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Help me troubleshoot - loose right front???

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Old Dec 24, 2010 | 08:42 PM
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Default Help me troubleshoot - loose right front??? Shock Bolt?

So its on the right front. I can feel it in the floorboard. Almost like a busted shock. I hear it knocking. No shake in the steering wheel and truck drives straight. It knocks when I go down a bumpy road.

Bad ball joints?
 

Last edited by littletunny; Dec 25, 2010 at 10:36 AM.
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Old Dec 24, 2010 | 11:47 PM
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if you feel a thumping under your feet, is loose lower shock bolts. they'll be no other symptoms.

jack up the front and grab the tire at the top with both hands and shake it in/out as hard as you can. if its wiggles, then its either a bad wheel bearing or ball joints. to check the ball joints, watch for movement at the joint.

check the track bar by prying on it with a crowbar, or turning the steering while jacked up and watch for movement.
 
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 10:36 AM
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Our truck did just exactly the same thing, about drove me crazy trying to find it. Turned out it was the front bushing on the upper track bar for the front axle that had dried out and was creaking. I could eliminate the problem temporarily by lubing the bushing with a spray silicone, probably not the best way to fix the problem but it worked. I've heard that the close proximity of that bushing to various hot exhaust parts causes it to dry out and make noise, makes sense to me.

Chuck
 
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 10:38 AM
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Originally Posted by dhvaughan
if you feel a thumping under your feet, is loose lower shock bolts. they'll be no other symptoms.

jack up the front and grab the tire at the top with both hands and shake it in/out as hard as you can. if its wiggles, then its either a bad wheel bearing or ball joints. to check the ball joints, watch for movement at the joint.

check the track bar by prying on it with a crowbar, or turning the steering while jacked up and watch for movement.

I think its the lower bolt. Now heres the deal. The bolt itself seems tight, however the shock is sitting a little crooked. I can olny tighten so much because of the metal housing. I guess there is a bushing that the shock bolt goes thru??? Could I change that out?
 
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Old Dec 25, 2010 | 10:56 AM
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If the bushing in the end of the shock is bad, chances are good the shock is as well..... take it out, and see how it feels on compression/rebound. Take it from there.
 
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