04 dakota club cab, 3.7, got a clunking noise in the front end. It kinda sounds like something is loose but my mechanic couldnt find anything. it clunks or POPS multiple times when i turn left and right everytime while parked or driving and sometimes when going over speed bumps. i can FEEL the clunk in the steering wheel and brake pedal. had an alignment done and fixed nothing. any idea what this could be? i really dont wanna drive it like this, scared something will happen while driving. please help!!!!

 

oh boy, fire the mechanic

jack the front end up, and try to wiggle your tires,
if they feel loose wiggling side to side, tire rod ends,
if they wiggle up and down,balljoints
if they wiggle all the way around, hub bearing.

 

good luck

 

ok, thanks. i knew it was gonna be something like that! how serious is any of those to replace cost wise?

 

the hub bearing would be the most expensive at 150 ish,
youd spend around that for both upper and lower balljoints,
tie rod ends are 20-30$ i think

i've done them all...

 

You could also take a look at the stabilizer bar links. Mine went bad about a year ago and it clunked real bad on speed bumps. 60 bucks a pair at Napa and about an hour to replace.

Jimmy

 

ok thanks man, ill just take it to the local dodge dealership this time so i can actually get it fixed! lol

 

don't let them rape u at the dealership.... there's a reason they call them... "stealerships" they'll "diagnose"" all sorts of issues with the truck and say they all contribute to the issue your having. last time i went in for a squeel noise up front and they had a list of like 5 things contributing to it...estimate was like 1200$. .. said thanks but no thanks. .. took it to a mechanic a friend recommended and the guy poped the hood looked at it 5 mins and said it was the waterpump pully.. ended up being right.. cost about 300$ total.
quite the difference. don't let them screw u. if u dont think its what they are saying then pay the inspection fee and leave.

ps. none of the things on the list from the dealer were even close to being the water pump pully which in the end fixed it! LOL. i had a good laugh at that.

 

yea true! well i just jacked it up and theres no play up and down, there was slight play side to side on both sides but dont seem like its enough to be bad tie rod ends. i just test drove it again and it seems like it does it when i hit the brakes hard while driving in addition to the turning. any other suggestions?

 

id check those ball joints again, they suck on these trucks.. just do what batty said. grab the top and the bottom of the tire at the 12 and 6 o clock positions at the same time and rock back and forth.