clicking/knocking front end

[exdrocca]

Recently,I've been noticing that every time I drive over a speed hump or make a hard turn, I hear a knocking sound coming from the passenger side front end. I took a quick look and nothing seems to be broken, but I have no idea what it could be. This is for a '72 C-10 2wd.
Thanks for your help

[Tx Firefighter]

Sounds like a worn ball joint.

[dieselarmy13]

I'd agree on the balljoint. I replaced mine not that long ago and had a mentally challenged moment and didn't grease them. After a 250 mile roadtrip, my driver side started doing the same thing as you described. Sounds like someone is hitting my A-arm with a ball-peen hammer. If I grease it once a week, it stays quiet, but I really do need to replace it.

[cdowns]

ever grease your frontend?

[Painter D]

Might try checking the upper shock mount , I had one come loose on me once.


Nevermind I just reread your first post, probably a balljoint.

[Longhorn Man]

A shock would make noise on any road imperfection (my longhorn was like that the first year i drove it) But a ball joint (upper most likely) will do as described in the original post.

[exdrocca]

ok, so I greased all the balljoints, and it that didn't solve the problem. I checked the upper balljoint, and that seems to be it. As far as taking off the upper balljoint, do I need a spring compressor? Is the upper joint also pressed in like the lower ones?

Thank you again

[71tahoe]

Original uppers are riveted. You can grind off the top of the rivet and punch it out. It can be done with the spring installed but at your own risk. For safety, loop a chain through the spring and LCA and fasten. If you lower the control arm SLOWLY the spring will just fall out (I may have had sagging springs though). If the jack slips it may fly out. Oh, and always put the truck on sturdy jack stands.

[Longhorn Man]

no need for a chain. You can throw the spring and cause more dammage. You don't even need to let the pressure off the lower control arm at all.
Lift and support with jack stands
Place floor jack under lower control arm and raise jack up until l the lower control arm moves just a bit.
remove wheel, use pickle fork and split the ball joint from the spindle, use strap to keep spindle from flopping over and jerking on the brake hose, grind off rivit heads and remove old ball joint.

[exdrocca]

Hey longhorn man is this what you're explaining in this link below? Can I use a hammer to hit from underneath? And to get the spring to compress am I just going to jack it all the way up?

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/4...rakes-fork.htm

[Tx Firefighter]

You're not really compressing the spring any appreciable amount. All you want to do is jack it up enough to take the bind out of the upper ball joint. You should not have any reason to even touch the spring unless you just want to.

The new ball joint will come with bolts to bolt it in place instead of rivets like original.

It's a 30 minute job if things go well.