Hello everyone, I am brand new to this and have been reading some good info from a lot of people. So I decided to become a member and hope to talk to and share some good info with others. I have a question about my truck. I own a 2002 Ford F350 Super Cab XLT 4X4 5.4L gasoline engine. I have been hearing a knocking noise for the longest time now and it is driving me crazy. I can't really pinpoint where it is coming from or exactly what the cause is. I lifted the front of my truck and wedged a long 2x4 under the wheels to check for play in the ball joints but they appeared fine to me. No loose exhaust parts or swinging cables or anything like that. I am quite mechanically inclined, not to the point of breaking down an engine but I can pretty much do any exterior work and repairs on exhast, ball joints, suspension (I actually just did a 3 " body lift in my truck on my own, wasn't easy with just one person but I got it done) etc. I did check for loose cab bolts or bed bolts and those are all fine as this noise has been happening well before the body lift addition. I also added a mini leaf spring pack to the front end to level out the truck and I am running 37" BF Goodrich tires. But this noise has got to go. It is driving me crazy. Once again the noise has been happening before any of this work I have just done to it. If anyone has any crazy ideas what it might be, please let me know. I think I am going to replace the ball joints anyway and see what happens, they appeared fine to me but who knows, Can someone recommend a good set of ball joints to buy and a link where I can purchase them from. I want good ones so i don't have to do this too often. Sorry for the long post and thanks to everyone in advance.

 

You didn't give us much info on the knock. When does it happen? Constantly? When turning? When accelerating? When braking?

Knocks are often just sway bar bushings. Sometimes U-joints, on either driveline or axle. Other things too, but it helps to know when the knock happens.

 

I agree with bpounds, I would check the swaybar bushings and endlinks.

 

Thanks for your replies guys. It happens when I go over bumps. Just like a ball joint would do but I really don't see any play in them. Turning does not matter or make any difference. But what I may have just discovered when I was outside for the last hour trying to figure it out is that it appears that the drive axle on the passenger side (where I hear the noise come from) seems to slide in & out of the axle tube slightly. Maybe talking 1/4" - 5/16" movement. When I grab the knuckle joint on the drive shaft I can move it in and out enough to make it bang just a little bit and it does kinda sound like the bang that I am hearing whie driving. And of course while driving and going over bumps it would cause it to move a lot harder and quicker than I can move it with my hands and would make the noise more excessive. Also there seems to be some kind of plastic seal that seals the driveshaft into the axle tube and it seems to be broken because I can grab it with my fingers and move it around quite a bit. I may have to figure out how to disassemble all that (never did it before but I know I can, just have to reasearch it and think about it) and find out what's going on in there. Does this make sense?? Anyne hear of the driveshaft having play in it and causing noises?

 

That sounds like classic sway bar busings being worn out.

Could be. Mine has no play at all, because I've grabbed it to check U-joint condition and to see if my x'fer case was locking. But a picture or two might help us visualize. As you know, that shaft should not be turning when in 2WD on the street, but it could still be banging around on bumps.

 

The sway bar bushings... Is that those ones that connect to some rods about 12" long that bolts up to the side of the frame, I was thinking about disconnecting them and just tying up the sway bar for a few minutes and drive up my street a bit and I would be able to eliminate that or discover thats the problem quite fast. I have a lot of frost heaves on my road and it wouldn't take long to find out if that is the problem or not. I will try that tomorrow. Now speaking of the driveshafts spinning.... While I was checking for the problem for an hour, I noticed that my drivers side shaft DOES NOT spin by hand but the passengers side one spins freely by hand. And when I grab the front drive shaft off of the transfer case and spin it, the passenger side shaft spins freely but the drivers side does not spin at all. Long story short... the passenger side spins freely, the drivers side does not. Is this correct?

 

This will help you with the sway bar.

2004 F250 Sway Bar Bushing Replacement

You're idea about removing it and taking it for a drive is a good one. That
will tell the tale.

As for your axles, it sounds to me like your driver's side hub isn't coming unlocked. Do you have ESOF (4x4 switch on the dash)? If so, you probably need to service the hubs to keep them working properly.

Guzzle's the man for that one...
Welcome to guzzle's 4x4 Autolock Hub Lubrication Maintenance Web Page

 

The swaybar bushings mount on the front of the truck on the sway bar, that is usually 1.5" or so in diamater there are two one on the right side (mounts behind the leaf spring mount) and one on the left side, the easiest way to check them is to grab the bar on either side right by were the end links are and see if you can move it back and forth if you can they are wore. If they are wore and you haven't changed the end links yet I would change them too. I hope this helps

 

Man you guys and these forums are GREAT. Thank you guys so much for all your help and ideas. I work nights and have to go to bed now but at least I have more ideas to look at. I have only been a member for a few hours and I must say I am blown away at the great responses I got. FORD TRUCK ENTHUSIASTS is a great place to hang out. You admins have done a super job. 1975StroppeBaja , thanks a bunch for those links you sent me. I will definately service and lube my hubs (his link is for deisal trucks, is my 5.4l gas the same hubs?)
Again, thanks so much to all you guys for your help and I will be back on tomorrow hopefully with some good news............ JAY

 

Quick update....... I FOUND IT!!! The wife got home just as I was getting ready for bed and remembering that tomorrow is calling for rain/snow, I decided to go out and disconnect my sway bar and take it for a quick ride. The noise was gone. (so happy) So now i know what I need to do. I am glad it is not the drive axle as I mentioned it may be earlier. Should be an easy fix. They have a press in the maintenance shop at work that I can use if needed. Where should I get the new bushings from? My local auto parts store, dealer or somewhere on line (good ones if available)? Now to figure out problem #2 that started yesterday...... squeeking in the front end when turning the wheels. It happens when I am driving or just stationary.... I'm thinking ball joints maybe??? Thanks again guys!!!

 

Amazon.com is a popular place to buy them.

Here's a recent thread on the subject...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...y-bar-fix.html

 

The squeaking could also be the sway bar bushings.....

 

Getting ready to leave for work. I just purchased the set from Amazon. I can't believe I have been putting up with this noise for so long and it is only a $32.00 fix. Thanks for the link 1975StroppeBaja. The squeaking is not the bushings because it still does it after I took it apart (the saway bar links) to test for the banging