Haunting Clunk!
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: BC, Canada
Haunting Clunk!
Hey Ya'll,
Lately I have been noticing a "clunk" in the front end of my truck. It seems to be fairly random but seems to happen when my tires are at full turn, its coming from the passenger side. The last owner said that it had recent front nd work. Is there anything that pops to mind right off the bat for you guys? I've looked for anything out of place but I am pretty green when it comes to this stuff. Tomorrow I plan to jump underneath and check for anything loose.
Thanks,
Evs
Lately I have been noticing a "clunk" in the front end of my truck. It seems to be fairly random but seems to happen when my tires are at full turn, its coming from the passenger side. The last owner said that it had recent front nd work. Is there anything that pops to mind right off the bat for you guys? I've looked for anything out of place but I am pretty green when it comes to this stuff. Tomorrow I plan to jump underneath and check for anything loose.
Thanks,
Evs
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Joined: May 2006
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jack up the side you're looking at and support it with jackstands to remove load from the front end components. try and rock the tire back and forth see if there is play there. remove wheel and check for anything loose. look for dried out rubber, cut the wheel all the way and look for anything rubbing that isn't supposed to rub.
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Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Kansas City
My '96 clunks if I try to cut tight into a parking spot. It's only on the last 1/4 turn of the wheel, so I try to avoid that. It started with left turns. Low speed - parking lots. It's done it for at least 2 years, and I'm starting to see strange tire wear marks. It's sounds like a slightly dampended clunk, with metal on metal feel at the end. I am pretty sure it shoots right through the stearing wheel. Feels like someone just hammered it.
I suspect my ball joints are giving up.
I suspect my ball joints are giving up.
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i'm not sure if this is it but i had the same thing happening on my crown vic. there were bump stops that needed to be greased every 6 months or so to keep it from making the noise. cut the wheel all the way, crawl under and see if you can find anything rubbing.
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Radius arm bushings. I'd bet on it, Fordman. The pass side bushing is inches from the cat and the heat from it just eats the bushings up on that side.
I have to do mine this week.
I have to do mine this week.
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From: BC, Canada
Dad's Truck,
I just got off the phone with a buddy who said the same thing, I'll go check it out. What should it look like? By that I mean in normal working condition.
I just got off the phone with a buddy who said the same thing, I'll go check it out. What should it look like? By that I mean in normal working condition.
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Mississauga,Ont.,Canada
If its the radius arm bushing as in my case it was gone. The end of the radius arm and nut were banging around in the seat. Very obvious. There is a large rubber bushing that sits against the radius arm bracket.Sometimes the bracket is rusted bad and the seat is in rough shape causing some movement.
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Fordman, the bushings sit at the end of the arm, between big metal washers and the bracket, with a nut at the end. You shouldn't see daylight through the bracket/bushing sandwich, just 2 big washers with big ol' rubber donuts between them and the bracket. Should be tight, with no movement if you grab it and pull it back and forth.
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From: BC, Canada
Ok guys I went under my truck to have a look and the bushings look fine. But, my radius arm is seriously rusted I mean seriously rusted. The rust is contained to about 2 or 3 inches right before to bolts up. It is rusted bad enough that the arm is much smaller in diameter probably 1/8 inch all the way around. What should i do?
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From: Mississauga,Ont.,Canada
Have you checked for any play or looseness? Are you saying that the diameter of the radius arm is smaller due to rust at the end where the nut attatches to the threaded portion of the radius arm.
Last edited by mississauga; Jul 26, 2006 at 09:50 PM.
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Mississauga,
Yes extremely rusted. So much so that it is visibly smaller than the driver side. This is not surface rust several layers of metal are gone. i'll try and post a pic in a couple days. Should it be replaced?
Yes extremely rusted. So much so that it is visibly smaller than the driver side. This is not surface rust several layers of metal are gone. i'll try and post a pic in a couple days. Should it be replaced?
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Mississauga,Ont.,Canada
Post the picture and let see what you have. If it is rusted that bad do you think that it could fail? My experience has been where the inner insulator sits in the radius arm bracket it collects water and the rust breaks down the edges of the hole making it larger therefore the sloppiness and noise. You may find when you take it apart the radius arm bracket will be in bad shape also. Really cant tell until some disassembly.Replacing the radius arm I think requires the removal of the bolt that holds the spring in place. It wont be easy to remove from the sounds of the amount of rust you have.It may need to be pressed out so that would mean taking the axle off.I guess I am telling you the job can start to get more involved.See what parts are worth.I dont think replacing the radius arm bracket is to bad,or it may be able to be repaired/welded on the vehicle. Looks like a few rivets and a bolt which could be grinded off to remove it. Up here we are used to rust so it may not be as bad as you think.
Last edited by mississauga; Jul 26, 2006 at 10:21 PM.
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