Front Suspension still clicking??

[Lazzman]

I have a metal to metal clicking noise in my front suspension and have had it for some time. I thought it might be the Torsion bar Insulators but after lots of asking around, many people told me that this part rarely if ever fails.

I snooped a little deeper into this problem by crawling under my X on my back. I grabbed the Torsion bar at the back mount on the drivers side and pulled hard, no movement at all. I did hear a small click which seemed to be coming from the front suspension assembly. Next I rocked the truck by bench pressing the side frame up and down till it rocked the truck. I heard the noise several times coming from the drivers side, front suspension area.

The final test was to drive the vehicle in small circles. When I drove the truck counter clockwise with the wheel cut all the way to the left. I heard the clicking noise and the truck seemed to stumble on its footing several times. I also notice this when I pull out of a parking space in reverse. When I drove the truck clockwise with the wheel cut all the way to the right, I noticed nothing wrong just tight suspension. Leading me to believe the problem is in the drivers side area.

I recently replaced the shocks, Sway bar bushings and links. The tie rods are tight. Ford Dealer supposedly replaced the Ball joints upper/lower for a cost of $1250. Strange though when I took it to another Ford dealer a few weeks after. They said one of the ball joints was deffective- I took it back to the original dealer and an argument insued. They told me the other Ford dealership had no right to make such an accusation and the ball joint was fine. When I threatend to sue them and contact Ford management they took in the vehicle and supposedly fixed the problem. I have no Idea what they did if in fact they did anything. I know I should have but I never got a second opinion.

What are the symptoms of a bad ball joint??

I appologize for the long thread.

 

[jp450]

It may be the tie rod end/s. Are both your tie rods twisted towards the front of the Ex? If they are it will cause a flat spot in the socket of the tie rod end. When the suspention moves it will cause a poping noise in the front end. Grab a tie rod and then have someone push down on the bumper repeatedly. It will make a clicking noise and you should feel it in the tie rod.

 

[351wExplorer]

might be off by a ways. but what about axle shaft u joints... when moving slowly, if they have enough play, they will "tumble" which causes a slight clicking sound everytime it drops and slaps metal to metal

 

[351wExplorer]

sorry i was pictureing straight axle, what about cvs?

 

[Lazzman]

Thanks for the Replies, I have not checked the CV's but they do not appear to be leaking anything. I will check the tie rod ends as suggested.

Will post updates.

 

[FreeWheelin4x4]

My ball joint symptoms (fixing right lower ball joint solved these problems):

1: The most noticeable was accelerating hard I would hear a "pop" and a thud would be felt. The same happens when slow acceleration from a dead stop on a bump or ditch in the road.

2: turning the wheel (like to pull into a parking space) and slight acceleration on the gas caused the pop and thud feeling.

3: Every now and again when I would stop, right after I hit the break I'd feel it again, about the time the front of the truck droped.

Those were my symptoms, I knew the ball joint was bad when I bought it from the ford dealer (they offered to replace it for 800. Bought the part, 30 with lifetime warranty from AutoZone, took it to a shop, for 150 they replaced it for me in about 4 hours, screw the stealership). After I got it fixed, the problems went away....now to replace the breaks and im like new again!

PS: Haynes manual says Ball Joint's on 95+ can not be changed, it requires replacing the entire lower control arm. However my 95 was able to be changed. Don't know what that's about, but a fair warning.

 

[Lazzman]

Damn those *******s..... I knew it was still broken they just lied and told me it was fixed. When the other dealership told me it was faulty I should have known. The dealership that originaly did the work probably took it in, lubed it up and told me it was fixed, With out really fixing it.

I am sure it is the same problem as you had because the above story is great evidence. Also when I turn the wheel hard to the left when making a tight circle the suspension under that tire seems to pop and click.

How do you check ball joints on an explorer?

 

[FreeWheelin4x4]

I can't help ya there =( Suspension is one thing I won't tackle myself. Lack of air tool's tends to make me avoid it. I'd be interested to know myself for future reference =D....

If you turn to the left hard, and it clicks it might be the left lower ball joint then. Mine was opposite. Seems to have poped and thunked more so on suspension decompression, and slightly under compression.

Again I'm no suspension guru, but this seemed to be my experiences.

 

[Lazzman]

That is exactly what the second dealership said when I brought it to them shortly after the original dealer did the work. " You have a deffective lower driver side ball joint. After I went back to the original dealer and showed them the paper work and told them what the other service adviser had said that emphatically disagreed and said it was impossible for that to be true. They were also very interested in the other dealer and the name of the service advisor who said this.

Needless to say the service adivsor is no longer at the competitors Ford dealership, this is like the freakin mafia man. The problem has been swepped under the rug, although the original dealer took the truck back and said they fixed the problem I have no evidence that they did....

 

[jayhawkexplorer]

PS: Haynes manual says Ball Joint's on 95+ can not be changed, it requires replacing the entire lower control arm. However my 95 was able to be changed. Don't know what that's about, but a fair warning.

The upper ball joint cannot be replaced independently of the control arm. The lower can be replaced like any other ball joint.

 

[Lazzman]

How can I tell if the ball joint is bad??

 

[Lazzman]

I think it can be jacked up and the tire can be checked for play, is this true? Will it prove anything?

 

[jp450]

I think it can be jacked up and the tire can be checked for play, is this true? Will it prove anything?

Jack the front end up by the suspention not the frame. I use the lower control arm. Using somthing solid, like a landscaping pry bar, put it under the tire and jently pull up on the bar. It should be solid. If there is any play up and down then you probably need ball joints... Now while its up in the air... Grab the tire at 12 and 6 and wiggle in and out. If there is any sloppyness with this test it usually points to wheel berrings. Now grab at 9 and 3. Give it a wiggle. Play here usually indicated tie rod ends.

 

[BuffaloXplorer]

Jack the front end up by the suspention not the frame. I use the lower control arm. Using somthing solid, like a landscaping pry bar, put it under the tire and jently pull up on the bar. It should be solid. If there is any play up and down then you probably need ball joints... Now while its up in the air... Grab the tire at 12 and 6 and wiggle in and out. If there is any sloppyness with this test it usually points to wheel berrings. Now grab at 9 and 3. Give it a wiggle. Play here usually indicated tie rod ends.

Ball joints hold the camber. Prying UP on a tire will tell you nothing about balljoints. It's the in/out movement of the top/bottom of the tire that will point to BJ failure.

Jack that side up, grab the tire at 12 & 6 and give it a tug at each. If you have excessive play (there should be VERY LITTLE (< 1/8") movement) then that BJ is bad.

If you do this and are still unsure, take the tire off, unscrew the retaining nut from the bottom of the BJ, and give it a tug in all directions. You may need to take apart the brakes to get to the point where you have access to the balljoint - i can't remember. If the BJ pivots easily (with little force), it's done for. This is likely the only way you'll be able to tell for sure that your BJ is the problem.

If you have to, invest in a replacement BJ to compare with your existing one (then return it once you're done with the following). Bring it to the dealer with you. Have them bring you out to the X once they've taken it apart. Ask them to show you how they've determined that the BJ is good, and show them how much play a NEW balljoint has.

Good juck with this.