Ok guys, 04 FX4. Here is the problem. When driving at slow speeds (like a parking lot) on slightly uneven, transverse pavement I hear a clunk type noise that sounds like it is coming from the rear suspension. The best way to describe this noise is that it sounds like there is an ice chest in the bed that is half full with water and two or three full beer cans are hitting the the side of the ice chest. I can move the steering wheel back and forth enough to get the truck rocking a little and I can duplicate the noise everytime. However, I do not have to do this to hear the noise. I brought it in to the dealer about 700 miles ago for this and they lubed the slip yoke and greased the leaf springs with some white grease. The noise went away until last week. I brought it back in and they did the slip yoke again, but did not put the white grease on the leaf springs. Lubing the yoke did not fix it. Any ideas guys? Thanks.

 

I acquired that noise when I put drop shackles on. I finally figured out that I over-tightened the shackle bolts. After loosing up the bolts a little, the noise went away. I use to hear it every time I’d back out of my driveway

 

I have an 04 XLT Super-cab, and I have noticed the same noise within the past couple of weeks. When I went to the dealer, the service manager listened to it while I drove, and then got out and shook the bed to re-create the noise. He said that it was normal that the axle has to have some side to side play in it, and that is what the noise is. TX660R gave a perfect description of what the sound is like. I can also feel the clunk when it happens. Does anyone else have any thoughts?

 

I also hear it almost everytime I back out of my driveway. Sometimes I can feel it too. Bledsoam, I put a lot of thought into my description of the noise. I am glad it ended up being a good description. The reason I know it sounds like beer cans hitting the inside of a melted ice chest is because there is usually that scenerio in my bed. However, I have ruled that out as being the cause because it makes that noise with or without and ice chest in the bed. I am going to have somebody move the truck side to side while I lay underneath it. I am determined to find out the cause. I hate going to the damn dealer.

 

sounds to me like you answered your own question.

 

I do not believe it is the leaf springs. The grease is still all over them from the last time. I put the truck up on a rack at a local automotive shop last Friday and the mechanic believed he knew what the noise was. He began to move the rear wheel and tire assembly back and forth and it made the noise. There seems to be too much play. Both sides made this noise. It appeared the whole assembly would move 1/4" back and forth on the axle. I am sure it was not 1/4" of an inch but it was very visable and you could hear and feel the clunk. I drove straight to the dealer and they told me to bring it in Monday. Is there any adjustment in this area of the rear end to tighten things up, or is something worn out? It was late when I brought it by the dealer so I did not ask them much about it. I am just glad I know where the noise is coming from. Thanks.

 

Did your truck ever get fixed? Mine is doing it and cant stand it!!!!

 

The sound is the axles shifting in and out the .03" or so they are allowed. It will get more noticeable if you put a tire on your truck with a stiffer sidewall as the stock tires absorb alot of this sound with there 4 ply wall. I know as I got a great deal on some 10 ply f-250 takeoffs. If definaltely made it worse.

What the sound is is the axle sliding in and out and your brake rotors hitting your pads on the calipers. The dull clunk sound is transmitted by the rotor. It is enough to drive you nuts in slow turns. I still dont know of a fix. I replaced the c clips that hold the axle in and it still did not help.

any info is appreciated.

 

I have the same noise in my 05 supercrew. It has been back to the dealer three times and the noise disappears a couple of days and reappears. They have lubed all springs and everything with a "special", as they call it, grease the last time it was in but it still makes the sound. It drives me crazy but there is nothing that can be done about it evidently. I just wonder why they all don't make this same noise if it is the axle. I have a friend with a truck like mine and his does not make this noise. Very frustrating.

Tony

 

I had this same problem a month or so ago, and had my slip yoke greased and it went away and the truck drives like a new truck. The tech, who I have known for 20 years (since we were kids) said that in 04-06 Ford used a different grease and this had to be done every 15K. The kind he put on now is what they use in the new trucks and I should never have to worry about it again.

I trust him and it is gone for now, but like I said, it has only been a few months. Maybe 3 tops.

Hope this helps.

Devildog101

 

Anybody have a picture or description where the Yoke is located? I have had the same issue when applying the gas after coasting, Defined clunk and can feel it through gas pedaland body.
Any help would be appreciated before I approach the dealer.
Thanks

 

Hi all. No experience with this myself (no truck yet) but what you are describing sounds very similar to something I experienced on my Expedition some years back. It turned out to be a loose spare tire carrier. The spare tire (on that model anyway) was suspended by a cable underneath the rear of the vehicle and the cable had stretched or loosened just a bit so that the whole carrier would swing back and forth under the truck when it was in motion, banging on things. Could this be what you are experiencing? Might be worth alook, anyway.

 

i know this is an old thread but i have this exact same problem. at low speeds when turning i hear a low clunking sound that sounds like there is something in the bed rolling around. i have removed the spare and tightened every bolt under there from the bed to the springs/shocks, u bolts, everything and its still there.

i can grab the tires with the truck in the air and move them slightly and hear a clunking sound which i know is somewhat normal, but this just developed over the past month or so.

the only thing i havent done is lube the slip yoke like mentioned above, im assuming its the slip yoke from the drive shaft to the trans tailshaft.

anyone else have this problem or have some input. the truck only has 13k miles on it and i would like to avoid the dealership at all cost

thanks

 

I'm chasing the same noise, but my truck has 38K miles. I tried lubing the driveshaft, but it didn't seem to help.

 

My truck does the same thing. If you grease the yoke it goes away. I greased mine and it was good for a few months and returned. I would like to know the name of a grease that would not wash out in a few months. It is a hassle to remove the driveshaft and grease it every few months. Any one have a good non-washout grease?