Need help

Redman1911 · Aug 18, 2014

I have a 2001 Expedition that's a 2wd. Its also a 5.4 with over 200,000 miles. Ok my problem is a loud creaking/squeaking sound coming from the front passage side when the body is rocked. It also happens when I'm driving slow and turning the wheel to the right or going over bumps. Its driving me crazy. What does it sound like to y'all?

thewishkah · Aug 21, 2014

To me it sounds like bad ball joints. On my grand marquis it was making this sound and my steering got tight right before my lower ball joint let go. Funny thing is I checked the ball joints not to long before it happened and they had no play. It seemed to seize up instead of getting loose.

BIG GREEN FORD · Aug 21, 2014

Your upper ball joints might be fine but the rubber bushing's on the arm where it goes attached to the frame love to squeak!

Redman1911 · Aug 21, 2014

Well how bad of a job is it to replace control arm bushings? Is that something I can do or do I have to have specialty tools?

Redman1911 · Aug 21, 2014

My steering isn't tight yet. Actually if you leave the windows up and the radio on, you'd probably never know. But its a awful noise. None of my tie rod ends or ball joints have grease fittings.

BIG GREEN FORD · Aug 21, 2014

Replacing bushings are vary easy. Your going to have to take it out either way so when you take it off you can see how bad your upper ball joints are if there almost new (no play, up or down) then I would change bushings.
If you do replace ball joints eBay had them cheap just find ones with grease fittings

Redman1911 · Aug 21, 2014

Ok thanks man. I guess if I'm gonna go through the trouble of checking the ball joints I might as well do the tie rod ends and control arm bushings too. Is the lower control arm bushing any different than the top as far as difficulty replacing them? Sorry for all the questions lol I've never done suspension work other than struts.

Redman1911 · Aug 21, 2014

Btw thanks for your input. Seems like y'all know more about it than I do

FordandPolaris · Aug 21, 2014

If they have no grease fittings, they are probably original and need to be replaced. Lower ball joints can be done without an alignment and tend to be the squeakers.

Uppers and tie rods should be done together so you only need to get it aligned once. Mine lasted to 160k so you definitely got your miles out of the originals

Sent from the Pocket Computer

smokinbk · Aug 22, 2014

The control arms are pretty easy is you have access to air tools, kick it out quick. If you are going to keep the truck for a while I would do the work but if you are going to dump it in the near future, the labor may not be worth the effort. I would keep it and do the R&R. It builds character one cut at a time.

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