Super loud creaking from the front end.

It's most noticeable when driving at slow speeds. when parking, reversing, making a U-turn etc

 

Pretty sure my steering rack is the issue. I lubed up everything and now its 100x worse.

Had a buddy help me for a second today and there doesn't seem to be play in my lower or upper ball joints, but when I push hard I can make the steering rack start to clank in and out. Not being a mechanic, maybe it does that...idk. Is it serviceable at all? I don't know..but pretty sure thats where my issue is.

 

There should be SOME movement and normal noise from the inner tie rods. But, if you had a nice hard side impact to the tire from off-roading or hitting a curb, the tie rods can fail because they’re just a form of ball joint. Any impacts recently? Check your inner/outer tie rods.

 

Do you have super high caster?

 

I had my caster bumped up to 3.5 on each side, which is when I first noticed some noise. Previously was around 2.8-3.0 with my old arms.

No impacts for me. I looked at my out tie rods and everything seemed good. Didn’t notice any play from them. How does one check the inner rods?

 

Grab the tie rod in the middle and try to move it in and out laterally. Check your LCA alignment cams to see if they are folding the factory tabs.

 

I watched your video a few more times:

1. Sway bar - torque the 2 clam shell bushings to the frame. Torque all 4 end link bolts. A lot of folks install the sway bar at an angle after a lift kit which binds it. With the truck on the ground loosen the 4 clam shell bolts slightly and re-seat it. Then go to the end links.
2. Spray lube your Radflo shock lower heim joints. I have had binding and creaking from many a lower heim, they dry out, get packed with dirt and and stop rotating correctly. Spray both sides of each lower shock mount, then rotate the steering back and forth to work it in.
3. Your cam tabs are starting to fold. I don’t think that’s your sound but they are failing.

 

I do have increased caster to help fit the 35's. I'm not sure of the exact spec but I am on the mid-setting on the SPC upper arms.

 

I'll give those items a try. They are all pretty easy fixes. I wish there were grease fittings on the lower heims!

 

I think I have a ton of play in my inner tie rods. Ordered both inner/outer tonight and will be here tomorrow..

We'll see if that fixes my issue at least. Will report back if I get to it this week.
After watching a bunch of YouTube videos, I think I'm ready to attempt it, lol. Just need to rent that tool from an auto store.

 

UPDATE: inner/outer control arms did not fix my issue. I suspect my LCA bushings now, lol.

OP, probably your issue too then I would think since the sound is very similar to what I had, just not quite as bad yet.

 

Check the lower shock bearings. Mine made a similar noise, it just wasn't quite as bad sounding as the videos here. If you can, unbolt the coilovers from the LCA and see if there's any play in the bearings. I was able to grab the misalignment spacers and easily wiggle around the bearings with no resistance indicating they were indeed shot. After I replaced them all noises went away and the ride quality went up.

 

Can confirm I have the same noise... im also on 35s and spc's.. I took it to 2 diff shops and they couldnt find anything wrong even tho they heard the noise. Been there about 2 yrs now and I've hit some gnarly trails yet nothing has broken.. yet! Ill be taking off my steel rci skids this week (and selling them) , then ill take a look again and if I find any clues ill let you know.

 

Seriously check your lower shock bearings. It’s not your LCA bushings. I’ve been down this road many times when the bearings stop rotating in the race. Lube the living hell out them and work the wheels back and forth.

 

For me, it's not those (could still be the OPs issue). My 5100s had that issue & those bushings were far gone. I put in new struts (along with different UCAs because SPCs suck) back in December which fixed that clunk. Everything was fine until I got my alignment shortly after the new struts were in, then took it back and had them double check everything and they said it was good and it stopped, but then came back a few days later. Funny enough, after replacing my inner/outer rods and getting my alignment yesterday, my massive clunking is gone for now...but still have a little squishy/creaking noise which I am assuming is my bushings. Whether its my steering rack ones that have a lot of play or my LCA bushings...dunno. Front body mounts have been replaced also with the last several months.

But 99% sure its not my lower strut bushings unless they both went out again a week after installed. The noise is also different than what I had previously heard with the bad lower strut bushings.

 

I was getting you mixed up with OP. This thread should be titled House of Creak.

 

This is the exact noise that I am hearing too. It is most obvious when reversing on an incline and cranking the wheel. It creaks and pops like something is binding, and a few days ago I heard a much louder unbinding pop sound, as if all the tension was released.

I haven't checked what it is yet, as I have been busy with other problems. But it does have me worried.

 

I'd check the sway bar mounts and bushings first. Make sure the bushings are the right size too. After that, I'd look at your cab mounts. I have a similar sound that got worse when I had a passenger in the front seat. After that, some more searching and lots of light, ha, lead me to a broken cab mount. I currently have a DIY cab mount relo. Passenger side is cracked/broken in a few places and sounds absolutely horrible. I've got it scheduled to be replaced/fixed next weekend. I hope that takes care of mine.

 

Had a simular noise and for me it was the alignment cam tabs were slightly bent out. This allowed the LCA to move slightly in the slots even though bolts were to proper torque.