I have a '99 ranger 2wd and there was a distinct clunking noise at the beginning of winter this year. It has since gotten worse. The noise is apparent right after the truck comes to a stop and the body rocks back. It now has become more noticeable as when driving you can hear the clunking as you go over bumps, but also tiny cracks in the road. The noise can be felt on the steering wheel, however, it doesn't seem to be within the steering system. There is not any play in the steering wheel, everything is tight. The truck was saftied in November last year, and the ball joints were all in good shape. The truck has 129000km on it. Any ideas?

 

ball joints upper and lower i just did mine it was like 250 for the upper and lower with a lifetime warranty.dose it clunk if you pull in the driveway at an angle with the steering wheel turned?

 

did you check the sway bar lincks? they may be loose or broken. i replaced the links on the truck i have last year and found that they had backed off. had to re tighten them last week.

 

No I did not get any noise when pulling into my driveway with the steering wheel turned.

 

it could be your wheel bearings are loose or your sway bar links like he said

 

maybe a stabilizer bar link loose, happen to me the same thing on a 07, finnaly snap off

 

Today I replaced for maintenance both front hubs and rotors (1 assembly for 2wd), brake pads and inner and outer bearings. The clunking is still there. It has since gotten worse. I can grab the door frame and jerk the truck side to side once and you will here the clunk, although when you rock the front bumper up and down there is nothing. I have no idea what it is and $250+ for ball joints is a lot to spend on something it may not be.

 

youve got a '99? original ball joints? do them anyways. there at they end of their lifespan.

 

Agreed on that, replace the ball joints. I have the same clunking sound... exact same as you. Although, I know my upper ball joint boot is torn, it is brand new, and just re-greased it last week. I'm guessing it's the u-joints on the driveshaft. I just had surgery tho, I can't really be crawling underneath my truck, it'll have to wait. Go wiggle your driveshaft.

 

The truck has only 130xxx on it, it seems too soon for the ball joints to have went.

I put the front of the truck on two jacks on the lower control arms at the points closest to the middle of the truck. When I moved the wheel there is little play, if anything at all. Yesterday before I did the wheel bearings there was play and the play seemed to stop at the rotor. I looked underneath it while we pushed the top and bottom of the wheel and nothing was tranferring to the steering linkage or ball joints, it all seemed to be coming from the rotor/hub and bearings. That has all been mostly fixed. Is there a better way to check the ball joints?

 

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You drive a ford... ball joints go bad quicker than you might think. 130k is a lot of miles on a ball joint. I've only got 75k on mine... I replaced both lower ball joints at 58k, and the passenger upper at 70k. It doesn't hurt to get it done. Like I said before... go wiggle the driveshaft. See if there is any play in it.

 

130xxx km, forgot the unit . I'll go check the driveshaft and get back to you.

 

the best way to check the ball joints is to put the jack under the lower controle arm as close to the tire as possible without tuching the tire. lift the tire about 2 inches off the ground. then place 2x4 beside the tire and use a long bar about 3 - 4 ft long. put the bar under the tire from the outside placing the 2x4 under the bar like a wedge. when you push down on the end of the bar this will lift the tire. if you watch the balljoints as you do this and there is any play then they are bad.

 

At least he doesn't drive a Dodge, ball joints every 60k miles