hey guys. I got a 1997 dodge 1500 single cab short bed 4x4 318 sport. I brought my truck into the shop at my school and replaced the following...drivers and passenger wheel bearings, upper and lower ball joints, u-joints, axle seals, front steering stabilizer and rancho 5000rs front shocks. I got all that done and I know everything was done properly but now I have a knock that I can feel under my feet and hear a little bit when I go over bumps. it was not there before I brought the truck in to get all of this replaced. I cant feel anything loose neither can my shop teacher. my girlfriends dad said the shocks might need to be shimmed up top by adding a couple washers to make up space but both the upper and lower rubber bushings are tightly compressed and I can feel no wiggle when I tug on them. my shop teacher said it might be my coil spring wiggling around where it sits because of the new shocks that have an extended length of about 24.5" but we could not feel any play in these either. ive checked everything that could be knocking but it all seems tight. any suggestions?

 

Check the lower shock bolts. IIRC, they're supposed to be torqued to 125 ft-lbs.

 

alright thanks I will do that....what does IIRC mean? haha

 

IIRC=If I Recall Correctly..... just to set your mind at ease.

 

alright thanks. do you really think by torqueing those bolts down with stop the knock?

 

Yep. You wouldn't be the first to experience this, and your symptoms describe it perfectly.

 

Did you torque everything to spec or just impact gun it?

 

everything was done as tightly as I could get it with a ratchet and/or impact

 

German torque, good'n'tight

 

I have a set of Rancho RS5000s also. Overall, I like them a lot for the price I paid. However, I too have a little bit of a clunking sound going over bumps.

My stabilizer end links and bushings probably need replaced, but I'd be surprised if it solved this clunking. I tightened my lower shock bolt to spec, noticed the clunking, and then I went back and tightened the lower bolt as tight as I could get it with a 1/2" ratchet. Still clunks a little. At one time I even thought it was the internal variable valving in the shock actuating... Still could be that.

I've just learned to accept it. It hasn't gotten any worse, and no one else can seem to feel it!

Lastly, I recommend clear coating the shocks before they ever see daily driving. Mine started rusting within a couple months. Biggest thing I wish I had done if I knew they had such a thin layer of paint on them. IMO rust on white looks the worst!

-JT