Bump, Clunk - noise help
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Freshman User
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Southeast Pennsylvania
Bump, Clunk - noise help
Have a '97 EB Expy w/LLS. BFG 17" LT rugged trail tires.
A new problem recently surfaced I'd appreciate some help diagnosing.
Whenever I go over a bump, I hear a "clunk" sound coming from the back end (either/both sides) of the truck. Had it towed to Pep Boys one night because it suddenly wouldn't start & they installed a new starter. Noise started soon after that. Maybe they didn't throw the air suspension switch before lifting & damaged something, but there's no sag in the rear suspension. Sounds like a suspension noise though.
I've pushed, rocked and shaken the vehicle when parked, and can't replicate the noise. Also lowered and firmly re-raised the spare tire with no success at identifying or solving the noise problem, but having tried these things, maybe it helps to clarify the type of noise I'm hearing. Definately sounds like something's loose.
Having no problems w/4WD, tranny, traction, shifting, other noises, etc. All of that is good.
Has anyone else had this problem & what did it turn out to be?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Chuck
A new problem recently surfaced I'd appreciate some help diagnosing.
Whenever I go over a bump, I hear a "clunk" sound coming from the back end (either/both sides) of the truck. Had it towed to Pep Boys one night because it suddenly wouldn't start & they installed a new starter. Noise started soon after that. Maybe they didn't throw the air suspension switch before lifting & damaged something, but there's no sag in the rear suspension. Sounds like a suspension noise though.
I've pushed, rocked and shaken the vehicle when parked, and can't replicate the noise. Also lowered and firmly re-raised the spare tire with no success at identifying or solving the noise problem, but having tried these things, maybe it helps to clarify the type of noise I'm hearing. Definately sounds like something's loose.
Having no problems w/4WD, tranny, traction, shifting, other noises, etc. All of that is good.
Has anyone else had this problem & what did it turn out to be?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Chuck
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: DIXIE
If you do a search in the F150 forum you will find alot of posts with similar symptoms. I took mine back to the dealership and they told me that some of them do it and some don't. I read that many F150 owners got rid of there's by adding a helper leaf.
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From: DIXIE
PaulC: Great Point. That means that the problem is in the rear end and not spring lash or spring clamp related. How much side-to-side play is acceptable in the differential of an F150? (lol... I was going to say "How much play is acceptable in the rear end of an F150" but it just sounded bad)
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From: North Carolina
If they replaced the starter then they did nothing to the rear. The first thing I would check is the front sway bar end links. They are long connectors that go down the the A-arms on the truck. I believe that you have to remove one of them to access the starter. It might have been weak and snapped when they went to take it off. They probably didn't want to fix it so they sent you out the door the way it was. These are easily visible by looking in the wheel well in front of the front wheels down low. You can get replacements from Autozone for about $20. Energy suspensions makes urethane ones. The noise you described is exactly what it sounds like when one is broken.
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From: Southeast Pennsylvania
True about it having coils not leaf springs.
I could be wrong, but I don't think it's the differential. No other weird noises or other symptoms of that & it only happens when I go over a bump, and not all the time.
Sway bar ends. Interesting possibility. I know sound can travel, especially though metal, but if I had to bet on it, I'd swear the noise is coming from the rear, not the front. I say that with a high degree of confidence becaue when I'm going slow (it doesn't generally happen at highway speeds), there's no noise when the front wheels go over the bump. The sound doesn't appear until the rear axle goes over it. IS there a sway bar in the rear? If so, it may be rear sway bar bushings.
Thanks for all the help/suggestions. Any and all additional suggestions are still welcome. I'm taking it to a shop tomorrow to have it checked out, but you know how hard it can be to find noises.
I'll let you all know if we luck out and find something.
Chuck
I could be wrong, but I don't think it's the differential. No other weird noises or other symptoms of that & it only happens when I go over a bump, and not all the time.
Sway bar ends. Interesting possibility. I know sound can travel, especially though metal, but if I had to bet on it, I'd swear the noise is coming from the rear, not the front. I say that with a high degree of confidence becaue when I'm going slow (it doesn't generally happen at highway speeds), there's no noise when the front wheels go over the bump. The sound doesn't appear until the rear axle goes over it. IS there a sway bar in the rear? If so, it may be rear sway bar bushings.
Thanks for all the help/suggestions. Any and all additional suggestions are still welcome. I'm taking it to a shop tomorrow to have it checked out, but you know how hard it can be to find noises.
I'll let you all know if we luck out and find something.
Chuck
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From: Southeast Pennsylvania
Problem solved!
The sound WAS coming from the passenger side back end. It was the upper sway bar bushing. The bushing wasn't worn out. The end of the rod just came off of it. The shop pulled the rod off, re-set the bushing and bolted it back up, with a washer on it to hold it in.
Thirty-five bucks, and the weird clunk noises are gone! Now that I know what it was, I could have fixed it myself in about a half hour, but it was worth the $35. having it done on a lift, instead crawling under it in my townhouse car port.
Thanks again for all of your help and suggestions.
Hope this helps others who might experience the same problem.
Chuck
The sound WAS coming from the passenger side back end. It was the upper sway bar bushing. The bushing wasn't worn out. The end of the rod just came off of it. The shop pulled the rod off, re-set the bushing and bolted it back up, with a washer on it to hold it in.
Thirty-five bucks, and the weird clunk noises are gone! Now that I know what it was, I could have fixed it myself in about a half hour, but it was worth the $35. having it done on a lift, instead crawling under it in my townhouse car port.
Thanks again for all of your help and suggestions.
Hope this helps others who might experience the same problem.
Chuck
