Last week I was having a little fun in the snow. I was in my driveway whipping my truck around when I parked it. I swung the rear very fast to the left. When I corrected the steering it went to full lock left. When it did this I heard a really loud snap! I think from the left front. Since then (only when going over snow ruts or bumpy ground) I've heard a creaking noise along with a loose sounding rattle. The best way I can describe it is it sounds like the strut shaft is bouncing around inside the coil spring. The creaking sounds like and old hard wood floor. The truck has stayed in perfect alignment with all this as I got an alignment done about 2 weeks ago

I bounced the front corners manually and have found that it makes noise only on the left front, and only if I really get it bouncing really hard. Light travel doesn't make any sound. I don't have anyone else right now to bounce it for me while I crawl under the truck so I can't tell if its a strut mount of if I effed up the new tie rod ends (oops) or what. Any Ideas? Could it just be road grime with all the sand and junk this time of year getting into bushings?

I hate to bring it back to the dealer an hour away for them to tell me again that its just cold bushings that are squeaking. I'm under warranty until March 28, should I wait it out and see if it gets worse before then or goes away? All seems fine at highway speeds so I don't think its unsafe to drive.

I think after warranty is up I'm going through the front end and putting the stronger moog parts into it and probly some sensatracs.

Thanks AGAIN in advance guys!

 

Check your sway bar end links for play... you could have broke it as well. If not then maybe you just broke it free and its a bit creaky. Do not use W-40 or lithium penetrates on the bushings. W-40 will work but once it dries you'll be back to square one. The lithium penetrates will make the bushings swell thus giving you possible accelerated premature wear. If you need to use anything, use a silicone lube penetrate.

 

Sway bar links aren't that old (less than a year). Had them replaced under warranty, but not saying I couldn't have damaged them playing in the snow.

 

I guess I have one more question. Has anyone seen any more front end failures after upgrading their front ends from stock? By that I mean replacement aftermarket parts. Not lifts or custom made pieces. Just curious.

 

If you are still under warrenty I would deffinitly let them fix it, better than letting the warrenty expire and bieng sorry latter.....