Clunking when hitting bumps

SnowBlazer

SnowBlazer

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I'm experiencing some clunking going on right underneath the front passenger's floor boards, primarily after hitting speed bumps, road damage and small potholes.

There is another clunking in the rear as if something is swinging and hitting the undercarriage. Tightened the spare, but that wasn't it.

Not sure if these are related but some advice would be greatly appreciated!
Ryan
 
usually the sway bar links or sway bar bushings cause this. Take your truck with it parked and grab the roof rack and rock it side to side, kinda like you are going to flip it over. If you hear the clunking then, it is probably your sway bar links. Another way to confirm this is to take your fist and bang on the sway bar near where the links are connected at. It may make a little rattle noise when you do this, if it does, your link on that sway bar is shot and needs to be replaced. I had a clunking noise on the front of my truck and when I banged on the sway bar, it didn't make any noise. It wasn't until I had my dad rock the truck while I was underneath it and as soon as I grabbed onto the end link, I could feel the popping in my hand that went with the clunking noise I heard. Fairly easy job but since I couldn't get in that easily with a sawzall to cut off my rusted on links, i brought out my oxy-acetylene torch and burned them off. Way easier IMO to torch them off. I had to do the same thing for the rears, just be careful if you do the rears because when I torched them, the flame kept getting close to the gas tank and brake line and caused my brake line to melt and I had to put a new rubber hose on it.
 
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I had similar noise coming from the rear as described by OP. About 6 months ago I replaced the oe Bilstein shocks with Gabriel ultras, then 4 months later started hearing that noise. Came to find out, it was the lower barrels on the shock where the mounting bolt goes through became loose causing the shock tube to move side to side. So I returned them under warranty and got the Belltech kit. Much happier with the outcome.
 
I'll check the shocks this morning. It's so weird....my auto friend told me its my oil skid plate but, it's never banged a round this hard. When I shake the car, I hear nothing....which is weird as well. There almost need to be a shock/compression (speed bump) to my suspension components for it to clunk/rattle.
 
Definitely sounds like something is worn or loose. Id throw it up on some jackstands and get under there with a pry bar and check suspension, exhaust, etc. Could be anything
 
:twocents: I'd be careful rocking the truck by pulling on the roof rack. A sideways load could bend the metal, and cause a leak or worse. Opening the door and pushing up would be safer IMHO.
 
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I had the upper control arm bolt on the envoy back out and make a similar noise, maybe check that since you don't have to take anything apart?
 
check the top of your struts, i had a similar sound when the strut broke. if the nut comes off the top you could get a similar noise
 
I just had to replace my upper control arms due to a sound very similar to what you have. I only noticed it when going over bumps (especially railroad tracks). When I looked at my upper control arms I could clearly tell that the bushings were bad.
 
If you're getting the clunking in the front and rear, I'd say the same as kickass and check the end links.
 
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Your video clip sounds kinda tinny, like maybe a heat shield that is loose or something like that. Honestly you need to get under there and start banging stuff with a rubber mallet or wiggling them. Only way to trace where it's coming from since you can't strap yourself to the bottom of the truck and drive it to pinpoint the problem.
 
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Only problem with that is unless you can see something wiggle when it should be solid, you won't be able to detect what direction the sound is coming from.
 
Sway links are the most common source. Mine are rattling in the rear again.
 
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Wait, did you shake the truck back and forth? That's the easiest way to tell if it's end links. Have some one do that, crawl under and grab them, you'll feel it clunking. When mine went, it started on bumps, thought it was the reciver rattling around. Then it got to the point where it made noise over every little crack.
 
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So I had some free time today so I went outside and diagnosed my clunking issue. When I would rock the truck, the only sound I would hear is a small suspension squeak. So I got under the truck (no jacks or jack stands) turns out, all my end links except for drivers front, I can twist with my bare hands easily.

While under my truck, I also noticed a possible front passenger CV Boot rupture, I'll need to take it to a friends so I can take the wheel of for better diagnostics. Right now, it looks as if a baby puked in my passenger wheel well (white thick grease). Hopefully its just the boot that needs replacement and not the whole CV axle.
 
SnowBlazer said:
Hopefully its just the boot that needs replacement and not the whole CV axle.
Click to expand...
If the boot is actually torn and not just loose around the strap holding it on, you may actually want to replace the axle. "I've read" or "been told directly" something to this affect. The off-road guys know better on this.

If the grease is coming out from around the strap, DO NOT CUT THE STRAP OFF to add your hose clamp as a replacement. Just put your hose clamp over the stock strap and tighten till you can't any longer. I learned the hard way...

Let us know what you find when you remove the tire.
 
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It might be a couple of days since its gong to pour any moment now...but I will keep you guys updated. I'll probably order all four links next week on payday....I've herd these are one of the easier jobs when it comes to suspension components.
 
If it's the original links, you might need either torches or a grinder as the Allen key ends usually strip and there is no other way of keeping them from turning. They're lock nuts so even if you use penetrating oil, it might not help much.

And I would replace that axle too. Water and dirt gets in there, it's done.
 
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New axles don't cost too much anyway. 60 bucks each or something like that when I replaced mine. Really a bit surprising how cheap they are. Why a CV axle costs less than a regular straight axle shaft I have no idea.
 
Yeah, you were looking at the wrong thing :tongue:

Look under drivetrain, CV half shaft assembly. Sure, the AC Delco one is over $300 which is a total ripoff, but the Cardone is 50 bucks and seem to be pretty good. I have those on my truck.
 
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Yea get the cardone ones. Pretty much all we run as they are cheap adn easy to replace. But still last a long bit.

As for the clunking. The up front one i would check heat shields over the exhaust pipe. and the rear i would check the exhaust it self, i know mine would bang off my rear spring pretty often and that is my clunk.
 
Mooseman said:
If it's the original links, you might need either torches or a grinder as the Allen key ends usually strip and there is no other way of keeping them from turning. They're lock nuts so even if you use penetrating oil, it might not help much.

And I would replace that axle too. Water and dirt gets in there, it's done.
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That little bugger is 7mm too, not a size on a typical set (I had two sets that were 6mm, 8mm ) so you might have to go out and buy the 7mm.

What is the harm in removing the sway bar links and driving swaybarless ?
 
Without the sway bar connected the vehicle will sway at highway speed and around turns. Won't kill ya as long as ya don't push it too far.
 
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lol what are sway bars
 
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I tried every combo of swaybar. Both. Front only. Rear only. None.

None is really not bad if you are not aggressive driver.

Rear only is a bit better, but still not stiff.

Front only feels solid and really can't tell the rear is off.

Both feels stiff and about like front only. I do not think the rear does much.

I ran each setup for at least 10K miles.

I run front only with homemade links that simply bolt on and off with grade 8 bolts.
 
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Loaded down with a lot in the back is when the rear bar becomes more noticeable, but if you're not heavily loaded then as mentioned it really doesn't seem to do much. Front is the biggest factor.

I'll likely disconnect the rear bar here soon since as I mentioned earlier the links are making a racket and I'm sick of the noise.
 
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I think the steel bumper, 35 inch spare, fuel can, speaker box, and tools is prolly more loaded than most peoples rear.
 
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HARDTRAILZ said:
I tried every combo of swaybar. Both. Front only. Rear only. None.

None is really not bad if you are not aggressive driver.

Rear only is a bit better, but still not stiff.

Front only feels solid and really can't tell the rear is off.

Both feels stiff and about like front only. I do not think the rear does much.

I ran each setup for at least 10K miles.

I run front only with homemade links that simply bolt on and off with grade 8 bolts.
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Used to be most cars didn't even have a rear, usually an option, or with a handling package. Never noticed a huge difference myself with or without rear on most.
 
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HARDTRAILZ said:
I tried every combo of swaybar. Both. Front only. Rear only. None.

None is really not bad if you are not aggressive driver.

Rear only is a bit better, but still not stiff.


I ran each setup for at least 10K miles.
Click to expand...
I found the ride without the front sway bar links to be superior, it is just a better independent suspension system without the links.

The sway bar solves one problem, sway or roll. You only need that when you are going around a curve very fast. If you dont drive like that then it doesnt serve you. The cost of linking the left and right control arms is that your suspension does not properly react to left right differences in road hieght, bumpts , potholes.

Granted my driving style is very tame and my commute has more than a few potholes and bumps.

Being somewhat cautious I put the links back on. Until I can fully assess the safety issues of not having them on Ill keep them on. At some point Ill make a decision to take them off.
 
I am far from an aggressive driver on road and felt the roll with none as more than I liked,but not unsafe by any means. If i take the fronts off it usually takes a month or two to re-install.
 
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Well if it is safe then Im taking them off.

For me it is a far far superior ride. Remember with the sway bar links you are basically locking the two front struts together with only the torsion of the sway bar allowing for independent articulation of the two sides of the suspension.

Swaybars are over rated for the tame conventional drivers like myself.

Im not an automotive suspension engineer but I did sleep at a holiday inn last night :)
 
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hey guys, i couldn't find a related forum for this post so hopefully someone can point me into the right direction. i could hear like a ching sound coming from my right side near my tires/brakes. it is not a loud ching but i could hear it whenever i am driving. it sounds like I'm pulling a metal chain or something stuck near my rotor. its hella annoying
 
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