Front End Noise When Backing Up - Suspension Shot

[SubLo]

Hey all.

Well, this is a weird one indeed. I knew when I bought the truck that I needed front-end work during the test drive - no surprise there. I can today cut the wheel about 20 - 30 degrees with zero effect on turning! Pretty horrible. Not exactly the picture of nimbleness and handling - scary sometimes actually. After a thorough front-end visual inspection, I notice no leaks, no metal, nothing abnormally wrong (other than what I'm about to describe). The front-end track, camber, castor appear fine. Now the bad: upper and lower ball joints on both sides are both completely shot. For the spring, I plan on doing a complete front-end rebuild.

Anyway, after a few weeks of ownership, I noticed something really strange and alarming. If I backup with the wheel cut to the left, there is a horrible "crunching" sound. The best way I can describe it. It actually sounds like metal being mashed up in a blender. The truck backs up like this fine although I've been trying to avoid doing so from that angle for obvious reasons. Backing up with the wheel in the other direction and driving forward do not exhibit this problem.

Any ideas? Could it be the CV joints getting eaten up in the process? The 4wd continues to work just fine....

Sigh

 

[dirtridinz71]

Could be a wheel bearing on its way out, but that shouldnt be just limited to reverse. Other idea is look for the rim rubbing on the control arms/spindle. A bad CV will tend to make a clicking/snapping sound. I've had a bad bearing front wheel bearing cause some grinding. I would hope with your steering in that bad of condition you are not driving it.

 

[Balzer]

Agreed with above, sounds like a bad unit bearing. Also you steering issues sound like the idler arm on your tie rod is shot and most likely some if not most of the TRE's