Chasing that "frt end clunk"

noise around 1:40

Eyespyautomotive said:

View attachment 122078

I was wondering if the newer trucks developed this noise as well, sounds like they might. Lends more possibly that it's the rack, those probably didn't change as much as the rest.of the suspension.

I fabbed up a rack tightener, I can get it in the adjustment area of the rack and can get a wrench on it. It seems real tight. I'll have to mess with it more during the day.

Click to expand...

Gen2 has EPAS...but similar design, interesting if they do clunk too...

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I would check inner tie-rod for play too.


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I’ve had the same low speed front end clunk also in my gen 1. I put gen 2 shocks all the way around and still had it. The clunking noise in mine ended up being the upper control arms were loose. I tightened them up and the clunk is completely gone.

Hmm, I videoed the UCA's and they seem tight. But, I think ill hit em with the impact to rule that out.

Not sure if this will help you at all, but I just took my truck into Ford for the "clink/clunk" and he quickly narrowed it down to the driver's side sway bar links needing to be replaced. Ford just ordered the part and it'll be replaced in a couple of weeks from now. This is on a gen 2 but not sure how different they are underneath.

EDIT: just read #4 where you stated you already tried the links, curious if that'll fix my issue or not. If it doesn't i'll keep you updated.

EyeSpy,

The clunk is generally found in the lower control arm bushing. Mine appears when the front suspension has to drop out quick for a little square edge bump. Ive got 3.0's with DSC and can make it worse adding spring pre-load, of if I crank in too much compression dampening. I'll probably move to a boxed lower at some point.

On a side note, tire preassure can totally change the ride characteristic of the truck. Do the chalk test, and keep taking air out until you have even chalk wear across the width of the tread.
I bet you will get down under 44 psi.
Im on 37's and run 34 up front, 32 out back, it wears even, rides like a caddy and is way better for daily driving. Offroad I usually run 23-24F and 20-21R
If you have a tuner, you can set your TPMS to the lower limit, Or just shut it off ike me... lol

Fully investigated the rack this weekend, im somewhat convinced that it's not the rack. No play in any of the inner or outer tie rods, the mounts or anything. It all seems tight. I looked around the truck underneath some more, noticed a few things.

First thing is witness marks in the dirt on the frame showing how much the LCA moves, just surprising. Likely designed that way, hence the reason for the rubber bumpers on the bushing.



Another thing is the clearance around the shock eyelet to the LCA. Next to nothing. Those are new bushings. Any movement of the eyelet from the rubber deflecting and it's going to bump the LCA and make noise.



That pic is the RH side

For what it's worth, the LH had more room, like an 1/8"

I think that shock eyelet should have 5mm clearance around the bottom to the LCA, way too close. On a nice day I'm going to look at pulling that shock and putting more clearance in there with a die grinder.

It def sounds like a sway bar end link, but ot also sounds like the lower shock eye. The problem with the suspension is the fact they used aluminum for the lower control arms. The lower bolt torque is 420 lb/ft and even torqued it still clunks. What you have to do is space out the lower bushing spacers to take up the extra gap in the control arm. I used these;

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=30063&cat=1,41080,41165

I used a sharp piece of pipe and a hammer to increase the inner diameter to fit over the inner spacer on the sock, and the same for the outer diameter on the shock spacer as well. You can hammer out the side spacers using an extension through the bolt hole on the shock and effectively space out the gap, using these as thickening washers. As soon as I completed it, my clunk went away, and went down torque on the lower nut. If there is interest I could do a write up if needed. I hope this helps. P.S. the clunk gets worse in colder weather