Clunking Noise When Breaking
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Junior User
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Clunking Noise When Breaking
I'm getting a clunk noise from under the floor board on the driver's side about where you're feet rest. I checked for ball joint movement but everything looks good. Wondering if its my shock? Anything else to check?
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
Is it one clunk/thud when you hit the brakes? My driver's side lower ball joint did that under braking, especially when it got colder out here.
I've read claims of sway bar bushings doing that too. My sway bar bushings were shot and never made any noise.
I've read claims of sway bar bushings doing that too. My sway bar bushings were shot and never made any noise.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
FWIW I didn't see any movement when I checked the ball joints myself with the prying method. I had a friend of ours look and he told me to really wail on the bottom and top of the tire while putting my shoulder into it. Only then he saw movement, we switched spots and I saw it too. It wasn't much movement.
I visually inspected the sway bar d-bushings and they looked old and worn out. They had gaps between them and the sway bar itself. So I bought energy suspension kits for the front and rear sway bars.
I visually inspected the sway bar d-bushings and they looked old and worn out. They had gaps between them and the sway bar itself. So I bought energy suspension kits for the front and rear sway bars.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Cottage Grove, OR
I have the same noise in my 99 f250. It feels like something is hitting the floor board under my feet. I have noticed if I brake easier it makes a much quieter or no clunk. Also I can make it make a clunk in the drive way by letting it roll a few weet and hitting the brakes hard.
I have checked my sway bar bushings it's not them. I also greased the splines in the drive line and installed a grease zerk. I serviced the entire braking system and checked the trans mounts and suspension mounting bolts all seem tight. I was thinking ball joints just havent had time to do them yet.
I have never had much luck with jacking the truck up and shaking the tire to check for ball joint wear. They never make any noise or move even when they are obviolusly bad.
To check sway bar bushings just remove the sway bar end links on both sides and drive the truck a short distance to see if the noise is still present.
I have checked my sway bar bushings it's not them. I also greased the splines in the drive line and installed a grease zerk. I serviced the entire braking system and checked the trans mounts and suspension mounting bolts all seem tight. I was thinking ball joints just havent had time to do them yet.
I have never had much luck with jacking the truck up and shaking the tire to check for ball joint wear. They never make any noise or move even when they are obviolusly bad.
To check sway bar bushings just remove the sway bar end links on both sides and drive the truck a short distance to see if the noise is still present.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,330
Likes: 13
From: Eaton, CO
I have the same noise in my 99 f250. It feels like something is hitting the floor board under my feet. I have noticed if I brake easier it makes a much quieter or no clunk. Also I can make it make a clunk in the drive way by letting it roll a few weet and hitting the brakes hard.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Cottage Grove, OR
Thanks for the help.
I plan on doing ball joints if I get a slow day at work next week. I just did the ones on a friends truck a month ago so i'll be all practiced up.
I'll be sure to report back when they are done reguarding the clunk.
I plan on doing ball joints if I get a slow day at work next week. I just did the ones on a friends truck a month ago so i'll be all practiced up.
I'll be sure to report back when they are done reguarding the clunk.
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Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 2
I get the same thing at times. I wonder if rotors could cause this in combo with marginal ball joints?
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 699
Likes: 0
From: northern Michigan
I just went through this on mine, Driverside inner brake pad was gone, backing plate was lodged between caliper housing and rotor, not touching and caliper pistons where Engaging the rotor. Hard to see without pulling tire.
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Cottage Grove, OR
Report back:
I replaced all the ball joints today and found 3 horrible ones and on bad one.
Now it is nice and tight with no clunk.
Also when replacing my ball joints I was able to reuse all the seals by carefully removing the axle shaft from the knuckle. A pry bar used gently between the axle housing and the Axle U joint works great.
Hope this helps diagnose someone elses clunk issues.
I replaced all the ball joints today and found 3 horrible ones and on bad one.
Now it is nice and tight with no clunk.
Also when replacing my ball joints I was able to reuse all the seals by carefully removing the axle shaft from the knuckle. A pry bar used gently between the axle housing and the Axle U joint works great.
Hope this helps diagnose someone elses clunk issues.
New User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
My 2000 F250 4wd is "clunking" as others have described. Yesterday I verified that the lower ball joints (and maybe the uppers too) are shot. I did this by jacking up the tire, and pulling outboard on it from the bottom check for movement. The lower edge of the tire moved in and out quite a bit, maybe as much as 1/4 inch. No wonder the thing is clunking!
So, I figure it is time to change them. I removed the wheel to have a look at how the ball joints are installed, but am unsure about how to replace them. I've rebuilt the suspension on my "fun" car (a 1965 Ford Galaxie) before, but that setup is entirely different from the four wheel drive truck steering and suspension. It looks to me like the ball joints are pressed in to the, uh, knuckle? on the pickup. I am guessing I need to remove the brake caliper & rotor, then disconnect the u-joint to remove the entire assembly in order to get the whole mess into a hydraulic press to drive the ball joints out.
Can anyone confirm my guess, or maybe even give a brief description of the process?
Thanks a bunch!
John
So, I figure it is time to change them. I removed the wheel to have a look at how the ball joints are installed, but am unsure about how to replace them. I've rebuilt the suspension on my "fun" car (a 1965 Ford Galaxie) before, but that setup is entirely different from the four wheel drive truck steering and suspension. It looks to me like the ball joints are pressed in to the, uh, knuckle? on the pickup. I am guessing I need to remove the brake caliper & rotor, then disconnect the u-joint to remove the entire assembly in order to get the whole mess into a hydraulic press to drive the ball joints out.
Can anyone confirm my guess, or maybe even give a brief description of the process?
Thanks a bunch!
John
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 25,090
Likes: 1,112
From: Rio Rico, AZ.
John, welcome to FTE.
Your visual inspection and description tells me that you are on the right track.
.
Dissassemble the front hubs and make careful note on how the washers come out.
You don't want to get them back in the wrong order or flipped around.
From there, the front axle is held in rather securely via the inner seal.
Get a couple of large pry bars and out outward on the shoulder from behind and the axle should pop out.
From there, disconnect the ABS wire, unmount the caliper and hang it.
Remove the four large nuts on the inside of the knuckle and the whole hub assembly comes off.
Remove the collar from the top ball joint.
The lower ball joint is a taper fit and if you've done ball joints before you know how to deal with that.
Get the knuckle on the bench and R&R the ball joints.
I used the big C-clamp style ball joint press with the Ford adapters.
Made life real easy.
Your visual inspection and description tells me that you are on the right track.
.
Dissassemble the front hubs and make careful note on how the washers come out.
You don't want to get them back in the wrong order or flipped around.
From there, the front axle is held in rather securely via the inner seal.
Get a couple of large pry bars and out outward on the shoulder from behind and the axle should pop out.
From there, disconnect the ABS wire, unmount the caliper and hang it.
Remove the four large nuts on the inside of the knuckle and the whole hub assembly comes off.
Remove the collar from the top ball joint.
The lower ball joint is a taper fit and if you've done ball joints before you know how to deal with that.
Get the knuckle on the bench and R&R the ball joints.
I used the big C-clamp style ball joint press with the Ford adapters.
Made life real easy.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,712
Likes: 107
From: BoCoMo
My 2000 F250 4wd is "clunking" as others have described. Yesterday I verified that the lower ball joints (and maybe the uppers too) are shot. I did this by jacking up the tire, and pulling outboard on it from the bottom check for movement. The lower edge of the tire moved in and out quite a bit, maybe as much as 1/4 inch. No wonder the thing is clunking!
So, I figure it is time to change them. I removed the wheel to have a look at how the ball joints are installed, but am unsure about how to replace them. I've rebuilt the suspension on my "fun" car (a 1965 Ford Galaxie) before, but that setup is entirely different from the four wheel drive truck steering and suspension. It looks to me like the ball joints are pressed in to the, uh, knuckle? on the pickup. I am guessing I need to remove the brake caliper & rotor, then disconnect the u-joint to remove the entire assembly in order to get the whole mess into a hydraulic press to drive the ball joints out.
Can anyone confirm my guess, or maybe even give a brief description of the process?
Thanks a bunch!
John
So, I figure it is time to change them. I removed the wheel to have a look at how the ball joints are installed, but am unsure about how to replace them. I've rebuilt the suspension on my "fun" car (a 1965 Ford Galaxie) before, but that setup is entirely different from the four wheel drive truck steering and suspension. It looks to me like the ball joints are pressed in to the, uh, knuckle? on the pickup. I am guessing I need to remove the brake caliper & rotor, then disconnect the u-joint to remove the entire assembly in order to get the whole mess into a hydraulic press to drive the ball joints out.
Can anyone confirm my guess, or maybe even give a brief description of the process?
Thanks a bunch!
John
Might help you out.