So, here goes my first post in a few months (sorry guys, started a second job up at advance trying to give them some kind of knowledge up there.)

So here are some pictures. I am sure you can tell which are upper and which are lower ball joints. The upper have obviously been changed recently and if you can't tell, they were changed with MOOG. My question is concerning the lower ball joint on the drivers side (it is marked down there).

Seems that SOMETIMES, only when at about 3 MPH or at a stop and I mean only sometimes, actually only 2-3 times a week it gives me just a tiny pop. So I am wondering, do these look bad to you?

The only reason I am questioning myself, is the fact that it doesn't seem as if they are bad, and the sound only comes from the drivers side. BUT when I am taking a turn unto a store or somewhere like that where I hit a bump while turning. I hits hard, but only on the drivers side. Seems like Sway Bar Link End (which I can't seem to find, due to them not looking like ones I have seen and changed before, or maybe they are hidden and I can' find them from just climbing under the truck) I was just looking a few minutes ago and it is dark and 30 mph winds due to a cold front coming in lol. Does it sound like sway bar? Lower Ball joint? Shocks? Whats your opinion?

Lower Drivers Side:


Upper Driver's Side


Upper Passenger Side


Lower Passenger Side

 

Have u tried greasing them?

 

No grease fittings on the lower unfortunately. I am also getting a squeak when i go over speed bumps, looks like torsion bar might be out of wack, measuring tomorrow

 

jack the drivers side tire up grab the tire from top and bottom look for any play in the ball joint if the tire moves then the ball joint is bad it helps to have a friend help you as for the squeak i would say it the sway bar if you get someone to help you they can bounce the front end and you can chase the squeak

 

Thanks Topdog. I looked and I knew the rubber boot around the ball joint had been busted but wasn't sure if the ball joint was bad just yet.

Tore it apart this afternoon to do some MAJOR investigation, because I had only crawled under and looked in the dark.

Well, upon taking the tire off. I noticed, the tie rod end boot was busted (my words were. mother...use your imagination) So I went ahead and changed the shocks (was sure they were bad, which after taking them off, I found out I was right. They would collapse together and not pop back out!) After changing the shocks. I tried moving the rotor back and forth to see if I could look while doing this...Well, the rotor and the caliper acted like they were going to come off while I was pulling on them (if you wanna see I do have a video and can upload) So I put the tire back on and asked my wife to move the tire holding it at 12 and 6. NO MOVEMENT! I was looking under as she did it, and nothing moved. Ball Joint is tight and good it seems! So I had her hold it at 3 and 9 and do it, and wouldn't you know, the Tie Rod was moving back and forth (I only had one side jacked up so I know it wasn't the steering wheel turning.)

All in all, Popping noise only sometimes, could it be Tie Rod Ends? I don't do suspension lol

 

yes Tie Rod Ends could cause a popping i would replace right away

 

Yeah, if I can figure out how lol. I know to mark them before removal, but does the out tie rod just unscrew like a bolt? Can't be that easy to get it off can it? I notice A LOT of positive camber today, so I know I need to do an alignment tomorrow, just trying to figure out if I can change the tie rods before I go in. Thanks!

 

yes mark and unscrew its that easy

 

haha yeah just watched the video on how to do, going to go pick them up tonight, alignment in the morning. Thanks Topdog, Shocks, and sway bar are the extent of my suspension work in my life time! Time to become more knowledgeable

 

no problem i have done tons of front end work also take the nut almost all the way off then hit the top of the nut with a hammer to get the tie rod loose works every time there's no need to buy more tools