2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front Suspension rattle/clunking. Anybody Know Of A Good Shop N. CA?

[RHestand]

The sound is kind of like a loose shock, maybe? I put the front-end up on jack stands so the suspension was hanging and used a long 2x8 under the front tires to move each side up and down, but couldn't find any noise or or loose stuff. The ball joints had maybe . 020 to . 030 vertical play in them. I installed Moog ball joints and track-bar about 30,000 miles ago, and they look good still.

You guys got any ideas or maybe a good front-end shop in the Santa Cruz/San Jose area?

TIA, Ray

 

[JLeake]

Gilroy Tire and Brake does trucks and cars, I've been happy with them and several mechanics I know use them. My good friend does front end work but no longer aligns them (CARB nonsense). PM me if you want phone numbers, etc (I live in Gilroy, CA), I am "just over the hill" from you.

 

[JR]

Check out the bushings in your control arms Ive seen them go bad and it sounded just like a loose shock bangin around especially when hitting bumps

 

[RHestand]

Thanks guys, I appreciate your response.
Jleake, I'm sending you a PM.
diesel4life,
I'm not sure I know a good way to check the control arm bushings. When I had it up on jack stands I used a crowbar to get up in there and try to pry them up and down but the ones I could get to didn't move. I've never had to deal with H. D. suspension like this before.
I did notice the control arm rubber bushings are weather cracked, but I think that is a separate problem??
BTW, I'm more than happy to here some more ideas as to what to do next. I'd like to try and fix it myself, but I will take it to a shop if I have to. I'm retired and right now I have more time than money.
Thanks again Ray

 

[RHestand]

Well I'm happy to say "The clunking is gone", and thanks again to JLeake for his advice.
I called Carl at Gilroy Tire And Brake this morning and he said to bring it on over and he'd take a look at it.
Shortly after I got there Carl took a ride with me on a rough road around his shop when after about a 1/4 mile he said "That sounds like loose shock to me. Lets go put it on the lift. "
After driving it up on the lift and bringing it up about head high, he and I both got a hold of the front front bumper and got the suspension going up and down big time (We both weigh about 250 each. ) and it was very obvious the clunking was coming from the right susp. spring area. He called one of his mechanics over to look at it while we were working the front of the truck up and down again. After checking it out for about 5 minutes, and not seeing any suspicious movements in or around the shock area, the mechanic stuck his hand through the spring coils, grabbed the shock and said he could feel the shock clunking internally. We were just getting ready to order a new set of shocks, when Carl suggested we put an impact on the bottom shock bolt. After watching the bolt go in a about a 1/4 turn, WHA-LA, no more noise.
On the 30 mile ride home all was quiet as a mouse. I'm thinking for now I'm going to leave 'well enough alone', but since that shock bolt was pretty darn tight (His pneumatic impact torques around 200 ft. lbs. and it only made a 1/4 turn??) I'm still thinking there might be some egg shaped holes down there, so if it gets noisy again, I'm going to pull the shock out and look at things a little closer.
I'm so glad to be rid of that noise and at least to have zeroed in on where it's coming from. It's almost like it's a new truck again!
Also, thanks again to TDR!
Ray