Okay folks, I have a rattle in my front end and can't figure out where it is coming from. I have replaced the following parts this year: ball joints, outer u joints, axle shafts, sway bar end links, and sway bar bushings. I went to pick my truck up the other day and the mechanic was banging my springs with a hammer. They said my spring seemed to not be seating right. First they said it could be the lift (2" spacers, Rancho shocks) but I can't see how the spacers and shocks would have anything to do with it. Then they said my spring could be cracked, but I can't see how that is possible either. I don't have heavy things on the front end except for my plow which I used 3 times last year in light storms. (4" the most) When they were hitting my springs, it was making the same noise I hear while driving the truck. I hear the noise when I hit a bump or while I am turning. I have replaced everything in the front end and can't figure out what it could be.

Any suggestions/ideas on what it could be? I am bringing it to a friend's shop soon for him to check it out, but I want to see if it could be something that I could fix myself. Thanks.

 

Have you looked at the simple stuff? I had a rattle on mine that turned out to be the tranny dipstick vibrating against some a/c piping under the hood. just a thought, you're going through a lot of bs there

frank

 

I hope you figure it out.
Mine does it too....when I hit a bump it sounds like a bolt holding 2 large pieces of metal together has come loose.
Yesterday I was carrying about 250 lbs in the bed and it seemed to dampen the rattle quite a bit, but not completely. I have looked under the front end but cannot see anything.
I think mine started after I had the front end aligned, the alignment seems to be good though (my tires arent cupping anymore).
Anyone have any suggestions????

 

my truck does this too.....it's defiantly coming from the front.

 

I may have found the culprit, I have a loose "part" on the front wheel, looks like a vertical stabilizer part, it's got some movement in it.
I need to find out what the part is and what it does, and if it needs to be replaced, or just needs to be tightend up...Will post photo as soon as they are approved.....

 

I had a rattle in the front end when I drove my truck off the dealer's lot. It turned out to be the washer fluid reservoir. Bolts were loose and it was rattling against the radiator.

 

Check the sway bar end links they are probably the cause

 

Is this the sway bar end link?
If so can I just tighten it? (it's loose) are there certain tq specs?

I appreciate the help, thanks.....

 

That looks a bit different than the one on my 03 and the picture is a bit on the small size to see detail. I had a rattle in mine for about 2 months I could not find I changed the end link and no more noise. You could disconnect them and test drive it to see if the noise stops then you will know

 

Thats the sway bar end link that dale29 posted...his must be 2wd truck?
I will check my end links..it could easily be that since the dealer put a leveling kit on my truck before I bought it.....

 

can this sway bar end link be tightend up or should it just be replaced?

 

you can try to tighten it up....here is the specs for the 2WD truck. *NOTE* this is not for the 4WD trucks they have a different spec.

1. Install the stabilizer link to the vehicle.
2. Install the lower nut and Tighten to 102 Nm (75 ft. lbs.) .
3. Install the retainers, grommets and upper nut and Tighten to 27 Nm (20 ft. lbs.) .