Someone Please Help! My Ride is a Skateboard!

[A Wise Guy]

Ton, if you have front end noises, something is wrong. Take the technician for a ride and point out the symptoms to him. That is what I had to do so they could find the heat shield rattle and fix it while they were doing all the front end work.

 

[Doug]

I'm gonna say balljoints are the source of your clunk as well. driving over small bump (ie rough roads) are gonna cause your ball joints to wear quicker. If your not sure if your ball joints are worn theyre easy to check. Jack up the front of the truck and put the front end on jack stands. Make sure its not gonna go anywhere, then push in on the top of the tire, also grab the bottom of the tire on the inside and pull up and out on it. if there is any movement you're gonna need new ball joints. Id suggest getting both the upper and lowers replaced even if a shop says its only the lowers that are worn. A shop told me the lower balljoints where worn on my 96 when i took it in for an alignment and then about a month later my upper balljoints started making noise. If you have a warranty get ford to replace the joints but moog greasable balljoints are a better option.

 

[AlaskanJack]

I knew someone that was having a similar problem on his vehicle and it turned out to be a combination of coils and shocks. What he was hearing was his front bottoming out on his bump stops and maybe there was a rubbing involved I can't remember all the details. New coils and shocks, the ride was 200% better. I could feel the difference.


I was just realizing that no where has anyone inspected the radius arm bushings. Will cause a clunk. Oh wait this isn't a 1st gen my bad.

 

[A Wise Guy]

Originally posted by AlaskanJack
I was just realizing that no where has anyone inspected the radius arm bushings. Will cause a clunk. Oh wait this isn't a 1st gen my bad.

No, it's not. But it is a good point to bring up because 1st gen owners will be reading this looking for answers of their own.

 

[ToneDog]

A Wise Guy~ Did the Technician (not service) guy do that a couple of time and verified my concerns existed, and then wasn't able to find anything!

Namitey~ I am gonna have to try that test for the ball joints tommorrow will let you know.

and buy the way the code for the torsion bars on the door is "D", Thought maybe someone was playing a joke on me and put two iron rods w/ no flex in there!

Also, how do I know if their has been a torsion bar adjustment made, tighter/looser that could be affecting the ride. is there a way of measuring?

Thanks,
ToneDog

 

[A Wise Guy]

Originally posted by ToneDog
A Wise Guy~ Did the Technician (not service) guy do that a couple of time and verified my concerns existed, and then wasn't able to find anything!
Thanks,
ToneDog

The tech said you had problems and he still couldn't find them? Ask him who fixes his car.

 

[ERIK2173]

I just had new shocks installed, they are stiffer than the stock shocks so when I hit a big pot hole or bump I feel it, but I don't feel all the little bumps in the road.
By the way I had Gabriels installed.

 

[DasFrem]

Its funny around here, I'm always thinking, "damn, is my truck already out of alignment?" then I get out of NY and realize that everything works just fine. The roads around here absolutly suck! I won't even drive my white truck in Manhattan anymore because it's just too unbarable with 17"s, stiff swaybars and being lowered. I'd advise you replace the shocks. I've got Edlebrock IAS shocks, which I love for nice roads, but they're just not what's needed for LI and NYC streets. For that stuff I pull out the jacked 4x4 on 35s for a more bareable ride (intimdates the cabbies as well). Check the ball joints (which are almost certinaly worn by now) if you still want softer ride, go ahead and replace the schocks with some decent ones other than the IAS or Rancho stuff.

 

[ToneDog]

A Wise Guy~ That's not the only Tech who has said that to me!

DasFrem~ A fellow NY'k'r who knows what I'm talkin' about! It ain't easy, and I put some serious city/brooklyn/li drivin' in each and everyday!!! I am almost ready to drive this thing off a bridge! The only thing stopping me is which one!

ToneDog

 

[X~FACTOR]

Fellow New Yorker... see you in the bottom of Brooklyn Bridge!