b.lee

Well I have the good old dodge front end just loving my wallet again.
I already did a 95 1500 4x4 gasser front end with a friend and im not doing it again. Now im back again this time with the 96 2500 4x4 CTD.

There is a knocking noise or sound coming from the front end when I hit bumps big or small at any speed. Not the control arm bushings.

So, I'm lazy and took it to the dealership to get a front end diagonisis. They told me it needed a trackbar, front driveshaft u-joints, and a steering dampner.

The trackbar seems like it could be making knocking noise, so I tell them to go ahead and just do the trackbar install and thats all. Got the truck back it's still making the same noise. Seems to drive better though, and the steering is way off now so I assume the axle got shifted back where it needed to be.

Im pretty sure its not the damper but does anyone think it could be the front d-shaft u-joints? or the u-joints in the front axle?

I just went and grabbed the front d-shaft and it does have a little play in it up and down and makes some noise while doing it... the u-joints in the axle seem nice and tight.

The dealership never mentioned anything about ball joints, or wheel bearings.
My front brake has been squeaking while driving slow, and they never mentioned a fix for that either... so I don't know exactly how good they looked at it.

s-tealership is a swear word here, awesome.
And yes i've been searching.
Thanks.

crobtex

I fixed the "bump" under my left foot last week. Not being too smart I fixed two things at the same time, so I'm not sure which fixed it.

I replaced the left front shock and the lower arms/bushings on the sway bar. The Rancho 9000 seemed in pretty good shape, but it might have had something inside rattling when under pressure. The only place I could find the lower arms was at the dealer ($35 @ after friends discount). Nap, Auto zone, Reilly's and Pep Boys had them listed, but they were not the right ones. I'm still working on a little steering bump, but no more bump under the left foot.

b.lee

well if i can' get an ok deal on the lower control arms up here,
would you see what kind of discount you could get me?
i'd pay for your time/effort/shipping.
thanks.

your post makes me re-think my lca's.

12valve

Also something these dodges often need are the brake silencers

some rubber "bushings" or no idea how they are called, anyway, what they are there so the brakes cand hit against the

oh shoot nevermind, i cant speak english!!!!

let me try again, the big round thing on the inside of the wheel, those who hold the brake pads, they hammer agaisnt the "thing" where they are hanging on, then there are some rubber things that need to be replaced, had to do this on various dodges....

oh another thing. easiest way to check is, drive on a bad road, with small bumps all over the way, press the brakes in slightly, if the knocking stops when barely pushing the brakes, its the rubber things im tellin you about!


good luck.

b.lee

The knocking and brake squeak are both different problems, I think.

I'll have to make sure tomarrow.

wilderness

Check those ball joints too. I have the same bump in mine and my ball joints are going but I also noticed the shock where it comes through the fender well seemed like it has been moving around as there were wear marks on the fender well.

b.lee

Yea, 2 shops looked at the front end, they both said;
Balljoints, u-joints, and wheel bearings where all good.
It needed a track bar, end links for the sway bar, and an alignment
It drives alot better but still has the knocking on the floorboard,
Which really pisses me off, one shop said it was the track-bar, and the other place said it was the end-links causing this.

Im going to pull the front drive shaft tomarrow and then test drive it.
If the noise is gone, ill add u-joints to the front d-shaft.
(Does the front driveshaft spin when you are in 2wd or no?)

After that, if it still does the knocking I'm going to get a new front drivers side shock. Then, if it still knocks I'll get a set of aftermarket bushings for the Lower connecting arms, or else a replacement set from dodge.

I have to get this worked out.
anyother suggestions are welcome.

Where do I get these brake silencers rubber o-ring things?
and whats the proper name for them?

b.lee

just checked the lower driver side shock bushing is wasted.
after thats replaced it should be all back to normal hopefully.

crobtex

Your left foot will be happy.

b.lee

2 new front shocks are in,
its 95% better but it is not totally gone.

I'm going to pull the front d-shaft and go for a test ride tomarrow.

If thats not it, then I don't know... only thing left is LCA Bushings.

Gotta love these dodge straight axles.

waldersha

Are you sure that you got the bolts TIGHT!!!!!?? The lower bolts on the shock have to be really tight in order to crimp down on the shock and hold it in place. I ruined a new shock by not getting them tight enough. Not sure what the proper torque spec is, but since it is mostly better you might try that first.

b.lee

ok thanks.
will do.

sounds like my problem.
the first 5 min. test ride it was perfectly quiet.
15 minutes later it was knocking very little.

b.lee

thanks alot, the lower shock bolts where not tight enough.

everything's back to normal. problem solved.

waldersha

Good deal. Glad you caught it soon.

b.lee

yes, i am happy its fixed.
I owe it all totally to this website, and my wallet.

thanks guys.