Ball joint noise? | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Ball joint noise?

idoticsoigpa

Member
Joined
July 19, 2011
Messages
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City, State
Springfield, MO
Year, Model & Trim Level
1998 Eddie Bauer V8 AWD
I have a 1998 Eddie Bauer V8 AWD. I had what sounded like worn out ball joints. Dealer said I had worn out lower ball joints and replaced them. I still have the same worn out ball joint sound. I assume the next step is to replace the upper ball joints. Has anyone had another cause for the classic rumbling sound of worn out ball joints?
 



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Is it a kind of a thud sound when you hit bumps? Mine is doing the same thing and thought about mine being ball joints as well.
 






source of noise found

The noise was from the links connecting the front sway bar to the lower control arms. Sounds just like worn out ball joints when these links are worn out.
 






They are all very cheap to replace. I would do them all while you're in there.
 






They are all very cheap to replace. I would do them all while you're in there.

Yeah, my squeak turned out to be a lower ball joint. I just ended up replacing all four balljoints with Moog parts so I never would have to worry about them again and so they can wear evenly.
 






I replaced my upper ball joints after a Ford dealer replaced the lower ones when I took it in complaining of worn out ball joint sounds. I still had the noise after all four ball joints were replaced. Then I remembered my experience with another Explorer and the sway bar links. I replaced those and the sound went away. As a side note, why couldn't Ford have designed the left upper control arm/ball joint assembly the same as the right upper control arm/ball joint assembly? The right one was so easy to replace but the left one was such a bee-itch to replace.
 






I replaced my upper ball joints after a Ford dealer replaced the lower ones when I took it in complaining of worn out ball joint sounds. I still had the noise after all four ball joints were replaced. Then I remembered my experience with another Explorer and the sway bar links. I replaced those and the sound went away. As a side note, why couldn't Ford have designed the left upper control arm/ball joint assembly the same as the right upper control arm/ball joint assembly? The right one was so easy to replace but the left one was such a bee-itch to replace.

It has to do with the alignment design on these trucks. It's a weird one, though.
 






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