hi, my v6 f150 2 wheel drive clunks when breaking, turning tight slow corners and some times setting off.
i have checked and adjusted the brakes all ok.
replaced upper and lower ball joints along with all drag links, sway bar link ends.
checked body bolts,all tight.
checked wheel bearings and for any play or exessive movement on the steering.
replaced front and rear shockers and had a repair shop take a look but found nothing.
if any thing it is getting worse and more regular and the clunk is felt thru the driver side floor.
i have found no cracks in the coil springs and when front end jacked up all moves freely with the turn of the wheel.
light braking has a slight shudder but heavy braking is fine.
chased this since owning the truck 3 years ago and still passes its m.o.t. test with flying colors. any idears as it is starting to freek my wife out and drive me mad. bokker.

 

I do not know what your problem is but mine, 97 f-150 v-6 does the same thing and I have replaced all the front end parts also. Anybodys help would be greatly appreciated. JIM

 

Check/Grease your ujoints on your draveshaft. It sounds like you have pretty much went through the entire front end.
The shuddering braking may be a clue. That isn't normal. You may want to take another look at that rotor.

 

hi, thanks for the reply, i will check the drive shaft againas i checked it out some time go.
researching the forums is it posable that the bushes on the lower wishbone could be suspect. my workshop book does not even have a mention of having bushes?
circlebfab you have my sypathy lets not loose faith but find a cure. keep in touch.

 

Are you refering to the lower control arm? I would think you would change the entire arm when changing the lower balljoint.

 

Doesn't your "v6 f150" have torsion bars & ball joints permanently integrated into the upper & lower wishbones as described in Chilton? Had thought FORD used this starting '97?

When you "replaced upper and lower ball joints" what was the condition of the "bushes"? I was wondering just how costly ball joints, as integral parts of the control arms, would cost & if new bushings weren't also integral? Can't imagine replacing 1 & not the other.

Was also wondering what the mysteries of torsion bar suspension might mean generally & in terms of your "clunks"? Classic FORD coil spring, Twin I-Beam's had notorious "clunks" related to the radius arm bushings, commonly while "breaking" or "setting off". Could faults in the torsion bar adjuster/mount translate?

Sorry torsion bar fans, my '98 is my 1st & it still doesn't even look like it should work! Are they WAS?

 

Club -- I'd always heard that to replace the ball joints (upper and lower) you had to replace the entire (upper/lower) control arm, as the ball joints were integral to the control arm and couldn't be replaced separately.

Is it possible that if bokker replaced just the ball joints, that the clunk is coming from the control arms because of the damage done replacing the ball joints?

 

You can replace upper balljoints. But I think you change the entire lower control arm for the bottoms (I did).

 

Ford originally made A frames with the ball joints permanent. Ther are now aftermarket ball joints for the bottom. You dont replace the entire arm anymore. I replaced the entire upper arm with the ball joint. As far as i know they dont sell just the upper ball joint. Upper arm is about $85. lowr ball joint $40.

 

hi, i will try and anwer all posts. the upper control arms were replaced complete as there is no seperate ball joint.
the lower ball joint was an easy job they just pressed out then in of the control arm (wishbone) while leaving it still fastened to the truck. no damage done.
not sure if i understand torsion bar but if you mean sway bar they are connected by the links that had broken when my dampers went west and they too were replaced.
if the lower control arm (wishbone) has bushes can anybody point me to a supplier that may post to the uk. thanks bokker.

 

Torsion bar is not sway bar. Where you feel the clunk under your feet. The bars IIRC are a couple of feet long and have adjusting nuts on the end. Can't make the pictures come up that go with the following instructions

Make preliminary adjustment references.
(1) Make an alignment mark on the torsion bar and the torsion bar crossmember support.
(2) Measure and record the length.
Relieve the torsion bar tension.
(1) Remove the torsion bar adjuster bolt.
(2) Install Torsion Bar Tool with the Torsion Bar Tool Adapters in the B slots on the Torsion Bar Tool.
(3) Tighten the Torsion Bar Tool until the torsion bar adjuster lifts off of the adjuster nut.
(4) Remove the torsion bar adjuster nut.
(5) Remove the Torsion Bar Tool.
(6) Remove the torsion bar adjuster.

Repeat for the other side.Remove the torsion bar crossmember support and torsion bars.
(1) Remove the bolts.
(2) Remove the torsion bar crossmember support.
(3) Remove the torsion bars.

NOTE: For early build F-150.
On regular cab (RC) short wheel base (SWB), remove the torsion bar crossmember support and torsion bars.
(1) Remove the eight bolts.
(2) Remove the torsion bar crossmember support.
(3) Remove the torsion bars.

NOTE: For late build F-15O.
INSTALLATION
Install the torsion bar crossmember support and torsion bars.
(1) Install the torsion bars.
(2) Install the torsion bar crossmember support.
(3) Install the bolts.
On (RC) (SWB), install the torsion bar crossmember support and torsion bars.
Load the torsion bar.
(1) Install the torsion bar adjuster.
(2) Install Torsion Bar Tool with the Torsion Bar Tool Adapters in the B slots of the Torsion Bar Tool.
(3) Tighten the Torsion Bar Tool to load the torsion bar.
(4) Install the torsion bar adjuster nut.
(5) Install the torsion bar adjuster bolt.
(6) Remove the Torsion Bar Tool.
Turn the torsion bar adjuster until the reference marks align.
Repeat for the other side.
Adjust the ride height.

 

Hope this picture helps:

 

hi,earl82461, i do not have torsion bar suspension on my 1997 it has independant type coil springs, thanks bokker.

 

The torsion bar is only on the 4x4. 2wd trucks have springs up front.

 

I worked at a Toyota dealership a while back and we got quite a few 4Runners and pickups in with a clunking/crunching sound when turning tight corners. Turned out the nylon caps on the steering limiter bolts had worn through and the bolt head rubbing on the plate was causing the problem. Replacing and greasing the caps solved it.

I know it sounds simple but hey, sometimes we can't see the tree for the forest.