Nothing about the spindle to cause such a noise. It isn't that.

 

I'm looking at what's been done and it seems comprehensive. My first thought was the sway bar bushings as I had a Chubby S-10 that creaked from the factory. Was any lubricant put on the bushings where they meet the sway bar? I had found a case of "Personal Lubricant" in the back of a car I got in the salvage yard I was running at the time. The family that sold it to us said their father ran a front end shop and used a lot of it. It stopped the creaking until a couple of heavy rains washed it out.

 

Yes, Sir. I used the Energy Suspension lube that came with the bushings. And it eliminated one of the noises I was experiencing when going over speed bumps especially.
Oh, and I removed the sway bar temporarily and it made no difference in the noise.

This noise is rather sharp (popping). Like two pieces of metal slapping each other. Makes me think something is shifting when I hit the brake or turn. A bit more than a creak and why I'm having trouble dismissing it as "It's just an old truck".

 

So what is still in there, that ISN'T new???

 

Not much.

Steering column/shaft
Rack n pinion
Brake booster
Spindle/steering knuckle

Had her out today. If I put quick medium or heavy pressure on the brake going down the road 30ish MPH I can hear the pop/clank as soon as I apply the brake. If I feather-touch the brake pedal easing it down I hear nothing. Can brake pads do that? I lubed the phenolic piston face and caliper ears (other side) with sil glyde. Do brake boosters make that kinda noise?

 

How is the bushing at the bottom of the steering column? I know on the full sized trucks, they can be problematic...

 

Are you talking inside the cab near the firewall?

 

Nope, in the engine compartment, where the intermediate shaft hits it.

 

Goodness! I'm no Sir! My parents were married. (Yes, to each other, well, until after I showed up.) I'm going to go over the list that you did to the truck and think about what might cause it. (At least until my head hurts.)

 

Well, the headache came in fast so I had to quit thinking. A couple of questions though. How are the caliper pins on the brakes moving? Are the pads wearing flat or at an angle. Are there any wear or grind marks on the inside of the wheels in front?

I had a '93 V-6 Sport I bought new. After a few years, I was getting an odd grinding noise when I braked. The pads were wearing at an angle and leaving grind marks on the inside of the wheel. New pads cured it and I quit using the truck to stop a large trailer without brakes.

I'm not saying this is your problem, just something to eliminate.