2005 Ford F150 - Very loud 'clunk' when turning left - with videos

Danstar10
Tue, 03 Jan 2023 19:16:40 +0000
Maintenance/Repairs

Hey guys,
I have a very strange noise that I am trying to figure out. I got a 2005 F150 FX4, 5.4 litre engine with about 150,000kms on it - when I am turning left and start to straighten out the wheels (so start turning back right) I get a sometimes VERY loud clunk / pop / bang noise coming from somewhere. Pretty sure it is the front end steering / suspension area and would assume so as it is steering related but can’t be certain. It is a lot louder / happens more often when I am facing downhill and turning left, so the front end is loaded with weight.

I have had it checked by 2 mechanics, first guy told me the lower ball joints and right outer tie rod need replacing, which I know they do, but he said he is not sure that that would cause the noise as he has not heard that sound coming from ball joints before (I took him for a ride to show him the noise)

Second mechanic said same, lower ball joints, right outer tie rod, but also found that the sway bar is lose which he showed me, and also there is quite a bit of play between the front 4wd axles and hubs, so you can kinda pull the axles in and out a bit more than expected, but was not sure if that is related. He also said he still is not sure where the noise would be coming from based on that list, advised me to fix the ball joints and tie rod more for safety (which I need to do) but he was not particularly confident that that would get rid of the clunk, but it may.

The truck is pretty old and high mileage so just want to keep her running at the moment and don’t want to sink $1000s into her especially if the disconcerting noise may not get fixed!

I mounted a gopro and light to take at look a the lower ball joints and outer tie rods on each side and you can see an edit of that here. You can hear the clunk 3 times with the camera mounted on the driver side then 3 times on the right of the truck. All the clunks happen when I have turned left and sometimes straightening out to the right or have already straightened out. Sometimes there can be a delay after getting the wheel straight and then the noise happening after I go over a small bump or something:

F150 steering clunks

I was expecting / hoping to see some movement in the lower ball joints when you hear the clunks but I don’t see anything, same with tie rods. The noise is really pretty loud sometimes and you can feel it through the steering wheel so it feels like something that is taking load and releasing, which makes me think it is unlikely the sway bar or tie rods, most likely the lower ball joints, but both mechanics said they’d not heard ball joints make that noise before, and my gopro vid shows no movement so I am far from confident in that. So I’m a little lost about where the noise could be coming from. Anyone have any ideas??

Here it is recorded from out the window with me driving down to my parkade where it makes the sound every time as it is downhill left turns. You can hear the clunk / bang pretty well at around 7 seconds in. It gets louder than that sometimes too, like someone hitting the truck with a hammer!

F150 steering clunks 2

Also the same noise, at least I think it is the same, happens when I slowly mount a curb with the front right wheel and then drive off it. The clunk happens as I slowly drive off the curb and back onto the road. Doesn’t do it on the driver side.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

8 posts - 5 participants