popping from front end??

[strokin'_tatsch]

in the past week or so my truck has developed a pop when your turning the wheel sharply or when your just driving over some rocks or anything that puts some stress on the front end. i checked my ball joints and the lowers are pretty much trashed, but i tried getting someone to turn it while i got under the truck to find the pop and what do you know.. it didn't pop. LoL. so i don't know what is popping yet. any ideas? i have never heard of ball joints popping but they could be for all i know. that's also the only thing on the front end i know how to check to see if it's bad. i dont know how to check anything else in the front end. thanks guys

 

[san-man]

I was told it was the ball joints. I have developed a popping sound as well but on my truck it is very faint. It only happens during sharp turns for me. I does nothing while sitting on the driveway trying to figure out where it is coming from.

 

[94f450sd]

2wd or 4wd?

 

[strokin'_tatsch]

2wd. i lifted up the front of the truck and came to the conclusion that my lower ball joints are in bad shape, but i have never heard ball joints pop like that. if i turn or drive over a small rock or something the damn thing pops. maybe not every single time, but close to it.

 

[94f450sd]

radius arm bushings need to be replaced

 

[strokin'_tatsch]

ok how much do radius arm bushings normally? what brand should i get and where should i get them? thanks rich

 

[94f450sd]

autozone or advance will have them.been a while since i bought a set but ithink they about 20 bux a side

 

[cummins359]

you might as well do the axle pivot bushings as well, but it is the radius arms doin the popping u have to tear the whole spring assembly aprt might as well do all of it i did every wear part but the steering box and springs for about 600$ the suspension parts werent but about $300 for the better parts, be sure when u reinstall the radius arm bushings they are assembled in the correct order and that u bottom the nut all the way out it will look funny till u run it and the bushing settles

 

[94f450sd]

no need to take the whole thing apart.helps if you have a tree/telephone pole and another truck.jack your truck up and place a stand under the frame rail.have a tree or pole infront of your truck if you have a comealong.rempmove the big nut on the radius arm and disconnect the sway bar.hook come along to tree and front ibeam.crank it till the radius arm comes out of the bracket.you may need to tie the rear off to another truck or vehicle.replace the bushing and eas the radius arm back into the bracket.finish the bushing and put everything else back together.

you can also cut the rivets off the bracket,replace the bushing and use grade 8 hardened 3/8-16 nuts,bolts and lock washers to bolt the bracket back on after removing the rivets.

in both cases you may need to jack up on the arm to get it bck into the bracket and lined up right to bolt the bracket back onto the frame if you go that route.but there is definately no reason or need to remove everything under the front end.just takes way too long and a bunch of unnecessary headaches.here is a picture of mine with the rivets replaced with bolts

 

[cummins359]

it does take longer i just had decided before starting to do it all, have done it on a half ton like that on a lift on a frame machine