Hello guys, new to the forum, but been lurking ever since I bought my first dodge.
So anyways, I bought a dodge a few months ago, its a 2001 dodge ram 1500, 4x4, 4 door extended cab short box, with a 5.9L v8 and auto transmission.
When I first bought it, I ended up replacing the T-case, rear drive shaft U-joints, and fuel pump, afterwards the truck drove so much better. It had a nasty vibration at speed (65-75 MPH and over) that I never knew U-joints could cause.

Long story short, the truck drove fine, until I took it off road, and by off road, i mean driving on dirt roads to go hunting, not wheeling. After a day of driving dirt roads (nothing nasty at all) my truck is now clunking pretty bad at low speed while turning. pretty much every turn it will clunk. It sounds from the front end for sure. Now, I know the truck needs front axle U-joints, and a sway bar link, but it never clunked before, and now it does. I can't find anything else loose, and then the sway bar link and U-joints don't sound and harsh as the clunk i hear.

I did use 4x4, so is it possible I loosened up a U-joint and now its binding? Do front axle U-joints usually clunk during turns? or should I be looking at something else like a differential or T-case?

Thanks in advance. Great forum.
-Erik.

 

Ball joints, bushings, front end hardware that was loose could be causing your woes. Do a solid inspection otherwise go to a reputable full service shop that does alignment and also that performs quick oil changes to have them take a peek.

These places will often to a routine check of the under carriage before they perform your oil change and that may be enough to point out what is your truck's problem at no cost if not a very low cost considering that you may have to bite the bullet for a cheap oil change at the place.

Make sure to mention that there was something odd that seemed to be making noise under the front end and ask if they can have one of their more experienced guys take a look to see if he can find what is causing the noise. If anything, that experienced tech will hit the nail right on the head and also try to get you to do some extra work on the vehicle since he will be performing the repairs and getting paid more hours for the extra work he can convince you to purchase from the shop.

See about getting a thorough inspection and to resolve the issue but not to make the entire truck's underside brand spaken new again unless you can afford the cost of the thousands of dollars worth of parts and labor that are involved. Hopefully it isn't too bad but that is an easy way to figure it out.

I would start by jacking up the one side of the vehicle at a time and by yanking on each of the wheels as I go around the vehicle to see what is loose. If nothing reveals itself, then support the vehicle in the air, get some channel locks, a pry bar, and or a long heavy dutry flathead screwdriver to pry upon any and all of the joints under your front end to locate your issue.

I took my truck to get an alignment a few years back and eventually I had the same problem you are describing. Issue for me was that the alignment shop did not tighten the caster/camber shaft adjusment bolts to specifications and they eventually came loose causing the clunking noise as I would turn and go over bumps.

I thought the issue was a bad ball joint but it was loose hardware that I was able to lock down myself. Still in need of an alignment, however the truck has been drivable and I just need to clean out my garage before I can try out my new Longacre Caster/Camber guage to perform my own alignment.

Good Luck!

 

***Update

So I've been crawling all under my truck today, i had it out hunting on the dirt roads again and it was driving me absolutely nuts.

I no longer believe its the front end, sounds like the transfer case/front rear driveshaft U-joint area, maybe, MAYBE like the rear part of the control arm, but doesn't sound in front of the engine for sure.

It happens extremely frequently off road, every (somewhat) tight turn at low speed will make it clunk. sounds almost like a loose U-joint on take-off from a red light sort of thing, but U-joints are all brand new (aside from front axle ones) with less than 250 miles.

I cannot for the life of me make it repeat the noise when the truck is not moving. I've gone under and kicked and hit, and wiggled everything under there and nothing sounds like it.

Something interesting, bumps such as a pothole doesn't make the clunk, but a rocky dirt road where the truck is rocking does. under load, (such as climbing a hill at low speed) the truck rarely makes the clunk, but as soon as Im over the hill and pretty much coasting it starts up again.

Its pretty obvious, like this isn't a heat shield or something rattling, it sounds loud.
I guess some key points are:
- Very frequent off-road, only when turning hard low speed in town
- drivetrain load seems to effect it (stops it)
- shaking and bouncing on the truck while in park does not reproduce it
- definitely coming from the T-case/front rear driveshaft U-joint area

I just had an inspection at kal tire 2 weeks ago. nothing major, upper ball joint worn, and a tie rod.

I grabbed the transfer case and shook it, it did move, but didn't clunk at all, i thought maybe a transmission mount but i couldnt find anything like that.

Im pretty mechanically inclined, I've done lots and lots of work to my own vehicles and never go to a mechanic, but this really has me stumped.

Any suggestion is appreciated as I'm at a loss of ideas.

 

My money is on axle u joints! It depends on how bad they are. Usually they will loose all the needle bearings in both opposing caps but they can loose them all. With no needle bearings there is nothing to hold the axle shaft in place so when you turn it will clunk. Using the 4X4 on worn u joints will only help them along so it probably lost some more needle bearings and that's what you are hearing. Don't use the part stores for replacements! Get spicers only! They last way longer and are better made. In this video it look like all the needle bearing are gone.

 

ohh god those are terrible!! Mine are not that bad at all, they certain to "clack" together and are loose, but i don't believe the U-joints are making the noise i hear, mainly because using 4wd i can hear the u-joints making noise, and it sounds like its coming from right where it should, the wheels.

My clunking sounds like its from the middle of the cab, just behind the drivers seat, which all there is there is rear of the trans, T-case, and the front of the rear driveshaft????

I guess its worth pointing out that, although it does sounds like loose U-joints, it doesn't quite sound like my worn front axle joints, the noise seems to be a little more deeper than that.

 

Check the rear trans mount.

 

is that going to be the one with the rubber "bar" so to speak with 2 studs in it?

 

That's the feller.

 

Everything seems tight, I'm convinced it must be something near the rear of the front suspension, like control arm bushing etc

 

Track bar? Our trucks have had the steering column clunk issue i wonder if that's what you are hearing.