Air Ride Suspension not riding level

[S-sguy]

Ok as the title says I have a frame up build with all new components. My front end is not riding level. You can push down on the side that rides high and it will fall back where it should be but you can also pick up on the fender and that side will stay and not fall back? I have noticed a creaking sound on that side wondering if the ball joint could be causing this?

[Overdriven]

There may be some binding that's preventing the suspension from settling the same from side to side. I'd think the suspension bushings and how tight the crossbar is would be more suspect than the ball joints but it's possible.

[powell72]

I agree with it sounding like bushings binding up. What kind of control arms are you running?

[S-sguy]

They are CPP control arms and I do not have a sway bar on the truck, if thats what you mean by cross over bar?

[Overdriven]

I meant the bar that goes through the arms and mounts them to the frame of the truck. Looks like CPP calls it a cross shaft. If the cross shaft bolts (not the ones going into the frame, the ones on the end of cross shaft) are not torqued the same on both sides of the truck one side will not move as freely and the truck won't settle the same on both sides.

If you hear creaking a bushing may not be lubed properly. Or the bushing wasn't installed properly or the cross shaft bolts tightened wrong causing the bushing to deform. I'd start with the torque specs and procedure for tightening the cross shaft bolts, loosen them up and do it over again. If that doesn't fix the issue then you're going to have to pull the arms to inspect, possibly replace and relube the bushings.

[S-sguy]

Ok that is where I will start. I called CPP and they said the bushings are some sort of self lubricating type? But what you are saying makes sense. I will let you know my findings thanks for the response guys.

[Overdriven]

I was talking with my father about my truck and he brought up CPP arms since we used them on a past project. They came pre assembled with the cross shafts installed and they were easy to move. Super slick setup and I'd imagine yours would be similar unless something went wrong.

When I mentioned your problem to my father and how you suspected the ball joints he reminded me of a past incident. My boss takes our work trucks to Mavis a lot for maintenance and I hated those guys before this but after I was super pissed. They talked my boss into all the toe rods and ball joints on one side of a truck. Why they didn't do the ball joints on the other side at the same time is beyond me. Anyways after a little over a month the front started making creaks, squeaks and groans because they never greased the new parts. Most aftermarket ball joints and tie rods don't come greased and if mechanics at a chain shop can overlook this so can a guy in his garage. With no grease in new ball joints maybe it is binding up a bit. Either way you should make sure they're greased if you haven't already.