i have some vertical play in the lowers. maybe 1/16 to 1/8. i'm hunting a clunking noise when turning in my drive or a parking spot. have read several post about the clunk but the bj movement is all i find on the truck. is this excessive?
john

john, 95 slt l/b auto w/256k. low stall billet tc, hvy dty tranny, kdp dead, ground stock plate, timin advanced, 235/85/bfg commercials, tc l/u switch

 

Any slop is excessive , the more the slop , the more the banging allows it to wear even faster .
I would say that the clunking is axial u-joints , sometimes they get a little bound up & hard to find lose until they are very lose .

 

gonna show my ignorance, whats an axial u joint. noise seems to be comin from the front. when i watch the left front tire while applying the brake turnin in my drive i can see the tire jerk as it i hear the clunk.
thanks

john, 95 slt l/b auto, 2wd w/256k. low stall billet tc, hvy dty tranny, kdp dead, ground stock plate, timin advanced, 235/85/bfg commercials, tc l/u switch

 

I did not read your sig. enough to catch you have a 2x4 , so now I would check the brake caliper , pads ect.
It could be as simple as a rusted rotor , with a little brake applied , the wheel jerks when the rusty spot goes through the pads , any of the jerking is going to hammer that gap in ball joints .
I would assume that you had the ft. end off the ground to check the ball joints , how about wheel bearings ?

 

i was kinda guessin u were talkin 4 wd and i realized i don't usually put 2wd and added it. so u didn't miiss i slipped it in calipers fine, no rust on rortors, all the likage is tight. thought i fixed it when i replaced a looses idler arm but nOOOOOOOOO. i'm about convinced it's the lower bj's but i thought i'd ask before replacing them.
thanks,

john, 95 slt l/b auto, 2wd w/256k. low stall billet tc, hvy dty tranny, kdp dead, ground stock plate, timin advanced, 235/85/bfg commercials, tc l/u switch

 

I had a clunking sound and thought it might be the ball joints. It turned out that the upper nut on both shocks were loose. Once I tightened them all was back to normal.

 

turned out to be the adjusting bolt? for the camber was loose.got it tightend and clunk gone!


95 slt l/b auto, 2wd w/256k. low stall billet tc, hvy dty tranny, kdp dead, ground stock plate, timin advanced, 235/85/bfg commercials, tc l/u switch