Clunk, Grind, and Groan... Front End Problems

[V8BoatBuilder]

I just spent the last few hours under the truck and searching the boards:

There are some intermittant noises coming from the front suspention. (1997 V8 AWD, 114,000mi)

1) "Whoo whoo" coming from front end when braking or coasting to a stop, under 20mph. Usually happens more after long highway trips.
2) Clicking from under vehicle.
3) Clunk on coming to a stop, or accelerating from a stop.
4) Popping noise on coming to a stop, accllerating from a stop, or going over bumps. Doesn't always happen.

I jacked up the truck and all the rubber boots looked OK. (CVs, Tie Rods, Ball Joints)

I tried rocking the wheel, but everything seemed solid. There was only the natural play in the steering rack.

When I rotated the front wheels by hand, there appeared to be a very mild binding at one spot in the rotation. Happened at both wheels.

Also, there is a metallic clink coming from the front driveshaft to t-case area. It only happens when the shaft is started/stopped from turning.

Any thoughs? I'd prefer not to throw expensive parts at it, but saftey is #1 - I can't have a wheel bearing or ball joint fail at 70mph!!!

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[nserafini]

Just for giggles, what do the u-joints look like ? Pops, clicks in the front always make me think ball joints first, but perhaps it's in the drivetrain ???

I'm sure I'm wrong , but what can it hurt to check ?

 

[Nate1]

You may have sound balljoints... they might just be dry... Mabey a grease needle and some grease in them would fix all the groaning and popping, but IDK about your front d/s

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Just wanted to add that I replaced the torsion bar adjusters in the spring.

 

[Commtech]

Might want to check your Radius Arm Bushings. Common problem on Ex's. Even after replacement mine groans and creaks over bumps (when I put WD40 on the bushings it stops). When tehy are going bad you will hear thumps and pops when going over bumps, etc.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Bump... C'mon I want more suggestions. Thanks for the replies so far.

I'm thinking of doing the ball joints, but as of late, I haven't heard anything from the front end except for some major groaning when I turn in reverse.

 

[88vert]

Have you tried greasing the slip-yoke?

 

[SVO1]

Holy ****!!!!
Must be a black/grey 97 mountaineer thing!
Mine started doing the clunk/pop suddenly on the way to work this morning (85k miles)
Had to limp it to my parents house a couple miles away, and the noise was hellacious!
Looked at it tonight and it pops in the exact same spot by turning the left front wheel. it is the same metallic sound like someone is hitting the wheel with a hammer.
I isolated it to the shaft going from the front diff to the xfr case.
I had fears it was coming from the xfr case.
I unbolted the joint at the diff and moved it aroud a bit, and the shaft seems to me like it has a bit too much in/out movement at the xfr case.
Rotating the diff there was no longer a noise, and rotating the shaft it went away.
I hooked it back up 180* off to see if it changed the spot it made noise, and now it makes no noise at all.
I am going to pull the shaft out tomorrow to see what I can find, but I think the cv type end at the xfr case is what is doing it ( like a needle bearing came out or something).
I will post up what I find!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Originally posted by 88vert
Have you tried greasing the slip-yoke?

Did that in the spring.

 

[net_shark512]

What about the clicking sound? Is the truck stick shift? maybe your throw out bearing. My mustang used to click from underneath bad when you put a little pressure on the clutch it would stop, which is a throw out bearing problem.

 

[Opera House]

CV at xfer case

A lot of free in and out movement at the CV is normal. These are steel balls that run in a groove. There should be no rotational play.

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Re: CV at xfer case

Originally posted by Opera House
A lot of free in and out movement at the CV is normal. These are steel balls that run in a groove. There should be no rotational play.

I have about a 1/16 of a turn of rotational play, accompanied with a metal on metal "bang" when rotating it by hand with the front wheels off the ground.

Suggestions?

 

[Opera House]

Mine has a lot of differential play too

Still I think that is normal. I'm fighting a front end once per rev noise also at low speeds. Just bought a bearing hub to see if that changes things.

 

[SVO1]

I got mine in the air again saturday, and I popped out the shaft from the diff - xfr case.
If you move that cv joint arouns it binds in oone spot and is very nothcy feeling. There is a small hole in the back of the ball, and sticking a boroscope into it shows it is very dry. I packed it full of grease and that made it a little better, and it allowed it to be quiet on the 10 mile drive home.
My local dealer will have the new shaft for me wednesday, set me back 226.41, and it is an updated part.
Bear in mind it was so bad friday that the truck could hardly accelerate, and was so loud my parents could hear it in a car behind me with the windows up!

 

[M.Scott]

4) Popping noise

Maybe your inner tie rod ends - happened to me. Check out this popping thread.

3) Clunk on coming to a stop, or accelerating from a stop.

Like others said sounds like slip yoke. This is slowly getting louder in my truck

1) "Whoo whoo"

That noise I'm sure about. That would be me during the Victoria Secret show. It will go away on thurs

 

[SVO1]

Just a quick update, replaced the front drive shaft and all the issues are gone, even a couple that I did not realize were caused by it.
It drives like a New Mounty now!

 

[V8BoatBuilder]

Strange that the shaft should fail, as neither the t-case nor the diff move during operation.

What did the new shaft include?

 

[SVO1]

What was happening is that the cv joint end was binding in one spot ( I am thinking the needle bearing is siezed at that spot, but I will not know untill I cut it apart). This happens due to the slight angle the shaft is at at all times.
The new shaft came with the front u-joint, obviously the cv joint, and new bolts/retainer plates under the bolts. It was a total drop out the old, in with the new ordeal.
Had it done in about 20 minutes total.

 

[Texas_XLT]

A strange shot in the dark for you here...

I had the same problem on my 95 XLT after some front end work. Turns out they never properly torqued down the ecentric nut on the pass side upper A arm. Sounded like a small metal ball pen hammer on certain bumps.

If this is it, re-aline the truck and torque that puppy down!

 

[Brandons]

Can ball joints actually snap off, or pop out or something, cause i know we got a bad ball joint ( i can hear the clunking and stuff, and theres play when i push the wheel up or down). If this is possible, then i need to replace them fast!