replaced front hubs, brakes, tie rods, and shocks. new tires and got it aligned as well. after a couple days got a banging noise so i though it was the shocks top nut not tight enough. tightened up the top nut on the shocks a bit more and pretty much same thing. tomorrow i plan on checking the nuts on the tie rods and sleeves and check the shocks again. any tips on how tight the top nut should be and/or how much to flatten that bushing? i do have two specialty sockets for the top shock nut which i did not use the first time around but plan to tomorrow. i did tightened the shock upper nut with and without the suspension loaded.

 

Post a pic of those special sockets I could use them! I usually just do it until they almost flatten about 50% I think the torque spec is 30-40 ft lbs. Check the bottom bolt as they can come loose our went tightened enough.

 

Bottom bolts are usually the culprit for noise over bumps. (shock bolts.) they get torqued to something like 110 ft/lbs.......

 

Yep, it's the lower bolt you need to check. What brand of shocks you have? Does the lower eye bushing have seamless socket, or does it have longitudal seam? If it seamless, no worries, but if there is a seam like on RC 9000 shocks, be warned as when you over tighten the lower bolt, that socket will crush therefore bending the shock mount. Then, when you need to replace the shocks next time, it will be major PITA to mount, say Bilsteins for example (which has the seamless socket, as the lower eye won't fit to the shock mount.

You should check the sway bar end links, too. When the ball joint wears out, it makes cluncking sound.

 

This is all good info and will check it out. This a for a 2001 RWD by the way. The shocks are Gabriel Ultras with the longitudal seam. I am leaning towards that bottom bolt/mount but i will check everything tomorrow.
I call them sockets but it's a 3 pc set like in this link. https://www.ebay.com/p/OEM-Universal...3300363&chn=ps

 

Thanks for the link! That bottom bolt would be my guess lol sometimes it is that simple. Sometimes you have to junk the whole truck because you get so mad.

 

Good timing on this thread... I noticed my left side was clanking after I put my truck back on the road.... had put new shocks in it while it was down... not sure if I didn't tighten the left shock bottom, but it was WAAY loose. Like, I thought the nut tab had separated, so I rolled around the back and it was fine - the nut was backed off MANY turns. Thinking that is probably my noise ...

 

ok so tightened all four tie rod sleeve nuts a bit. i did check them after it was aligned but evidently not good enough. torqued up the lower shock bolts, they needed a tad more too. tie rod nuts and all else appears good. test drove it and it is more quieter. However, on major potholes i still hear/feel the left shock knock. It appears the original bolt is not thick enough on some of these aftermarket shocks to fit in that sleeve snug, so it clanks(sounds more like a subtle knock). Pretty much what Hey You described and what i had suspected as well. it's good for now. i might have to change out the shocks in the future for a permanent remedy, like HeikIlm described. what i don't want to do is tighten the hell out of that bottom bolt.

 

Is the truck stock height?

 

I put in the standard MonroeGas Magnum shocks, mine fit good and don't make any noise... I did have a clang, but when I checked, the left bottom bolt was loose by many turns.