joint alone. Yes, you do need an alignment if you change the uppers. Not needed for changing the lowers.

 

How can I tell what it is? If I am going perfectly straight any verticle movement, acceleration deceleration speedbumps potholes. Anything that moves the truck up or down will squeak. Any time turning the wheel it will squeak...but if you are accelerating while turning the wheel, leaving a stop sign and turning, it squeaks much less i assume because it lifts weight off of the front end. Should I just look at price and do it all... or is there an easy way to tell what it is specifically?

 

i just had one that the pitman arm was dry, as you cant grease them. So as a temp fast fix, we shot some penitraiting spray into where the pitman arm dust seal end is. Then shot some spray lube in as well. You will have to make a small hole in the dust boot to get the lube in if you dont have a needle lube tool. THIS is only a temp fix, or diagnostic tip, to help with noise location. Your ball joints could be the cause as well. good luck

 

Yeah the last time I had my tires rotated and balanced when I was checkin out the truck I noticed every single joint and bushing and everything had been greased and lubricated to no solution.