Time for new shocks?

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Apr 11, 2006 | 10:44 PM

housedad

Thread Starter

Cargo Master

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 2,790

Likes: 24

From: Mount Royal, NJ

Time for new shocks?

I developed a rattle in the rear of my 05. I thought that maybe it was the Helwig comming loose, but I checked all the torques today with a torque wrench, and all is fine.

The shocks are not leaking, and I dropped the bottom bolts on them. Still some decent resistance. They are the OEM shocks. Truck has 27000 miles.

The sound is a metallic rattle or clank when I hit potholes or dropoffs. Going over them slowly, it occurs when the wheel falls.

So what are your opinions as to what it could be? something I missed on the Helwig, or are the shocks gone and causing the ratlle?

Thanks!!!

Bion

Apr 12, 2006 | 10:11 AM

fordtrkpuller

FTE *******

Joined: Jan 2004

Posts: 791

Likes: 1

From: Pittsburgh, PA

Have a buddy or youe wife stand on the rear bumper and get the truck bouncing while you lay under it and listen/feel for any movement that is unexpected. The stock shocks are most likely not causing the noise, but that does not mean its impossable. Your upper mounts could also be loose, but I'll assume when the lowers where off you grabbed the shocks and gave them a good strokin up and down and jerked on them a bit. The Helwig bar on the back of my Ex came loos ea couple times so I cleaned the bolts good with some card cleaner and used red loc-tite on the threads and have never had an issue again. There are many guys that change out the shocks and like the new ride over the stock shocks. Bilstien seems to be the prefered shock on this site. I run Rancho RS9000 shocks on my personal Excursion and find them to be very nice as well. Let us know if you locate the source of the metalic sound.....its got to be something obvious that is hard to find....lol.....

Apr 12, 2006 | 04:14 PM

housedad

Thread Starter

Cargo Master

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 2,790

Likes: 24

From: Mount Royal, NJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordtrkpuller

Let us know if you locate the source of the metalic sound.....its got to be something obvious that is hard to find....lol.....

I feel like screaming!!!

I found the rattle. After spending hours checking everything in the rear of the truck it turned out to be a loose fitting hitchbar!!!

Somebody just shoot me.......

Thanks for the advise folks. Finally getting a friend over to bounce the truck did the trick. He stood on the hitchbar!!