99 250 SD rattle
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Freshman User
Joined: Oct 2008
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99 250 SD rattle
Hey, I have a 99 250 SD with a rattle in the front end. I have looked at all the steering links and everything seems tight. I can kinda feel this in the floor fight under my foot. I kinda thought the swaybar bushings but I am at a loss. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
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Joined: Mar 2008
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I had a problem with the same on my 2000 f-250 7.3L, the noise under mine sounded like something was loose. I had the front end checked twice and they couldn't find anything. I found that if I sprayed the bushings really good with WD-40 or similar the noise stopped for a while.
Oddly enough I had forgotten about the noise because I haven't heard it in a long time. The only thing I have done since the last time I heard the noise was to replace the rear shocks (original shocks had 112K miles) and they turned out to be doing nothing. When I pulled them off it took almost no effort to push the rod in and out of the cylinder.
I just wonder if the sloppy shocks on the back were allowing the sway bar to move more than it was designed for.
Oh, I had already replaced the front shocks a year or so before but not the back because it "just didn't feel like they were bad".
Good luck -
Oddly enough I had forgotten about the noise because I haven't heard it in a long time. The only thing I have done since the last time I heard the noise was to replace the rear shocks (original shocks had 112K miles) and they turned out to be doing nothing. When I pulled them off it took almost no effort to push the rod in and out of the cylinder.
I just wonder if the sloppy shocks on the back were allowing the sway bar to move more than it was designed for.
Oh, I had already replaced the front shocks a year or so before but not the back because it "just didn't feel like they were bad".
Good luck -
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 496
Likes: 6
From: Arizona
I have been getting the same sound on mine. This morning I crawled under it and took the driver's side sway bar link off. The hole through the cast iron mount on the frame was elongated which allows the sway bar link bolt to rock up and down. I probably should have driven it with the link off to verify that was the cause not a similar condition in the leaf spring shackle mount. I've been bothered by this for over a year and I only have 75K miles on mine; you'd think this would be a lifetime part.
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Hey, I went and replaced the shocks, and still the rattle. I actually go down the smooth road and I get like a shutter in the front. Could this maybe a bad wheel bearing? I have had the rig in the air and tried checking for that, but everything seems tight.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 496
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From: Arizona
On edit, I disconnected the drivers side stabilizer link and the "clicking" went away. Have new mount on order. Until it arives, I'm going to see if I can reverse the mount placing the wallowed-out side against the frame rail.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Spring Lake
in my experience any rattling from beneath the feet that wasn't ball joints has been the sway bar... sometimes it is tricky to diagnose because everything was real stiff until the truck us actually going down the road bouncin around.
But I would look at you rubber sway bar bushings, end links, and such.
But I would look at you rubber sway bar bushings, end links, and such.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Spring Lake
Also, When you replace sway bar bushings, don't get cheap bushings!!!! they will wear out in about 3 months (mine kept doing it) the polyurethane is well worth the money!!!!!
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I have the same "rattle" under my feet. '03 SD 7.3L. I have replaced the ball joints because they needed it, and the installed poly sway bar end link bushings. Still have the noise. I've checked the shock mounts, tie rod ends etc... but still I can't find it. Anyone have other ideas?
k
k
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Spring Lake
I have the same "rattle" under my feet. '03 SD 7.3L. I have replaced the ball joints because they needed it, and the installed poly sway bar end link bushings. Still have the noise. I've checked the shock mounts, tie rod ends etc... but still I can't find it. Anyone have other ideas?
k
k
I would actually suspect shocks if everyhting else is tight. perhaps check your front u-joints? maybe they are rattling around a bit??? Thats a long shot though.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,177
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From: Newport, WA
Could also be spring tip isolators.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,177
Likes: 40
From: Newport, WA
Yep, at the end of each leaf where it contacts the other leaf should be a thin piece of plastic to keep them from making a bunch of noise as the spring flexes. There was a TSB for the 99's (not sure if it extends to other model years) to replace them because a lot of customers were complaining of the noise.