new squeak from steering

[dhassay]

i'm a car/truck idiot so be easy on me. 99 ranger 2wd ext cab. when sitting still i get a squeak when i turn the steering wheel back and forth. power steering fluid level is ok.

i bought this truck new and just about 10 years later its doing well. since i am a auto idiot i havnt kept up with the correct maintenance. it has about 140,000 and runs fine. please suggest where i can find some info about steps that i should be following to give it a longer life. ( keep in mind the only things that have been done are brakes, oil changes, tires, etc.)

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

most likely bad upper ball joints, that generation of truck is known for that problem.

you can peel the dust boots back and spray some penitrating oil into the joint and see if it goes away, this will confirm which joint is making the noise. after confirming which joint, it should be replaced.

 

[dogboy]

Mine has been squeaking lately too, but it sounds like it is coming from the steering column, not suspension. I don't kwow if that has any realation to your problem or not.

And on what Wicked said, make sure you do one ball joint at a time. If you do all of them, you will not know which is bad/ needing replacment. Althought in my opinion, if you change one, you should do them all.

 

[RM_HM]

my 2000 3.0l 4x4 just started to squeak (like a haunted house door) in the passenger side front wheel well.
Example Link
First it only made the noise when turning right but now bumps make it squeak to. I tried spraying one joint a day and a week later I think I have hosed everything there is to spray but still the squeek remains.

52,000 on the odometer of that 50 miles or so of light off road use.

Why did I buy that extended warranty with the truck? It was supposed to kick in at 55,000 but 10 years later I wonder if it would still be good when I do hit 55,000 miles?

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

if the steering pump is squeaking/whining, thats pretty common. if its the suspension, yeah balljoints are the cause. the bushings tend to squeak a bit too. even when they are good.

 

[The_Dealer]

i'm a car/truck idiot so be easy on me. 99 ranger 2wd ext cab. when sitting still i get a squeak when i turn the steering wheel back and forth. power steering fluid level is ok.

i bought this truck new and just about 10 years later its doing well. since i am a auto idiot i havnt kept up with the correct maintenance. it has about 140,000 and runs fine. please suggest where i can find some info about steps that i should be following to give it a longer life. ( keep in mind the only things that have been done are brakes, oil changes, tires, etc.)

had the same problem on my 00 2wd. if it happens when u are stopped and turn the wheel its the ford "sealed for life but more like 80k miles before they squeek" outer tie rod ends. 100% positive.

cheapest way to find out is to go to autozone and buy a grease needle, inject them with a little grease until the boots start to swell. if it stops it, u know u need new tre's. if not do the same to ball joints, if it stops u need new bj's

ive had numerous fords do that and it was the tre's 97 xplorer, 01 ranger 2wd, 01 crown vic p71, 00 ranger, and my dads lifted 99 f150

people may say done use a grease needle they puncture the boot yada yada yada. but thats the best way to tell what componant is bad, plus u can get a couple thousand sqeek free miles out of it. i wouldnt grease it more then once but it wont do anything but start to crack the boots. i would AVOID spraying any kind of spray in them (i.e. wd40, silicon spray, etc.) because most of the time they stop it for a little while and it gets worse

hope this helps

 

[RM_HM]

I've got it pinned down to being the passenger lower ball joint It's rubber is ripped open on the tire side.