Struts ? Which ones? DIY???
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Registered User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 20
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From: Lake Geneva, WI.
My truck clunks, and I keep thinking it is coming from the sway bar. Maybe its not .... I guess Ill have to look in to it.
Where did you take it, if you dont mind me asking? Since Im right in MIL, Ill take it to a shop that has knowingly done the job, not just a random one that I pick out.
Im not going to lie, I drive my truck like I stole it 98% of the time .... and this thing take it pretty well. The struts do need to be replaced though as the front end is a little bouncy ..... I do have 113k miles though.
Where did you take it, if you dont mind me asking? Since Im right in MIL, Ill take it to a shop that has knowingly done the job, not just a random one that I pick out.
Im not going to lie, I drive my truck like I stole it 98% of the time .... and this thing take it pretty well. The struts do need to be replaced though as the front end is a little bouncy ..... I do have 113k miles though.
BTW, that clunk is going to be those Link Pins that are likely bad. If you do those, you might as well do the struts since its all in the same place and requires taking everything apart.
I got 39029k miles on my 07' and i'm doing the rancho struts myself. It bounces a lot, to the point that driving down the highway if i hit a dip on the road it will bounce so hard that you'll think that your tires fell off! Am i worried about doing it my self, maybe a little, i have not done struts on a vehicle in years, but it's easy so i will save save the labor cost on it! Also i'm doing my wife's 2000 grand caravan. That van still has the factory struts and shocks and i'm doing it all the way around. That will be a fun project after christmas..
Good luck on that. I figured it would be easy too. Everyone I talked to convinced me to save the frustration and have someone else do it. I'm glad I did. It's not an easy job.
My problem was mainly tool related. I was told the same thing, so instead of buying another tool I'll never use again, I figured I'd have someone else do it.
Champion
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,686
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From: Greenfield, Wisconsin
Kk, thanks alot. That isnt far from where I live, and Ill get the lock pins done right away. That has got to be where my random clunk is coming from as everything has been replaced except for the tie rods.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Lake Geneva, WI.
If you do go there or call, ask for Chris and just say you know Jeremy with the red Dakota. Have a nice weekend.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Lake Geneva, WI.
Link pins are used a lot in farm equipment, typically on tractors.. They basically link something to something else.
In this case, the links pins link the sway bar to the rest of the suspension. This explains my excessive sway, travel and clunk.
In this case, the links pins link the sway bar to the rest of the suspension. This explains my excessive sway, travel and clunk.
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Joined: Jul 2010
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I did a "how to" replace a front shock and lower control arm, see the link below (double click the pictures to see my comments for each picture). I wouldn't recommend it if you don't have some experience. None of it is "hard" but it does take some finesse of how to work with suspension parts and springs. If the lower shock bolt is stuck it then just becomes very frustrating... or the top nut on the shock/strut doesn't come off.
Jkeaton is right, you can't use the spring compressors that have the square blocks on the end and the push through lock pin. The springs don't have enough spacing for them. You have to find a set that have the J hooks, put them on the spring in the wide gaps then rotate them so they are near the top and straight across from each other.... normal strut spring removal stuff.
I actually took mine to shop, but because my lower shock bolt was rusted in place so bad that it ended up that they wanted almost a $1,000 bucks to install one shock and I already had the shock!
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...ntrol-arm.html
Jkeaton is right, you can't use the spring compressors that have the square blocks on the end and the push through lock pin. The springs don't have enough spacing for them. You have to find a set that have the J hooks, put them on the spring in the wide gaps then rotate them so they are near the top and straight across from each other.... normal strut spring removal stuff.
I actually took mine to shop, but because my lower shock bolt was rusted in place so bad that it ended up that they wanted almost a $1,000 bucks to install one shock and I already had the shock!
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...ntrol-arm.html
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Joined: Mar 2011
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Thanks for the good info guys. I going to replace my front and back struts and shocks and i thought that the struts would take care of the rattle/clunking noise in the front drivers side of my suspension when going over bumps. I replaced my cv joints (front axles) thinking it was those but it wasnt so i was gonna do struts because mine are bad with the boat like bounce after dips and such. Guess ill have to get new link pins too. lol once again Thank you for the info.
Record Breaker
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,191
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From: Nova Scotia, CANADA
I Plan to replace my front struts, But im also buying Monroe "Quik-Struts" Which is a New Strut, Spring and that already compressed. Then im also replacing my rear shocks with the Monroe Coil-over Load Levelers (I believe that is what they are)