Low Speed Clunk?
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Junior User
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 78
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From: Brownsburg, IN
Low Speed Clunk?
Hi, I was curious as to if anyone knew what this "clunk" is that my Super Duty is experiencing. Basically, when I hit the brakes normally after I've been traveling about 10-20 mph, there is a "clunk" or "thud" that I can hear and I can feel it slightly under my foot.
The best comparison I can come up with is that it reminds me of leaving something under the seat and when you come to a stop it rolls forward and hits the seat bracket. It's resembles that sort of a "clunk".
The odd thing here is that it does not happen when I'm slowing down from speeds of roughly 30mph or above. My dealer said about a month ago that the ball left side ball joints were beginning to wear but not to worry about it until the first of the year. Could it be the ball joint? Also, I'm having the brake rotors turned soon because they are a bit out of round, could this be the issue? It doesn't feel like a tranny issue because it is already disengaged and the truck is idling as I'm rolling to the stop when this occurs.
Like I said, this just started happening within the last week.
Thanks.
`99 F-350 PSD, DRW, CC, 4WD
The best comparison I can come up with is that it reminds me of leaving something under the seat and when you come to a stop it rolls forward and hits the seat bracket. It's resembles that sort of a "clunk".
The odd thing here is that it does not happen when I'm slowing down from speeds of roughly 30mph or above. My dealer said about a month ago that the ball left side ball joints were beginning to wear but not to worry about it until the first of the year. Could it be the ball joint? Also, I'm having the brake rotors turned soon because they are a bit out of round, could this be the issue? It doesn't feel like a tranny issue because it is already disengaged and the truck is idling as I'm rolling to the stop when this occurs.
Like I said, this just started happening within the last week.
Thanks.
`99 F-350 PSD, DRW, CC, 4WD
Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 38
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From: Harrisburg
My 2001 F-350 is doing the same thing. I have 112,000 miles on it. Mine also clunks when I accelerate from a dead stop. I was thinking it was in the rear. I have not had time to investigate it yet.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 645
Likes: 2
My '99 was "clunking" also. A new set of sway bar bushings solved it. Now the '03 is doing it with about 71k miles on it, and a set's on order.
The sway bar ties to the frame under the front seat area so any sloppiness is transmitted directly to the frame and is quite noticable. The sway bar bushing brackets are held with two 15mm flange nuts that are torqued to 41 ft lbs, so it's a 20 minute fix to change them out. I went with a polyurethane set from Energy Suspension so it should be the last time for that repair.
The sway bar ties to the frame under the front seat area so any sloppiness is transmitted directly to the frame and is quite noticable. The sway bar bushing brackets are held with two 15mm flange nuts that are torqued to 41 ft lbs, so it's a 20 minute fix to change them out. I went with a polyurethane set from Energy Suspension so it should be the last time for that repair.
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 724
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From: Cypress, CA
DMP37: How were you able to determine that the problem was the sway bar bushings? I get "clunks" in the Rangers from time-to-time and so far it has always been the driveshaft splines at the rear of the transmission. HMMM.
thanks for any insight into this issue.
Russ
thanks for any insight into this issue.
Russ
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,967
Likes: 7
From: Eccles, WV
More than likely what you are feeling is the rear driveshaft binding.
This is only for the shafts that slid into the rear of the transmission or transfer case.
Every Ford that I have owned seems to develope this from time to time.
The cure: Shadetree mechanic style. One shock absorber bushing, one o-ring and silicone grease.
Remove the rear drive shaft
Place shock bushing in end of the drive shaft.
Insert silicone grease only in driveshaft. Coat well, but not excessive.
Place O-Ring on output shaft of transmission or transfer case.
Reinstall driveshaft.
The shock bushing will cushion the output shaft when it slides in the driveshaft tube.
The silicone grease will last longer than regular grease.
The O-Ring is optional, but will let you measure the distance that the tube is sliding on the shaft. Ford is known for putting the wrong size driveshafts on their trucks. I have seen the shaft be off 1/2 inch and bust the rear seal. remove the O-Ring after the test, but leave the shock bushing in the tube.
Hope this helps.
This is only for the shafts that slid into the rear of the transmission or transfer case.
Every Ford that I have owned seems to develope this from time to time.
The cure: Shadetree mechanic style. One shock absorber bushing, one o-ring and silicone grease.
Remove the rear drive shaft
Place shock bushing in end of the drive shaft.
Insert silicone grease only in driveshaft. Coat well, but not excessive.
Place O-Ring on output shaft of transmission or transfer case.
Reinstall driveshaft.
The shock bushing will cushion the output shaft when it slides in the driveshaft tube.
The silicone grease will last longer than regular grease.
The O-Ring is optional, but will let you measure the distance that the tube is sliding on the shaft. Ford is known for putting the wrong size driveshafts on their trucks. I have seen the shaft be off 1/2 inch and bust the rear seal. remove the O-Ring after the test, but leave the shock bushing in the tube.
Hope this helps.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 645
Likes: 2
Originally Posted by RangerRuss
DMP37: How were you able to determine that the problem was the sway bar bushings? I get "clunks" in the Rangers from time-to-time and so far it has always been the driveshaft splines at the rear of the transmission. HMMM.
thanks for any insight into this issue.
Russ
thanks for any insight into this issue.
Russ
After reading pmasley's writeup and driveshaft "clunk", my 1999 had that too, I just never knew what it was. Any time you start from a stop after changing direction there was a very solid, metal on metal "clunk"
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 5,967
Likes: 7
From: Eccles, WV
The clunk was so bad on my 96 that it felt that someone hit you in the butt. Several time I looked back to see if a car was there before I figured this one out.
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