traced a knocking sound to the sway bar end link. It drops from the sway bar to the lower a arm. There is a sealed ball and socket joint there from what i can tell. what ever it is, it has slop in it. No way to tighten it of course. have to take it to the dealer, such a pain in the ****. I already know what it is, but they have to find it on there own, and I have to wait around... anybody got a tiny violin?

 

i got one!

 

i got one!

 

just one? Why dosent some one just tell me to tear that junk offa there.

 

Ive also got a sound coming from the front end of my Dakota, I only hear it at slow speeds for example in parking lots hitting bumps. It sounds like something is loose not really a clunk but more like what I would think a big chunk of Ice might sound like bouncing around caught in the front someplace. I dont hear it at highway speeds going over bumps, only at slower speeds less than 35mph.

Is this similar to the sound you are hearing?,.. oh and I would just tear that junk offa there.....

 

Here's something interesting. I'm in a Mazda 3 rental until I find out either if my truck is going to be totaled or repaired. The car only has 9000 miles and the front end makes the SAME noise my Dakota did when going over bumps or hitting potholes, sewer covers, etc. It is obviously the front struts and they sound like they're loose or something. But yet my dealer always said there's nothing wrong and they couldn't duplicate the problem on my truck.[&:]

I've also noticed it in other vehicles that I've been in. Like loaners from Dodge when my truck was being serviced. Maybe it's just something that is inherent with coil over strut front suspensions?

Anyway, I had my Dak in for service last fall for the front end noise and the dealer replaced the REAR sway arm bushings (for noise in the FRONT of the truck [&:] ). I'm assuming that was the same problem you're having with yours. Oh yea, they also found a broken manifold bolt and replaced it. They told me my front end noise was coming from one of those 2 things. Ironically, the noise didn't go away after their 'repairs'.

 

i had my front sway bar links replaced at 15000 miles.

 

if I were to slow down in the right lane of a highway near my house and make a quick right turn into the driveway of a Dunkin Donuts parking lot, my truck makes a loud snapping type of noise from under the front end. Also, if I were to reverse out of a driveway, and cut the wheel while the front wheels were going down that driveway, I get the same loud snapping noise, almost like a big CLUNK...

every time I bring the truck in for an oil change I have them grease the hell out of every moving part connected to the steering under the front end and it seems to do the trick. I'm sure it's not a good thing, but as long as I don't hear it, I don't care. I dont wanna know.

 

"On backorder." hated words, uttered once again, albeit curtiously,by the almighty dealer. Somewhere in this forsaken land of "backorder" there also lies a parking brake handle. In this instance it is the afore mentioned end link. The truck drives alright w/out a functioning sway bar, and the articulation is phenominal. I might have to take the rear one off too. nevermindhigh speeds or payloads.

 

I too have the noise in my front end, it comes and goes. I hear it mostly over speed bumps or very bumpy roads at slow speeds. I've had the struts replaced, and the front stabilizer links replaced. I give up, tired of spending time at the dealer. They never have any parts in stock so it always takes at least two trips for one repair. D'Ambrosio Dodge, they suck! I have been in seven times for this repair. I have 8K miles left on bumper to bumper, will revisit the problem when nearing the end of warranty.