Frond End Creaking

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RUMBLE BEE 1546

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I've had some issues with the front end of this car that after I finally resolved that the car was in good (safe) shape.

Now the last few weeks the front end has been creaking/popping and its only on the drivers side. I took it in to where I got the work done before and they looked it over twice and said alls good. I didn't get it until I was able to link it to the air ride.

Whenever I get in and start her up the pump kicks on and the drivers side will make the noise until it come up to height then it will stop. When I am driving around town I will hear it when I go over bumps, ect.

This car is my dd and I work 40 miles away so I don't want it to crap out and leave me stranded or worse cause me to wreck at 70+.

Anyone have any idea what could be causing this or how to fix it? I haven't looked for it but I have no idea where (specifically) the bags are located. Any help would be appreciated.
 
Check your upper and lower balljoints and anti-swaybar endlinks. I'd everything else a good once over as well while you have the car on stands. From your description, my money is on the driverside lower balljoint, but there is no telling without inspecting it.
 
98% of the time on Mark VIII's when you hear the creaking noise, it's the lower ball joint. Even if they replaced the lower, if they used cheap parts they can fail rather quickly.
 
Sitting still, creaking/popping sounds like air shock airing up. Noise when moving, what racecougar said. Strut bushings. "air bag" right behind tire Big cylinder thing.
 
I thought it was the lower ball joint too.

What happened originally was they (Les Schwab) replaced the LCA because the ball joint was shot (found out the steering could have gone at any time). Then the car started riding differently (more bounce with the bumps which feels more correct for the air ride to me). The e brake auto release started working again and all was good.

I started hearing a popping noise about a week later. Took it in and they said it was a pad press fitting so they replaced it no charge.

Now it sounds like a different noise and not as loud. I took it in and the guy said everything looked good but the passenger side is fine but the bj is a little dried out that it could be making the noise. But it is 100% coming from the drivers side.

I might have to take it in again and say wtf.

Previously I took my truck in there for brakes and after 15K miles they were squeaking rather loud. Took it in and they said it was fine. Go back a week later and said its still there and that the brakes were at half life. I got 80k out of my stock pads and said why at 15k are my new ones half done? They pulled this bs story and I told them I wanted stock replacements put on not their crappy brand. They weren't happy but they did it and they are fine now.

I am less than pleased with Les Schwab and the only reason I had this car done there is because that's where my dad took it and he paid for the work.
 
Also, the car is in need of new brake pads I believe. What are the best ones for the money?

I'm not concerned with stopping power as long as it is as good as stock. Just want some that will last me a long time without braking the bank. I'm going to take a swing at changing them to same $$. Never done it before but it looks easy enough.
 
MN12/FN10 lower ball joints have always had the same signs of failing for me. Get out of the car, grab it by the upper wheel well closest to the hood, and push and pull it up and down, mimicking going over really big bumps. If you're not strong enough sit on it right above the tire and then jump off real quick. If it gives you a pretty loud creaking noise, lower ball joint.
 
I want to say its dorman but would have to look at the paperwork in the car tonight. Have my truck today.
 
soduka said:
MN12/FN10 lower ball joints have always had the same signs of failing for me. Get out of the car, grab it by the upper wheel well closest to the hood, and push and pull it up and down, mimicking going over really big bumps. If you're not strong enough sit on it right above the tire and then jump off real quick. If it gives you a pretty loud creaking noise, lower ball joint.
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So your saying just lift the front end up and down from that side? I'll try that!
 
I tried the lift the front end up and down on both sides and got no noise out of either. I did feel pretty strong though when the whole car was coming up haha

I checked the paperwork and it didn't list the brand of the control arms. I did see that both driver and passenger side UCA were replaced and only the drivers LCA.
 
RUMBLE BEE 1546 said:
Whenever I get in and start her up the pump kicks on and the drivers side will make the noise until it come up to height then it will stop. When I am driving around town I will hear it when I go over bumps, ect.

This car is my dd and I work 40 miles away so I don't want it to crap out and leave me stranded or worse cause me to wreck at 70+.

Anyone have any idea what could be causing this or how to fix it? I haven't looked for it but I have no idea where (specifically) the bags are located. Any help would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Arnott front bags?
 
Okay. Hm. When you say a popping sound, is it like a dull clunk when going over bumps or making a tight maneuver? And does the car feel at all like it shifted slightly? It could be failing(failed) strut rod bushings. How do they look? There's only so many ways this suspension shackles itself to the chassis, it's got to be one of these connection points!
 
RUMBLE BEE 1546 said:
Also, the car is in need of new brake pads I believe. What are the best ones for the money?

I'm not concerned with stopping power as long as it is as good as stock. Just want some that will last me a long time without braking the bank. I'm going to take a swing at changing them to same $$. Never done it before but it looks easy enough.
Click to expand...

A ceramic pad is what you want then, they cost more, but last a whole lot longer, no noise, and a bonus is less brake dust and a lighter color than the typical Black you normally see. O'Reilly carries Brake Best Select Ceramics, I suggest those. You should also have the rotors machined at the same time if they are still machinable. If you end up buying new rotors, make sure to clean them with Brake Parts Cleaner to remove the cosmolene (an oil solution used to prevent rust during packing and self storage)
 
My recent creaking and squeaking problems were remedied with new UCA's (well, new-ish, they came off my wrecked '97 LSC and were almost new when it was wrecked :)). Now I can go over a railroad track or any road imperfection and all I hear is a thump-thump instead of RATTLE-RATTLE-CLANK-CLANG-BANG-BANG!!! It's awesome :D
 
So now it is just playing with me. It is selective of when it does it an I can't nail it down to anything specific. I'm 90% sure it is related to the air bag some how.

I think that it is worse when it is cold out. I sometimes go to work at 5 and it seems to do it more then.

The reason I say it is a popping noise is because it is like the pressure builds up until it can't take it and moves (whatever it is). It is a real quick noise. It doesn't seem to be related to bumps so much as just loading the suspension one way or the other like in a u turn.

I am not concerned with the safety factor after looking everything over its just annoying and embarrassing at this point. This car keeps toying with me :mad:
 
Did you say whether or not you have Arnott air springs? They're fairly notorious for developing noises...
 
thaywood said:
Have you replaced the sway bar end links?
Click to expand...

I have not. I honestly don't know a whole lot about suspension so I'm trying to learn as I go with this.

98lincmk7lsc said:
Did you say whether or not you have Arnott air springs? They're fairly notorious for developing noises...
Click to expand...

When I checked them yesterday they had a ford label and pn on them. As far as I know they are the original set. It was owned by an older man in Texas until 2010 when I bought it. The car has 73k on it now and 6 of that was done since August.

The bags look to be in good shape. A lil dusty but no cracking or obvious signs of wear in the rubber.
 
it sounds to me like it'd be your ball joints, which will make more noises during turns.. If this is the case- safety is a major factor because when that ball pops out of its socket the wheel is going to be shoved up into the fender, and good luck turning when that happens (ask me how I know)
 
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