Since I purchased with 75 k (presently 142) I had this problem. If you are sitting in the front passenger seat with feet flat on the floor you feel a light thumping on the floor, more so in the center front to rear of the floor pan. finally though I got it when I put a pipe under the wheel and wiggled up & down. The bottom ball joint was moving way too much. After replacing top and bottom joints and having realignment done. Still there *** could it be? The axel u-joints have no play at all, the steering end joints all have equal play up & down about 1/8" or so (both sides). It almost feels as if it's a balancing issue. Only it's there at all speeds, new tires, new wheels and balance beads. Could a bad shock be the problem? I've never seen any oil on any of the shocks and to think the one was bad from the time I got it until now is possible but, not probable

Now, I haven't mentioned that it was in a r/f hit prior to purchase. I don't know how bad because I never saw it wrecked. There were no bent frame perches or other mounts and the body only received superficial damage. I think the brunt of the impact was taken in the r/f wheel because, it had a new rotor and caliper on the r/f only and the upper & lower ball joints were not factory as they had zerks. It tracks straight and aligns well. So, I'm wondering also about the radius arm bushings??? The arms are as straight and un bent as the left side and the play in the bushings, comparing left and right sides, are comparable. I put a pry bar on them top & bottom, side to side all 4 bushings each side.

Any ideas???

 

It could be that they had to straighten the truck and it isn't perfect. I have heard many people say that once they get a vehicle fixed after a wreck it is never the same.

 

Have you tried tightening the shock mounts? I've had them loosen up on that side and it felt like something was knocking up under the front right floor board. Just a thought.

 

My lower shock mounts are prone to having the bolts loosening and a metallic knock develpos that you can hear and feel. Also pop the hood someday and eyeball the upper shock tower then the body inner fender by the frame tower. At 250lbs if I lean on the fender there is fairly sugnificant amount of body movement and none in the actual frame. This comes from frame/body mount flex. theres enough that if there was a bolt or bracket on yours it might be contacting the body and knocking. Just a thought??

 

its the bushings in the upper suspension arms. had a 98 4x4 that did the same thing

 

You should tighten the upper shock mounts with an air gun. Have someone hold the shock at the same time.
Also, how is the front right tire? It could have slipped a belt.

 

OK here's the skinny. Bottom bolt never pinched the steel sleeve in the shock bushing between the mounting ears, so for 4+ years and 65k+ miles I've been driving the vibra-tron-mobile due to improper installation of shocks buy previous owner's shop. The bolt was very tight so much so that I had to use a breaker bar and all the a$$ I have to even move it to loosen, even with a fair amount of P oil! Once I got it to move a turn I was able to zing it off with my elec impact and remove it. I wish I could figure out how to post a picture on this site . . . but, the shock sleeve wore a good ridge in the bolt and I'll be getting new bottom bolts prior to the jackit steel spacers and Bilstiens arriving. I used a cheater and breaker bar to tighten the pi$$ out of it and pinched the sleeve between the ears. Rides smoother than ever.

I feel kind of stupid for overlooking the simplest thing for all this time but, am not ashamed that I've been reminded to "KISS", sometimes I'm just too darn dumb to remember KISS. Thanks for all your replies . . . so if somethins a knocking down under - check those blasted shock bolts!

 

Thats the buzzard, It seems the bolt diameter is as new slightly to small to fit the shock bushing ID, This causes the bang as it slams around on the bolt as you saw. The only way to fix it is like you did by tightening the snot out of the bolts and pinching the bushing between the mount ears or machining a sleeve to make a perfect fit. Gee, could it be Metric bolts used with a SAE bushing ID?