2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission knocking noise when turning, going over bumps

[VolsFan]

Hi, been experiencing a loud knocking noise up front for some time now. Had not really been too worried about it, but has been getting worse. Has been going on for years. I feel like it may be a shock bottoming out, it does not affect my steering at all. I have a 3rd gen track bar, lukes link tie rods, new tube control arms, hubs are good, ball joints good. I have a 2" level on the truck, but still made the knocking noise before, just more pronounced with it installed. Seemed like I initially noticed it when I had the truck brought to sears atleast 5 yrs ago to get rancho shocks put on. I'll never do that again, but I think I could use some new shocks now, wondering if this will solve that knocking noise. I have never experienced death wobble and truck is just shy of 200k, so I dont think its a loose suspension thing.

 

[fox]

Check the front shocks. i bet the bolts are loose or the hole enlarged.

 

[JMcCoy]

When exactly does it knock. Is it when you hit bumps, when your turning, when you hit a bump while your turning, or all of the above?

 

[JKosten]

Ditch the Ranchos. Look at a minimum Bilstien 5100's for steet/entry level.

Then start looking at your components. Your track bar could be contacting the coil bucket on the driver side. If it is, it will self self clearance after a while...

What Control arms did you put in?

What type of conditions are causing the noise? straight bumps, turning and bump, entering a driveway, etc...

 

[mymtnhauler]

Mine is doing the same thing#@$%! It makes a very loud clunk when I turn the wheel to full lock. ( right, left, going in reverse or going forward does not matter ) I also notice a clunking while on a gravel or rough road surfaces even at low speeds. I have had the truck too several places and all say all is in good shape The suspension is in stock configuration. Only changes are replacement parts.

 

[VolsFan]

thanks for the replies. It does it the most when i am turning to go up a steep grade. For example, I made a left at an inersection, and then made an immediate right to go up a slight grade to sunoco and it made the noise pretty bad then. Just driving along straight it will not do it, truck tracks fine. When i pull it out of the garage, when it drops down and hits the gravel it does it, or a slow turn of the steering wheel at full lock, sporadically. And yes, I plan on getting a set of bilstiens, i'm hoping that clears it up.

 

[VolsFan]

Found the culprit of the mystery noise this evening. I was driving this weekend in it and this evening around the yard unloading stuff and it kept making the clunking noise, so I checked the ball joints again, drivers side still orginal at almost 200k. I replaced the tie rods end with Lukes Links back in the fall sometime, and the one on the pitman arm is hitting the crossmember, which makes sense when I hit a drop or make a turn. I do recollect seeing the head of the bar before I put the link on slightly beveled. I ground a little down with my grinder, think it will be alright. Makes sense it made it the clunk more after I installed the level blocks. Might be a place to look for others experiencing this, would like to know if anyone else has had this problem with lukes link on pitman arm.

 

[BFurton]

Broken/Cracked Cross member

Mine had similar clunks, squeaks and noises. Last September, I'd had the idler arm replaced, it was hitting the stabilizer too... (might suggest some inspections in that case).



Just found a broken cross member on the passenger side and cracked on the drivers side... Probably because of the added stress of the broken side. :{



Parked it until I can come up with a solution. Guys at the shop said that it can't be repaired/welded... ?? I don't know yet. They said that it would have to be re-framed.



Would the forum have any suggestions? Has anyone else experienced such a failure?

 

[BFurton]

Just an update to the failure I've experienced here.



Found a shop that would repair it - essentially, weld and plate it back in place. They did an excellent job!!!



The welder, said that it's been a couple years since he'd seen this type of failure, but it was normally on the steering box side... He checked mine (steering box side) and said it looked satisfactory to him and that what I thought may be cracking, was not... . slag from the factory welds I guess...



Frame inspection will be on my "Creeper" list now... .

 

[VolsFan]

I checked mine out too, they look alright. I had never heard of the crossmember welds breaking before, pretty scary. That would be a tough one to get in and weld, atleast you got it taken care of. Also, another knocking noise my truck was making I just found the other day. On the drag link, the adjuster piece was pointing up towards the crossmember, and you can see where it had been scraping into it on turns and bounces, had to have been from the last alignment. Took out my rancho 5000's yesterday(can pull them up and down with one finger) and planning on getting these new rancho rs7000mt. I dont know if anyone has run these yet or not, they look pretty nice, and you get a $50 rebate until end of this month. I wanted to get the bilstein 5100's, but these ranchos are monotube also and i'll save $100, and they are specific to a leveled truck just like the bilsteins.