2009 F350 4x4 DRW. Just replaced rod ends, drag link, sway bar bushings and end links, ball joints, and shocks. I have a clunk when the axle travels downward on bumps. The only thing I see is that the tie rod assembly will rotate easily by hand and I can make it clunk when I rotate it. It does not rotate in the ends, the ends rotate with it. Thinking this may be flopping around over a bump. Does anyone else tie rod rotate easily?

 

Have you checked track bar for play? One end of track bar has a bushing and other end is similar to a ball joint I believe. These do wear out and can cause clunking.

 

Actually replaced that bushing and the ball joint as well. There was no play when I put it back together.

 

Hmmm new tie rods and drag links shouldn't flop around enough to clunk when going over bumps. Sounds like you've replaced everything.
Only other thing I can think of is radius arm bushings maybe? Or u-joint in front drive shaft maybe?

 

What about the steering stabilizer? Replaced as well?

 

Long story..... In November I was away from home with my camper and developed a death wobble. Replaced steering damper, drag link (both ends) and passenger side tie rod end. Just enough to eliminate the wobble and get me home. Now that it is nice out, I replaced the rest of the front end except for radius arm bushings because I didn't have a tool to get them out, but I inspected them and they all looked fine. Before I started this project I didn't have a clunk, so it has to be something I did when putting it together. I have checked every fastener I touched and they are all torqued to spec. I have jacked the truck up and supported it at the frame and pried and pulled and hit with a dead blow everything I can think of and the only thing I can see moving is that tie rod when I rotate it. I don't remember if it did that before I did all this work, but I can't remember.

 

Hmmm I'm at a loss then.....sorry...if something pops into my head i'll post back

 

How far will the tie rods move? It is normal for them to rotate a little bit. You may have one end rotated all the way one direction and the other end turned the opposite way causing a slight bind, but I don;t see a tie rod causing a clunk unless it was ready to fall off. You could possibly have a bad shock, even if new, I had a set of NAPA's that clunked from the first day I put them on.

 

Hard to explain. I am out of town or I would take a video of it. But, the tie rod has a dog leg on either end at the rod ends. The center portion moves probably an inch, but this is not the same amount of movement at the rod ends due to the dog leg. I put on Bilstien shocks and already threw away the old Ranchos that came with it. Figured I would see a shock problem when prying on the tire.


Josh

 

If the problem is the shocks you most likely will not see anything wrong, it is internal in the valve/piston. Also the movement I am refering to is the tie rod rotating, grab it and turn clockwise/counter clockwise, does it rotate? If so how far, at the ends, if it moves in any other direction it is bad

 

it rotates. It rotates about 1/4-3/8 at the end. A heavy inch in the center of the tie rod body.

 

I also have a noise on front end upon hitting bumps or potholes. I found passenger side axle to axle hub has play. Possible bearings going out in axle hub. Passenger side has more play than drivers side. By manually moving axle by u joint close to axle hub, It has 1/4-3/8" play. When I move it up and down it pops.

 

The movement in the center of the tie rod doesn't matter as long as the ends are tight, a little rotation is normal, if they didn't rotate they would break.

 

I had a clunk / thud out of my F150 front driver's. Found it was the hub. The truck drove fine, the wheel did not have any slop and felt fine, but it was the hub making the noise.
My F250 has the same noise, very similar to what you're describing, so I'm planning on changing the hub on it.

 

Thanks for the help everyone. I am out of town right now, but when I figure out what it is, I will post it here.