hey guys I have been having an issue with a clunking type rattle in my front end on the passenger side and ive been trying to fix it for about 2 months now, it happens when i go over a bump or am just driving on just a not so smooth road, and it will make a "clunk" or a couple of almost bouncing sounding "clunks" depending on how bad the road is.....I decided to re-fit the entire front end since I just rolled over 100k miles(97 1500 4x2 standard cab, long bed) i replaced the shocks, wheel bearings, tie-rods, sway bar end links / sway bar bushings, ball joints, brake pads, and rotors, and the noise is still there, so I got to looking around and it looks like the passenger side of thesway bar where the end link connectsis pretty close to the(i dont know what it is exactly but) themetal piece thatthe top of the spring fits into and it runs down along the side of thespring like a guard or something....but when looking at the driver side they seem to be about the same distance, so before i keep giving myself false hope, any of you guys ever experienced any symptoms like mine any help would be appreciated, thanks

 

man...sounds like you have replaced everything you could possibly replace up front....only other thing i can possibly think of would to check your front gears to make sure all shimms and so fourth are all up to par...maybe simply you have a lil slop that is some how holding togather in the diff sounds like the only thing you havent' changed....Any noise when you turn...left? right? anything like that ...i at first i thought wheel bearings then maybe bad shocks and you were bottoming out...but now not real sure sorry man let me know what you find

 

yea its getting really frustrating, the truck drives like a freakin cadillac now that ive replaced everything except for that darn clunk....and i forgot to mention before the clunk can be felt in the floorboard of the truck so its definetally metal on metal somewhere along thesuspension or frame along that area....but what did you mean by gears? cause im runnin a 4x2 and only gears i can think of up front are steering box related? even though ive done all the suspension work myself i still feel like a nooby mechanic lol

 

I know this is a long shot but I once took a pair of tube step rails off and started to hear the same type of sound you are talking about. Come to find out that when I took the steps off couldn't get the cab bolts on tight enough by hand and my cab was shifting. I doubt thats what it is but its an idea. Good luck.

 

Couple of things...You mentioned ball joints being replaced. Upper and lower? Maybe control arm bushings???
Also, I think I recall a TSB on cab mountings that caused a clunk. I will look through my archives and post back if I can find it. Or you may do a search on this forum and see what you can find.
WC

 

both of u guys mentioning the cab problem i will definetally look into that thanks

and yea i replaced both upper and lower ball joints and all bushings, sway bar/control arms/sway bar end links, the only thing i havent replaced in my front end are the springs themselves and spindles lol

 

When you say "clunk" is it more of an irritating noise or a full on metal to metal SLAM! 99% sure that your upper a-arm is hitting the spring bucket aka "themetal piece thatthe top of the spring fits into". Mine does the same thing only because of 3" lift springs. If you have stock springs, your shock may be too long letting suspension "droop" too much like when the wheel dips into a rut.Only fix I'm aware of is aftermarket upper a-arms, I believe Fabtech has them for around $450. Haven't gotten them yet but I definately need them. Good Luck bud.

 

ok ill check the upper spring bucket along with the cab issuethanks again guys

 

My 2wd '01 does the same thing, I can only tell when I'm in the passenger seat, you can feel it in your foot, right up close to the firewall, and, just like you said, not on a real smooth road, only on a not so smooth road, and over little bumps... if you find out what it is, let me know, I'd really appreciate it, and if I figure it out, I'll let you know. Good luck.

 

This might be a stupid idea but, assuming everything is new and clean right now, maybe hit the suspect areas with flat black paint and then try to see where it's rubbed off?