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Front End Clunk

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Old Feb 3, 2011 | 11:38 PM
  #31  
Rod_Montana's Avatar
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From: Star Meadows, MT
Got this clunk also. But nothing in the steering wheel. Light clunking sound over small bumps and minor frost heaves. Sounds like just under my feet. No sounds on larger deflections like frost heaves and dips in the road.

I'm thinking the left front Bielstein has bit the dust, but maybe not. Definitely not ball joints, only 300 miles on those. Probably not hub bearings as I believe the Diesel tech would have noticed them bad when he removed them to get to the ball joints. The clunk has been there a while, perhaps the last 3-4000 miles. 80k on the truck.

And this too: was passing some slower vehicles the other day. Oncoming traffic about a half mile away. No sweat for me, but one of the ladies I passed pulls out right behind me. No way she can see what's coming (freakin' chip hauler). So I stepped down a bit to get past the lead car. Smarty #1 SW.

Hit a bump and felt like both front wheels suddenly seemed to turn into octagons instead of being round. Man, that was some vibration. Quit as soon as I let off and moved over. Again, nothing in the steering wheel. Straight and level. But something's not right.

Time for a thrust alignment and major investigation.
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Old Feb 4, 2011 | 10:09 AM
  #32  
surfram's Avatar
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From: Delaware
Originally Posted by Rod_Montana
Got this clunk also. But nothing in the steering wheel. Light clunking sound over small bumps and minor frost heaves. Sounds like just under my feet. No sounds on larger deflections like frost heaves and dips in the road.

I'm thinking the left front Bielstein has bit the dust, but maybe not. Definitely not ball joints, only 300 miles on those. Probably not hub bearings as I believe the Diesel tech would have noticed them bad when he removed them to get to the ball joints. The clunk has been there a while, perhaps the last 3-4000 miles. 80k on the truck.

And this too: was passing some slower vehicles the other day. Oncoming traffic about a half mile away. No sweat for me, but one of the ladies I passed pulls out right behind me. No way she can see what's coming (freakin' chip hauler). So I stepped down a bit to get past the lead car. Smarty #1 SW.

Hit a bump and felt like both front wheels suddenly seemed to turn into octagons instead of being round. Man, that was some vibration. Quit as soon as I let off and moved over. Again, nothing in the steering wheel. Straight and level. But something's not right.

Time for a thrust alignment and major investigation.
Do you have extended sway bar end links on your truck? I would think your stock links are toast, especially with a leveling kit. My original end links rattled like hell over small slow speed bumps until I replaced them with Maxx links. I would check the condition of your trac bar bushings. A wornout track bar may be causing your death wobble.
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Old Feb 5, 2011 | 02:27 AM
  #33  
Rod_Montana's Avatar
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From: Star Meadows, MT
Originally Posted by surfram
Do you have extended sway bar end links on your truck? I would think your stock links are toast, especially with a leveling kit. My original end links rattled like hell over small slow speed bumps until I replaced them with Maxx links. I would check the condition of your trac bar bushings. A wornout track bar may be causing your death wobble.
Good info on the link ends. I did look under the truck while parked in the driveway when I got home. Everything seemed tight when sitting on the wheels. It was -27F and I wasn't inclined to linger. Definitely going to check the track bar ends, and every other part of suspension when I get it on a lift.

Death wobble? Is that what is was? Absolutely nothing coming up through the steering wheel. Just felt like someone has lashed about six 2x4's all around the circumference of both front wheels. Gone as soon as I let off the go pedal.

Let me add here that I had previously remounted my 265/70-17 "E" Cooper ST's because they're studded. Was in 2WD on level (but frost-heaved) straight clear pavement when this happened.
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Old Feb 5, 2011 | 11:26 AM
  #34  
surfram's Avatar
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From: Delaware
Originally Posted by Rod_Montana
Good info on the link ends. I did look under the truck while parked in the driveway when I got home. Everything seemed tight when sitting on the wheels. It was -27F and I wasn't inclined to linger. Definitely going to check the track bar ends, and every other part of suspension when I get it on a lift.

Death wobble? Is that what is was? Absolutely nothing coming up through the steering wheel. Just felt like someone has lashed about six 2x4's all around the circumference of both front wheels. Gone as soon as I let off the go pedal.

Let me add here that I had previously remounted my 265/70-17 "E" Cooper ST's because they're studded. Was in 2WD on level (but frost-heaved) straight clear pavement when this happened.
The end links are under enough tension that you will not be able to move them by hand even if they are worn out. I could not rattle mine by hand but they were completely worn out. The driver's side link broke on half when I was removing the upper bolt. I did one side at a time and knocked the old links out with a hammer. I used maxx links part# 1226 but you should use 1226L for the extended length.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPX-SMX-1226L/
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Old Feb 7, 2011 | 08:02 PM
  #35  
Oilburner04's Avatar
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I too am plagued with this mysterious clunk. I can feel it through the steering wheel/brake pedal. It is most noticeable at slow speeds when going over bumps or uneven surfaces on the road. I've had it for the last 5,000 miles. I have installed new shocks, a red head steering box along with a BD steering brace, a borgeson steering shaft, new sway bar links, and rebuilt my trackbar with Lukes Links bushings and still have this dang clunk. I have went over everything three times ensuring that everything is tight. Had it in the shop just this past week and ball joints, wheel bearings, and axle joints are all tight. It absolutely blows my mind. The mod I did just before I started getting this clunk was install the Bilstein 5100 shocks. My next move is going to be removing the front shocks, go for a test drive and see if just perhaps they are the problem. One would think that as much as we pay for these trucks, we wouldn't be plagued with these annoying issues.
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Old Feb 8, 2011 | 03:19 PM
  #36  
loya 3500's Avatar
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From: Stockdale Texas
I have the mysterous clunk in the front to. but only as i slow down to a stop or going slow like 10mph-35mph. after that i think it stops. I never feel it in the wheel or as i brake. Its the same all the time.. iv looked and pushed-pulled and cant get the truck to do it unless im driving... any thing i can do to maybe fined the clunk or stop it.. thanks
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Old Feb 8, 2011 | 09:54 PM
  #37  
Dirk5.9's Avatar
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From: Ada, OK
Originally Posted by Oilburner04
I too am plagued with this mysterious clunk. I can feel it through the steering wheel/brake pedal. It is most noticeable at slow speeds when going over bumps or uneven surfaces on the road. I've had it for the last 5,000 miles. I have installed new shocks, a red head steering box along with a BD steering brace, a borgeson steering shaft, new sway bar links, and rebuilt my trackbar with Lukes Links bushings and still have this dang clunk. I have went over everything three times ensuring that everything is tight. Had it in the shop just this past week and ball joints, wheel bearings, and axle joints are all tight. It absolutely blows my mind. The mod I did just before I started getting this clunk was install the Bilstein 5100 shocks. My next move is going to be removing the front shocks, go for a test drive and see if just perhaps they are the problem. One would think that as much as we pay for these trucks, we wouldn't be plagued with these annoying issues.
Check the bottom shock bolts on the fronts......Silly thing, but it happened to me
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Old Feb 9, 2011 | 02:40 AM
  #38  
surfram's Avatar
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From: Delaware
Originally Posted by Dirk5.9
Check the bottom shock bolts on the fronts......Silly thing, but it happened to me
The lower bolts need to be torqued to 100 ft/lbs.
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Old Feb 9, 2011 | 09:51 PM
  #39  
sloride's Avatar
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Originally Posted by surfram
The lower bolts need to be torqued to 100 ft/lbs.
Tighten them until your eyeballs pop out and when they do you've almost got them tight enough.
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Old Feb 10, 2011 | 02:44 PM
  #40  
J OOPS's Avatar
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From: Alaska
Thunking/Clunking and Death Wobble

There is fair number of Components in the front end of the dodge that can cause the clunking and everybodys input is correct as to items that have caused the clunking but the one that is the hardest to identify I think (.02) is the trailing arm bushings. I could not find anything wrong by visual inspection and twisting with a pry bar did not show any abnormal movement. Upon removing 1 trailing arm I found the bolts were fairly rusted and the metal bushing within the rubber bushing was almost gone. Replaced all the bushings and the clunk I felt through the floor board/gas pedal disappeared. Another clunk/funky vibration ended up being the tranny/transfer case rubber mount needed replaced. Looked good when just looking at it. Jacked up transfer case and rubber mount seperated like sliced bread.

DEATH Wobble cure:
Remove factory Inverted Y steering linkage and replace with 98 3/4T or 1t steering linkage. Really improved my steering. Check out this site
(http://www.mark74.com/ram_modifications.htm) Cost and shipping through Rock Auto to Alaska $189
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