Mysterious Squeek
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Mysterious Squeek
My 2001 Navigator has developed a loud mysterious squeek. It is in the front right (passenger side) wheel area. I have lubed all of the obvious suspension parts that I could find, but can't find the squeek. It does it if you rock the truck and if you turn the wheels while the truck is perfectly still as well. Any ideas of things to check? I hope it's not in the CV boot, but I am not sure. I will pull the wheel the next time I am able to check it, but just wondering if you have any ideas of things I can check and ways to pinpoint the squeek. I think I will jack up the truck, remove the wheel, and turn the steering wheel side to side to help pinpont the trouble.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2007
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Originally Posted by madsonp
Could be your stablilizer arm bushings
As to the B-joints they are supposed to be life lube- sure -right- whatever.
On my Lincoln I had to replace the whole upper arm -no way to replace just the upper joint.
I guess you could tap it and insert a Zerk fitting and grease it.
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Having to replace the whole arm is what I have been reading as well. I am going to check on it this weekend and see if I can borrow the tools from autozone or advance auto. I hope they have ball joints in stock if that is it. I am going to pull the wheel and check it out.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2007
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Doing the upper arm was no big deal, just remember to turn off the air ride, if so equiped. took me 3 hrs, but I am an old fart taking my time, cleaning everything as I go. I even painted the TRW upper arm, as it came bare.
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gotcha. My uncle has a shop and I plan on checking it out there. I know to turn off the air ride. How would it damage the truck if I didn't turn off the suspension switch? Would it just try to pump up further or something if I lifted the truck w/out turning it off? Is the best way to tell if it is a ball joint to jack up the truck and rock the wheel side to side? I can't remember what the problem is if each part of the wheel is loose when you rock it.
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2007
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If you are lucky it might just blow a line, if unlucky an airbag and compressor.
Mr. Tire spent $$$$ paying Lincoln to replace the bag and the compressor - after I told them and the Service Manager wrote on the ticket - t.off air ride. Tech never bothered. Even afterwards he stated he never turned off any air ride before and nothing has ever happened before...famous last words. Granted they put the Lincoln on a lift all four were hanging off for hour. Not the same as jacking one up off the ground, but the point is the same...better safe than $$$$$$.
Mr. Tire spent $$$$ paying Lincoln to replace the bag and the compressor - after I told them and the Service Manager wrote on the ticket - t.off air ride. Tech never bothered. Even afterwards he stated he never turned off any air ride before and nothing has ever happened before...famous last words. Granted they put the Lincoln on a lift all four were hanging off for hour. Not the same as jacking one up off the ground, but the point is the same...better safe than $$$$$$.
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From: Guyton, GA
I replaced both upper and lowers, inner and outer tie rod ends, idler arm and installed the camber/caster kits on my 01 expy for about $400.00. Took about 6-7 hrs to do everything at a slow pace. The only pain was the lower ball joints. Beat them out and then freeze and press them in using a floor jack. After that, you get an alignment.
You can grease you fittings by using a needle fitting on your grease gun.
You can grease you fittings by using a needle fitting on your grease gun.
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Thanks for the help. I am going to print out whatever you guys write and take it with me to my uncle's place. He used to be a ford mechanic, so I hope he can solve the problem. My ony worry is that some of the parts places (I usually use advance auto and autozone) might not have the parts in stock on a saturday and I'll be stuck with the truck torn apart until monday when they can get the parts in. I can't exactly order anything before I know exactly what is wrong, and I can't work on it during the week because It is almost an hour and a half drive each way to get to my uncle's place and I have to get up at 5am every day to go to work.
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I had a squeek coming from the same place on my Expy. The only exception was that it wouldn't make the noise when turning the wheels, ( when stationary) it would make the noise if you rocked it.
And what is was was a little metal clip that was under the battery cradle ( located on top of the fender ) was loose and would move every time the truck was in motion. ( whether is was parked and I was rocking it or when driving and I was turning and/or hitting bumps )
I snapped the clip back in and hit it with some lithium grease and haven't heard a peep from it since. That was 3 years ago.
It was ready to take the Expy into the shop and have them dismantle the front end because I was so sick and tired of hearing it.
Glad I didn't. Good luck with your investigation.
And what is was was a little metal clip that was under the battery cradle ( located on top of the fender ) was loose and would move every time the truck was in motion. ( whether is was parked and I was rocking it or when driving and I was turning and/or hitting bumps )
I snapped the clip back in and hit it with some lithium grease and haven't heard a peep from it since. That was 3 years ago.
It was ready to take the Expy into the shop and have them dismantle the front end because I was so sick and tired of hearing it.
Glad I didn't. Good luck with your investigation.
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It definitely sounds like it is coming from down low, and the lower ball joint could be the culprit, but thanks for the heads up. I will jack it up, pull the passenger side front wheel and turn the steering wheel back and forth. With that done, I should be able to get a good idea of what is making the noise. Doing it from below is tough because the lower control arm is in the way and I can't get super close to the squeek. I bought my friend a mechanic's stethoscope for christmas, but he is being a piece of crap because his wife is a monster and he hates his life and is blaming me for it, so using the tool is probably out of the question.... It used to be just us boys and our toys...guess I'm getting older now.....or at least my friends are!
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Anybody have an idea of how to jack it up specifically to check for bad ball joints? I thought you had to jack it up so far or put so much pressure on the wheel and try to rock it in certain ways to tell what is wrong with the ball joints or tie-rod ends or something.