Slight creaking problem.

[amys4x4explorer]

Sometimes it seems as though when I'm slowing down, I hear a slight creaking sound. Not a squeek, but more of a creak. Was wondering what it could be. For all I know it may have been doing that for a while but I always have the music turned up to loud to hear anything. I do once in awhile turn the volume down to listen for strange noises. Which is when I discovered the creak, but its mostly when I'm slowing down or starting to speed up. I've put the lower ball joints on back earlier. So now I'm kind of paranoid that it might be the uppers.

The sound seems like its coming from around the middle of my explorer. (underneath) It kind of sounds like creaking metal. It kind of has a metal sound to it, but only when I'm speeding up or slowing down, when I'm taking off from a stop or starting to stop. But its after I slow down really slow. It kind of seems like it has something to do with when it moves back and for. forward and backward.

 

[robertoa1a]

On explorers as with other trucks, shocks go bad. Shocks are on the maintanence schedule, like tires. When is the last time theywere replaced?

Fortunatly shocks are relatively cheep for an Explorer

 

[parad1mg]

i had a creak way back but that went away when i replaced my drivers side upper control arm with the ball joint assembly.. make the right choice when buying ball joints and dont skimp out on them.. i purchased a slightly cheaper no name brand but that went bad in just under 5 months of use.. i went with MOOG and its still as tight as the day i bought it