1996 dodge ram 1500 5.9 ltr 4x4
When I turn the wheel all the way left
I hear a loud grinding clunk that continues
As long as the wheel is turned all the way
Then when I turn the truck all the way right I hear
The same thing except on the passenger side.
I thought it was the steering shaft but the
Fact that I hear it on the passenger side when
Turning right clearly isn't the shaft. Plowing season is
Here and the truck needs to be operable
Thanks guys!!

 

did your truck just start doing this? does it clunk when you turn hard or everytime you turn? (hard and soft) does it clunk when you go over bumps?

jack up the front end of your truck and support it at the frame. check everything in the front end to make sure nothing is loose. also check sway bar links and all bushings.

 

No it has been there for almost a month. It clunks every time I turn all the way in one direction. It doesn't clunk going over bumps.

 

it sounds like something my be loose in your front end or may have a worn out bushing. i'd start there.

 

Ok thanks a ton I will start lookin tomorrow. We're putting a new vp44 pump in the cummins so we will have everything together to do it. I will keep everybody updated. The track bar was just recently replaced. What other bushings do you think it could be in the front end?

 

difficult to say, theres a lot that i could be. if you have a 2ft or so prybar lightly pry around on any rubber bushing you can find.

 

Ok will do thanks for the help. Just to make sure I would be the steering shaft?? Someone told me it was but the clunk is on 2 distinct different sides

 

Check the ujoints also.

 

Will do

 

This is MHell2k13 on my friends profile. Truck was getting an alignment and the lower ball joint just slipped out. I think i found the problem of the clunk. But the lower ball joint that slipped out was completely knew, and i looked up the part number and it is the right part. so why would it slip out?? it was pressed in like it should have, but seemed pretty easy. The mechanics at F&F told me that it should be very resistant when pressing in. So would it be my control arm that is screwed up? i am completely at a lost and kind of demoralized so help would be greatly appreciated.