Something feels loose in front end

[BGA23]

Something in my front suspension feels loose to me, on the driver's side. I really feel and hear it when driving slowly (in my driveway, parking lots, going down my street). It sounds sort of like that dreaded front end clunk, but not very loud. I've hit the LCA from both sides with my cordless impact and I had a shop do the same when I had the truck in for an alignment. The LCA is new, I replaced it a few months ago.

Any thoughts on might be the culprit? Could it have something to do with the shock? Truck has about 37K on it with maybe ~2K Offroad.

 

[GizmoVance]

Something in my front suspension feels loose to me, on the driver's side. I really feel and hear it when driving slowly (in my driveway, parking lots, going down my street). It sounds sort of like that dreaded front end clunk, but not very loud. I've hit the LCA from both sides with my cordless impact and I had a shop do the same when I had the truck in for an alignment. The LCA is new, I replaced it a few months ago.



Any thoughts on might be the culprit? Could it have something to do with the shock? Truck has about 37K on it with maybe ~2K Offroad.

Don't worry if you're hearing a banging/rattle when hitting small bumps. This is cause from the valving of the Fox shocks and is very well documented and Ford has actually put out a Tech Bulletin to dealers to make sure they don't start replacing shocks and parts to fix something that isn't broke.

This noise becomes much more pronounced in colder weather. Even in SoCal at 60°, I can hear it more. But, wow, last week it was really loud as I was driving in the nice, quiet, snow.

HTH


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[SZDZMTR]

Time to rebuild or upgrade them?

 

[adeerchaser]

If I remember correct, either the manual or the video that came with the truck said the suspension may/will have some rattle at low speed- normal. Mine has always had a little rattle when hitting bumps like you say at slow speeds.

 

[BGA23]

If I remember correct, either the manual or the video that came with the truck said the suspension may/will have some rattle at low speed- normal. Mine has always had a little rattle when hitting bumps like you say at slow speeds.

Don't worry if you're hearing a banging/rattle when hitting small bumps. This is cause from the valving of the Fox shocks and is very well documented and Ford has actually put out a Tech Bulletin to dealers to make sure they don't start replacing shocks and parts to fix something that isn't broke.

This noise becomes much more pronounced in colder weather. Even in SoCal at 60°, I can hear it more. But, wow, last week it was really loud as I was driving in the nice, quiet, snow.

HTH


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Does the valving of the shocks just cause the noise or would it also contribute to the feeling something is loose coming through the steering wheel?

 

[adeerchaser]

I don't feel anything in my steering wheel, just hear it when hitting small bumps in the neighbor hood, parking lots etc. at slow speeds

 

[Dane]

Any leaking from the shock? How many miles on them?

Also, some of those bolts require a MASSIVE amount of torque (like 425 or something if I remember right?) So they could still be relatively loose compared to what they need to be, even after your impact gun and under the weight/power of the truck still popping/banging.

---------- Post added at 09:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 AM ----------

I don't feel anything in my steering wheel, just hear it when hitting small bumps in the neighbor hood, parking lots etc. at slow speeds

This sounds like the shock... Mine was doing that before I put in new ones. Kinda feels like the truck wants to jump to the side when you hit minor bumps, but only on one side?

 

[GizmoVance]

Does the valving of the shocks just cause the noise or would it also contribute to the feeling something is loose coming through the steering wheel?

Obviously, I'd be a fool to "diagnose over the phone" on this issue, but it really DOES sound like the exact noise/feel that I, and so many others, experience.

As the saying goes, "When you hear hoof-beats, look for a Horse, not a Zebra." In other words, from everything you describe, I would rest assured that it's the FoxShocks NORMAL operation causing the noise and bumping feel. It messes with your head to make you think the whole front end is falling off UNTIL you realize everything is fine and normal.

---------- Post added at 09:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:32 AM ----------

If you Google this code, you'll find a lot of other forums, including THIS one, have been discussing this issue for some time. Thought I'd repost the statement from FORD.

SSM 44421 - SVT RAPTOR - SHOCK ABSORBER NOISE OVER BUMPS
2010-2014 F-150 SVT RAPTOR VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH UNIQUE HIGH-PERFORMANCE FOX SHOCK ABSORBERS DESIGNED FOR SEVERE OFF-ROAD USE. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY BE CONCERNED WITH BOOM, CHIRP OR CLUNK NOISES FROM THE FRONT OR REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS MOST OFTEN HEARD OVER SMALL, SHARP BUMPS IN THE ROAD SUCH AS FROST HEAVES, POTHOLES, OR EXPANSION JOINTS. COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURES CAN MAKE THE CONDITION MORE APPARENT. THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC ORIGINATING FROM THE HYDRAULIC MOTION OF THE FLUID AND INHERENT TO THE UNIQUE DESIGN OF THE SHOCK ABSORBERS. IT IS NOT CAUSED BY CONTACT OF ANY SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, NOR WILL THIS CONDITION HAVE ANY DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE LIFE OF THE SHOCK ABSORBERS OR SUSPENSION. DO NOT ATTEMPT SERVICE TO CORRECT THIS NORMAL CONDITION.

 

[EricM]

We have the inverted speed bumps on our street, ie the settlement of each water and sanitary lateral trench. It's quite a noisy, boomy type sound when hitting them, but it doesn't give me the something-sounds-loose type feeling though. To me that's more of a solid knock/popping type sound.

 

[BGA23]

Maybe I'm imaging the loose feeling and it really just is the normal clunking that I'm feeling.

I'm due for a rebuild in the pretty near future so maybe this will help, I don't recall this happening years/thousands of miles ago.