I have posted a thread in the Driveline Tech section of this forum but since I have ruled out bearing and hubs it has now turned into a suspension issue I believe. The link is https://www.ranger-forums.com/drivetrain-tech-37/clunking-noise-front-driver-side-119508/

 

Sounds like the driveshaft u-joints. Crawl under the truck and grab the ends of the drive shaft. If you can move it up and down or side to side even just a little the u-joints are worn and they need replaced before they snap and you loose your driveshaft mid-trip down the highway.

 

UPDATE:

Still have not figured out what it is. I have ruled out the driveshaft U-Joints, and ball joints. I blamed the other day the sway bar links because when the truck was shaken from side to side the drivers side link would clunk and you could actually feel it so I just replaced them this morning, and the noise is still there.

The noise is getting worse over time, it will make the clunk when on a straight road with very small cracks in the road. It appears to only do it when the truck has warmed up.

The new thing is an uncontrolled vibration on the wheels that can be felt through the steering. This only happens once I begin to turn. When I had both front wheels off the ground on jacks and I turned the steering with the truck running the vibration started then quickly got worse, back and forth on the wheels Solved (Bubbles in the power steering fluid)

I have no idea what it is. The truck only has 130,000 km on it, so I cannot see the steering rack going yet.

When the truck is off and both wheels were off the ground, for every 1/10 of a turn or so on the steering wheel another clunk could be heard
... power steering fluid is full if you're wondering.

The feeling in the steering is like the vibration of batteries falling on a cement floor.

Update: Checked driver side shock today. Within reason it is still ok.

It feels as though the ball joints would be to blame but there is zero play up or down on the wheels, they are not greasable however, so they may be dry.

Need help ASAP.

 

I believe it is something to do with the rack or the inner tie rod. If I rock the trucks body I can feel a similar clunk on the inner tie rod, however I do not get any play in the tie rods off the wheel.

Here is an image of what the current inner tie rod looks like.



It appears to be lubricated, but I'm thinking it may need more as the socket is probably just binding. What type of lubricant should I use on it? Looking at the picture does it seem like the seals on the rack may have went?

 

Rack looks good to me but is it an actual clunking or just metal rub I wonder. Try dry steering it and if its really popping and clunking try greasing the outer rod ends with a needle fitting, inners should hold out since a teflon wear pad exists to act as a lubricant, just make sure they are snug. Grease is grease and I wouldn't worry to much about a specific type unless your doing bearings. And any synthetic chassis grease compound is a good choice though..

 

And don't forget to check the rubber grommets that the steering rack anchor bolts pass through mounting it to the crossmember, could be sloppy. Also check for cracks or missing rubber in the suspension bushings. Hit all the rubber in wd40 and go for a drive to see what it sounds like. I guess it could possibly be a steering shaft issue too so check it all out. Contact me if you find anything wrong with your rack, shaft or suspension, because I got a whole front end and some other driveline parts from the same class of truck, but I have the parts off of my 2008.

 

Is there any play at all in your wheel bearings. I read that you just replaced them, how did your spindles look? Jack up the truck and grab the wheel at 12 and 6, if there is any rock at all in the bearing it is not a good thing.
I have been hunting a very similar vibration for a little while now and turns out I'll be replacing the spindles. They are worn where the inner bearing seats on them just enough to allow the wheel to rock/wobble. Your description of the vibration sounds almost exactly the same as what my truck has been doing.