like it says, got some noise comin from the front end. sounds like suspension or brakes. it makes the noise when i turn the wheels (even when in park or neutral). it also does it when im coming to a stop or decelerating (when or when im not braking). there is also a popping noise that you can hear and feel through the steering wheel. went to autozone and he got down there and looked at it and had me jiggle the wheel back and forth a bit and he said the tierod has some play in it (on both sides) and that it could also be the rack & pinion. the dealer had replaced the balljoints (i think the lower). we replaced break pads, BOTH front hub assemblies and BOTH front CV axles. it did it when i had stock rims and 265/75/16s, and still does it w/ aftermarkets. the odd thing is that it comes and goes. it might do it for a couple days or a strait week and not come back again for a month. and after replacing each part its like it quit makin the noise, or at least at a very minimum, then it would come back. i searched on here and tlkd to autozone and some mechanics and got answers from all over the board. from rack and pinion, to tie rods (and just the ends), brakes, some arm bushing, shocks. the noise DRIVES ME UP THE MOTHER ****ING WALL and i want it to stop. its my DD so i dont want it to break down. before its all over with im gonna have a new freakin front end. and i swear, if it comes back after replacing EVERYTHING im takin all of the aftermarket parts off and drivin the ***** into the damn river.

thanks guys
-Zach

 

Errr....my gues is tie rods or upper ball joints. When was the last time you actually jacked up the front end and checked them properly? Not just wiggling it back and forth?

IMO I think it is time to take it to a mechanic to have it looked at.

 

yea, what im prolly gonna end up doing. theres really good mech shop in town that i wanna take it to, they just charge like 50-100 just to look at the damn thing. the good thing is, once i figure out wth it is me and my dad can fix it ourselves except for maybe R&P. i just want it to stop, its drivin me nuts.

 

no other ideas???

 

BJ's and TRE's.

 

which bjs? upper or lower? why would they go out so quick, i mean the dealer replaced the lower ones. and on the tre's, should i just get the inner/outter on both sides or the whole shabang?

anyone else have/had this problem???

 

Check all of 'em. My truck at 70k needed both upper and lower done.

Outer TRE's go before the inners....check 'em outers out.

Also....improper alignment can cause moans and groans...ask me how i know... lol.

 

ok. they never alligned it when i got the wheels/tires/BL. i told em to if it needed it, but they said it didnt need it. could be the problem. and dont they check all that stuff when they do an allignment?

 

They'd check those things BEFORE an alignment. If it needs BJ's, they wont align it til the truck has recieved those new BJ's.

Alignement has nothing to do with new wheels, tires, or a bodylift. fyi.

 

oo. i tightened the tbars too. and they said puttin the bigger tires on and the bl that it might need an allignment.

 

You forgot to mention cranking the bars. But I doubt it would be that much out.

 

It will be worth the $100 to have a front end mechanic ispect it.
Go in there and tell him you want 100% inspection, you will be replacing the worn parts so he can align it. Be sure to describe the pops or have him drive it.


I can speak to replacing the rack (mine had play in center posotion and made pops). It is NOT a difficult job, but it is far easier with assistance. I had no helper and replaced it just fine. You WILL remove both front wheels (jackstand it well), the entire sway bar and all its fittings to the A-arm (good time to replace those, cheap$). You will have to rotate it forward and snake it out through the PS after it is unbolted and do the lines and steering shaft pinch bolt LAST. It's pretty easy if the PS UCA is disconnected.

If you DO replace the rack - LOOK at the new one before you buy it. If it doesn't have bushings just like the old bushings (that you'll NEVER get out), don't buy it. Those plastic sleeves they provide are not even close to what the OEM has. It'll be where the two (18mm?) rack mount bolts go through it. The big Bob Marley bolts that also hold the PS fluid cooler on with an additional nut.

DO NOT LET THE STEERING WHEEL MOVE WHILE IT IS OUT or you will learn how to replace a clockspring.

I did LBJs, UCAs, shocks, sway bar links, camber kits, Steering Rack, OTRs all at the same time, then got it aligned. My UCAs were both STILL GOOD @ 100k miles.

Part of your problem may be the cranked Tbars. I didn't like mine fully cranked, it made noise going over humps (I don't slow down for speed bumps, ever) when the front suspension topped out (opposite of bottoming out, lol).

 

he drove it today. he told me he thinks its the 4wheel drive hub (or something connected to it). it did it BEFORE the cranck, and its only cranked half way. im bout to just replace EVERYTHING and go from there. on the rack, what brand is the one i should buy? i though you had to pay for the part before they ordered (or so much down) and on the web its usually never the right pic of the part and at autozone they aint got pics that ik of. i did get a price on one yesterday and the R&P was like $150 or $160. TREs were like $22 ea. i need new shocks, they are original. i dont want nothin special bc im gonna susp lift it and ill need longer shocks then. i was thinkn the lower end ranchos. what are UCAs, camber kit, OTR? and replace the swaybar and Aarm's or just the fittings that connect them? and how much did all this cost you? any special tools?

 

You are going at this the totally wrong way. Instead of just throwing parts at it, why not take it to a mechanic and have him diagnose it, and him repair it?

UCA = Upper Control Arm
Camber kit is not needed with a mild crank.
You need to get new upper control arms when replacing the OEM ones. Get MOOG uppers, then the next time you don't have to replace the whole arm, just the BJ.

 

hes gonna look at it fri and he drove it today. what he thinks it is kinna confuses me. we replaced the hub assemblies and he thinks its the 4x4 hub at the end behind the wheel hub assemblie. i didnt know newer trucks had them, i thought it was only the older ones where you had to get out of the vehicle and do it manually. that the new ones w/ a push button/twist **** it was all in a box or w/e and it locked in the 4x4 in another location instead of behind the wheel. (if all of that makes ne sense... dont rele know how to explain it). my reasoning is bc when we replaced hubs and axles there wasnt nething else that connected besides the brakes... the axel went into the rack, then went through the knuckle (i think thats what it is), and then the hub assembly slipped on, then the nut and brake assembly, then the wheel/tire. dont remember anything to deal w/ 4x4, at least as of locking it in.

we did do some diagnostics though... locked the steering wheel and jacked up the truck. grabbed the tire at the top and bottom and tried to move it up and down. if it moves its a ball joint, if not its ok. then grabbed it on the left and right side. moved it side to side as if you were trying to turn the wheels and if it moves when its locked its the tierod(ends). did it to both sides. so the conclusion from this test is that the bjs are ok. if just one tire moves on the tie rod test its the tie rod on the side. if both sides move then its both tie rods or the R&P. so ill replace the TREs and if it still does it then the R&P. then if it still does it then idk. and either way, whether i just take it to a mech or just start buyin parts it wouldnt hurt to replace them bc of the miles on it.

and if i replace the UCA what are you tlkn bout "next time"?

 

which brand on the rack? is ARC good or is A1 Cardone? and wb tie rods? heres what autozone quoted me...

2 duralast tierod ends: $22.99 ea (good brand?)
Atsco rack and pinion: $226.99 (good brand?)

 

anything else??

 

I will do the bj's for ya

 

lol. wow, either your makin a funny or callin yourself gay

 

I was makin a funny

 

lol. ik, i was just messin round. but anyways.

its gotta be r&p and TREs. the mech thought my ranger had the 4x4 hub behind the wheel like pre 2001. but mines got live axles where the 4x4 engages/disengages under the truck in the transfer case? i think thats where its at. lol. so what all should i replace under there? money rele isnt a problem. everything is original EXCEPT for both CV axles and hub assemblies. i need new shocks but that can wait till after vacation. should i get all MOOG parts (UCA's, LBJ's, UBJ's, TRE's). and EARL, on the swaybar, are you tlkn bout replacing the swaybar AND the bushings that connect to the A-arm, or just the bushings? and which rack and pinion is the good one you are tlkn bout? i pretty much wanna replace EVERYTHING under the front bc of the high milage and make it drive better. thought about EBC brakes as well. any other suggestions on what to replace and what brands?

 

bump

 

no more comments or suggestions???