Complete Front End Bushing Overhaul...

[5.0L V8]

So the front of my 97' has been making all sorts of noises for quite sometime now. It's sounds like real bad bushings. (Atleast that is what i'm thinking). Only makes the noise on pronounced bumps...my speedbump on my street is a real big one. In and out of shopping center parking lots is a doozy too. Im getting new Monroe Monro Matics here in the 14th for all 4 points. But I highly doubt that bad shocks are making this noise.

I basically need to know ALL the bushings up front. Can i buy a complete kit of them, or do I have to purchase for different applications? (i.e swaybar end, control arms).

Would it be cheaper to just go the Les Schwab and have them do a full front end bushing job?

 

[DUNE RCR]

Jack up the front of your truck and make sure that your ball joints are still good. The only bushings I know of are the sway bar links, sway bar to frame bushings, upper control arm bushings & lower control arms(where they mount to frame.)

Jack up your truck first though and verify it isn't one of your ball joints that are loose.

 

[5.0L V8]

Sounds more than probably to me, thanks for the advice man. How would I check for looseness of the ball joint? I was think if the front end is jacked up, could I use a pry bar or somthing, see if it has any play in it?

Anyone know if there is a write up for ball joints installations?

 

[FordGT55]

Lower ball joint write up:
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=188225

To check ball joints jack the truck up by the lower control arm and use a pry bar under the tire and watch the ball joint ( takes 2 people) that's the best way to tell. The bushings that are in the front are the control arm bushings which can only be replaced by replacing the control arms, the sway bar links and frame bushings, and the torsion bar bushings. (may have forgotten one). Also if you decide to do all that might think about wheel bearings and tie rods. Both you can check while it's lifted by the control arm.

 

[white_shadow]

same problem on mine, its ball joints. when i do those ill get all new CA bushings as well. i have already done the sway bar bushings and shocks

 

[Turdle]

Check on Rockauto.com
I think you will find complete new lower control arms with the ball joints and bushings installed to be cheaper, in the long run.