texasmuddbug Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 I was wheeling today and towards the end of it I noticed a kind of metallic clattering/knocking/bonking sound coming from my front driver-side wheel when I would go over small bumps on the access roads at about 15/20 MPH. It doesn't make a sound on the road or at slower speeds. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 check your front end good, make sure a shock didnt come loose, control arm bolt or bushing, some bindage in a cv, etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 compression rod bushings as well...i'm having major issues with mine b/c of my welding job and keep on splitting them and they clank/bang/thud from time to time usually on acceleration after a hard stop and when i hit bumps or offroading....i can feel it right under my left foot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmuddbug Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 I replaced my tension rod bushings a month ago so I know those are good. I got underneath and gave everything a look over and I didn't see anything out of the norm. No loose shocks or anything bent that I could see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 my replacement bushings last about a month without any wheeling and 10 mins with wheeling...i put a spot weld on the inside of the cup and it causes the bushing to crack over time...i've gotta go back and grind it off and weld up new bearing races for cups but have too many other projects going on...I just deal with that for now Also I had one of the bolts on the compression rod start to back out...i'd double check that everything is good and tight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmuddbug Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 Any chance I blew a shock? my replacement bushings last about a month without any wheeling and 10 mins with wheeling...i put a spot weld on the inside of the cup and it causes the bushing to crack over time...i've gotta go back and grind it off and weld up new bearing races for cups but have too many other projects going on...I just deal with that for now Also I had one of the bolts on the compression rod start to back out...i'd double check that everything is good and tight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MY1PATH Posted December 12, 2010 Share Posted December 12, 2010 my Moog Ider arm was so beat-up and wore out that it allowed the nuts on the dogbone to strike my frame whenever the passenger wheel was pushed hard(like off camber trail, runnouts, curbs...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmuddbug Posted December 12, 2010 Author Share Posted December 12, 2010 Yeah, I checked my idler arm out, it seems to be fine. my Moog Ider arm was so beat-up and wore out that it allowed the nuts on the dogbone to strike my frame whenever the passenger wheel was pushed hard(like off camber trail, runnouts, curbs...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 Mine did the same thing after my last wheeling trip (but driver's side). I was driving on the beach after and watched the top of my tire wobbling when I hit a bump and coinciding with the noise. Check your ball joints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmuddbug Posted December 13, 2010 Author Share Posted December 13, 2010 yeah, I was looking at an upper ball joint and noticed some grease seeping out from around it. I also noticed it seems to want to drift all over the road, I need a new drag link too but it's gotten worse lately since this clattering has started. Mine did the same thing after my last wheeling trip (but driver's side). I was driving on the beach after and watched the top of my tire wobbling when I hit a bump and coinciding with the noise. Check your ball joints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJSquirrel Posted December 13, 2010 Share Posted December 13, 2010 check your upper control arm mounts and make sure all your alignment shims are still there. They(the shims) have a bad habit of shaking out, and you can break off your upper control arm mounting bolts with the shock loads that occur because the upper control arm is slamming around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 They(the shims) have a bad habit of shaking out First time I have heard of that being an issue. I guess it could be if you don't know how to tighten the bolts properly . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJSquirrel Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 First time I have heard of that being an issue. I guess it could be if you don't know how to tighten the bolts properly . It could have been me or maybe my alignment tech. I do own a calibrated torque wrench, and I'm fairly sure I know how to use it properly. That being said, I'm perfectly willing to shoulder the blame on that one. Either way, I heard a clunking noise I couldn't explain that occurred under the exact scenarios being described. I knew something was wrong, but didn't find the source. I did figure out what the problem was, however, when I sheared off the upper control arm's rearward pivot rod mounting bolt. It was only 8 miles to where a flatbed could tow me out. That was a fun day, for sure. The owner of the shop in Gunnison that rebuilt my front suspension after that adventure said he used to buy the UCA pivot bolts by the box as this type of failure occurred so often, esp. with lifted rigs, back in the day when these trucks were new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted December 14, 2010 Share Posted December 14, 2010 (edited) You need longer bolts. The shop that did my alignment put them in for me so I didn't have to do it myself. With the amount of shims it needs with the lift there is nowhere near enough thread engagement. That's why they back out. Stock are M14x1.5 pitch 50mm long and the ones they installed are M14x1.5 pitch 60mm long. Grade 10.9, of course. Edited December 14, 2010 by adamzan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmuddbug Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share Posted December 15, 2010 Alright, well the cause of this sound is rather anticlimactic. I finally got out to the shop to jack the front end up and get the wheel off. Well, the bolts that hold the brake caliper on had come loose and the body of caliper was knocking against the inside of the rim. Got new bolts and used some locktight just to be safe. Drove it and no more clatter. Thanks guys for all the suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrimGreg Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Cool you got it fixed, and it was something simple. Good thing you did fix it, wouldn't have wanted that to completely fail in a panic braking scenario. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nunya Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 Brakes ain't important, that what bumpers are for! Good it was a simple fix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJSquirrel Posted December 15, 2010 Share Posted December 15, 2010 You need longer bolts. The shop that did my alignment put them in for me so I didn't have to do it myself. With the amount of shims it needs with the lift there is nowhere near enough thread engagement. That's why they back out. Stock are M14x1.5 pitch 50mm long and the ones they installed are M14x1.5 pitch 60mm long. Grade 10.9, of course. Thanks for the tip. I'll have to add a couple of those to my trail kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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