Buela

Hello all-

I've been reading posts here for a while and have read good advice here before. Thanks for that, so now- the question I have is not a new problem I don't think, but I'm stuck:

My '07 3500 is making a popping/clunking noise from somewhere in the front end (seems more like driver's side) while driving slow. It only happens when it's been raining. She drives perfectly when it's sunny out. After a rain, the clunking can be felt in the wheel, is definitely audible like metal catching on metal and happens when I turn left or right.

Here's what I've done: Back in Jan/Feb of this year, I replaced all 4 ball joints, axle u-joints, upgraded the tie-rods/drag bar to the beefier '09 version (since I had a stock 07 front end), and I added skyjacker dampers. I took it in for an alignment and they noticed nothing wrong.

Since then the problem started in the spring and started investigating. I've checked all the joints bolts etc. and can't find anything loose that I can see. I had a lube job and alignment done in July, the problem's still there. I'm about ready to pour water over each component/joint to see where it's coming from, drive it, and see if I can narrow this down, since it only happens when it rains. Thanks for any help you have.

Buela

I forgot to add, I replaced the hubs too. That's what precipitated the repair in the first place. That actually was fixed!

Buela

I got under the truck again with some help and saw I have a slight amount of play in my track bar. Will replace with Thuren's probably and see if that fixes it.

Steve-l

I'm sorry to say that this is 99% a U joint. I know you stated that you replaced them earlier, but either a faulty U joint or an incorrect assembly is causing this. Look carefully for iron oxide (rust) around either of the ball joint pivots. Replacing them with greasable units is essential, this is a common problem.

Buela

Truck is fixed. It was the track bar. For 2007, 3500 owners- in the first half of the production year, Dodge used 14mm bolts on their track bars. Later- 16mm. Check when your truck was made first- and Thuren does mention this on the website. I did check and purchased the appropriate setup with 14mm bolts and heim, bushings, etc. for mine and tightened everything down, thinking all's well. Drove her- popping again! I thought at first I had the wrong size bolts. . Actually, I found the bolts can oblong out the frame where the bar mounts so double-check your sizes and then drill out to the 16mm bolts. You can torque'em down more anyway (16mm bolt means 230 or so instead of 150 ft lbs on 14mm).

Should've done it to begin with.
Thanks all.