Hello. New forum member here. Looking for info on Front Suspension noise. I tried to find old posts, but my search brings up all Dodge vehicles, not just the vans? Not sure what I'm missing there.
I have a 1999 D3500 Roadtrek Conversion Van. 68000 miles. Purchased with 52,000 miles. Clean condition and I have done a fair amount of work to deal with steering wander when first bought. Mods include; a steering box support bearing assembly, Safety Plus steering dampener, front end alignment, new shocks, rear sway bar, and progressive helper suspension in the back. The van handles much better than when I purchased it, and Its been a great rig for 16,000 miles.
I now have a front suspension rattle/clunk that is intermittent. It is coming from the passenger side in the front. This started about 1500 miles ago. I thought it was a loose shroud in the wheel well that was loose, and is now repaired. Noise went away for 1000 miles after that repair. Now its back, and was very loud clunk, going straight down highway at 60. Sometimes a light clunk, then louder, and would come and go, but became noticeable over bumps. It was so loud at times, I pulled over and looked, but found nothing. It did this all the way home, for 125 miles. No steering issues at all, just noise. Unnerving. The loud clunks were loud enough to make me cringe. Braking has no effect, and possibly slight sweeper curves to the left increased it. As I reached home it was very consistent, even driving slow down my residential street. I thought great, I can now find it as its consistent. Then next day I removed the engine cowling and drove down my bumpy country roads with a cell phone clamped to the fender well and video taped the drive. low and behold, hardly a sound? After 45 miles I found some bits of video that had light clunks, but nothing like the LOUD Clunks I heard coming home the previous day? I am going to get underneath today and try removing The right shock and inspect, and drive without shock. Also, Ive already done visual inspection of things, but nothing jumps out. Looking for suggestions. Thanks in advance, and Im guessing this has been addressed here somewhere already, any links would be great.

 

Check sway bar links, and anything with a bushing on the passenger side, including the control arms......

 

Thanks. I'll start eliminating.

 

I would start by jacking up by the lower control arm and getting the wheel 1" off the ground. Inspect the lug nuts and wheel bearing feel by hand. Then I would get a big prybar and pry between the tire and ground on both sides to check ball joints. Inspect the shock mounts as well.

 

Thanks for the guidance Busted knuckles and Hey you.
I did jack up the right side. Grabbing the wheel, there is a mild slop of I believe wheel bearings. I would estimate 1/16" play. I didn't remove the wheel, but can. I got a late start today, like 1 hour before dark, in my driveway. I also had my wife lift the wheel with a lever while I observed the ball joints; no movement.

Next I re-inspected the steering and sway bar. The sway bar links look ok, and I could not get any wiggle or motion out of the system. All the rubber looks ok, but old. Ive read that they wear inside and need removal to really inspect, so I think I should just do the sway bar bushings if Im going to dissassemble. Tie rod ends look good (and steering itself has been fine. no play)

Next I inspected the control arms and the related parts. (I dont have all the part names down yet and no diagram). I think I may have located the culprit. Take a look at the pic. This is the only bushing that looks deformed. However, if this lower control arm bushing needs changing, it seems I should just change all the rubber/bushings both sides. Am I correct here? I have done lots of wrenching, built engines, etc., but really have no front end experience. It seems control arm bushing replacement will require removal of pretty much everything. Am I accurate here? Thanks for the help.

 

Thanks for the guidance guys.
I did as Busted Nuckles said. Jacked up passenger side and felt wheel slop. There was a little bit, maybe 1/16 slop. Did not remove wheel as it was late, near dark. Can do that tomorrow. Also had my wife operate a lever under the tire and watched the ball joints. No movement.
Next I looked at Sway bar system. All looks pretty good and I could not play tugging and prying on things lightly. Hardware all tight to end wrench. Lastly, I looked at control arms and related parts. (I dont know each part name, as I have no front end experience and no diagram, but each fastener was tested and bushing looked at. The only one I found that looked bad was the passenger lower control arm rear bushing. Attached is a pic. I think it may be the problem.
However, it looks like a bear to change that part. Am I correct in thinking this requires removal of pretty much everything to change this bushing? If so this is a job for a front end shop, as I dont have time and special tools for this larger job. Also , I read you need to remove the sway bar links to really inspect them as the bolts/bushings wear from inside. Is that true. Thanks again for any input.

 

Those come with the whole control arm assembly...I would just replace that...
I am unsure if the springs are uncompressed or still compressed when jacked up (can someone verify?). It wouldnt be that bad of a job - just the ball joint and center bolt to remove...

 

Having a spring compressor on-hand for the job would be a good idea.....