Clunk after shocks

[Gren71]

bare with me for not doing a forum search…im posting on my phone and its a pita to do forum searches on it.

I installed the 5100’s on all four corners a few months back and had no issues with the install or after. Got an alignment done and the truck has drove beautifully since.

A few weeks ago i noticed that while accelerating from a red light i could hear a popping/creaking sound from the drivers side. No noticeable difference in the handling and no codes so i assume its related to the shocks somehow..it happens again at the next red light and i can feel pop/creaking through the floor board. When I got home I crawled under and looked for anything amiss and didn’t see or feel anything. Just for good measure I tightened the three top bolts of the strut. Next day the issues gone…figured perhaps i solved it.

Today, maybe a month or so later, it happens while on my way into work. Feels like a spring sticking or moving to me but that may be me assigning a component to the problem based on my own assumption..its in the 40s today and was last time happened so maybe temp is a part it it…but it didnt happen when it was in the 20/30s last week.


Ill have to take the wheel off and check all the torque specs again.

But im curious if anyone else has had this issue with the 5100s..

 

[31RamIt]

I installed the Mopar lift with FOX shocks and have been chasing down noises ever since. It's been driving me insane.

 

[Gren71]

I went out and checked all of the torque specs and everything is at… Or more… Than the spec.

I used this thread for reference

Now my question is, is it possible to over torque things could that be causing the weird creaking noise. It only happens when accelerating after a stop.… Which is making me think either the shock, the spring, or maybe the sway bar but the sway bar is stock and I already quadruple checked the only sway bar and link bolt that I took off when I put in the 5100s.

Or…could it be the control arm bushings? When i used to lift jeeps i would always loosen the control arms since i was moving parts around at their full…maybe the rubber bushings got boogered up when i was doing the install and loosening them as its sits will allow them to sorta…relax…before i re torque em.

 

[scottmoyer]

Check your lower control arm bolts. After my alignment, I found the LCA bolt on the driver side was loose and the truck was creaking when going over uneven drives. I tightened it up and the creaking went away.

Like yours, my truck was fine after the level, but started making noise after the alignment. I also kept checking the level install for torque, etc., but found the shop left the LCA bolt loose after making alignment adjustments.

 

[boogielander]

take off your sway bar and if it's gone then the change bushing and end links.

 

[Gren71]

take off your sway bar and if it's gone then the change bushing and end links.

Ill try to tighten the LCA bolts today and if that doesn’t do it, I will try your suggestion with the swaybar for sure.

This dang clunk is so frustrating because the day I made my initial post I could re-create it over and over again consistently. Yesterday on my way into work it only did it once… But it was raining out so I don’t know if maybe that helped lube up the sway bar a bit () and today it didn’t do it at all.… Even when I was trying to re-create it just to prove to myself I’m not completely nuts.

 

[scottmoyer]

There's another issue of a clunk going over speed bumps or wash board terrain. I resolved that issue by replacing the 4 body mounts under the A and B pillars. The parts cost was less than $100, including shipping and took less than 30 minutes to replace. I've tried making the clunk happen by hitting bumps hard, etc., but nothing. The clunk is gone.

The original body mount design is flawed and allows metal to metal contact when flexing, causing the clunk.

Another thread lists the part numbers to order, so look that up if you have a clunk. The creaking sound is a bushing somewhere tied to the UCA, LCA or sway bar.

 

[msnyder1112]

I dont have the 5100s but your clunk sounds a lot like mine. I feel it in my floorboard but not in the steering wheel.
I’m going Monday to diagnose it. We’ll see what dealer says.

 

[Gren71]

I dont have the 5100s but your clunk sounds a lot like mine. I feel it in my floorboard but not in the steering wheel.
I’m going Monday to diagnose it. We’ll see what dealer says.

Same.

I sincerely hope it’s something as simple as the fellas above have said when your shop looks at it.

I THOUGHT i had all day tomorrow to do odds and ends to the truck.. ew wipers / mud flaps / drink beer / torque random bolts / ect. But my kids came home with a notice that they have a trimester awards ceremony and they’re both getting something..and of course their ceremonies are 3hrs apart since there is an age gap So they come first, then truck and booze after if i have time left.

 

[msnyder1112]

Same.

I sincerely hope it’s something as simple as the fellas above have said when your shop looks at it.

I THOUGHT i had all day tomorrow to do odds and ends to the truck.. ew wipers / mud flaps / drink beer / torque random bolts / ect. But my kids came home with a notice that they have a trimester awards ceremony and they’re both getting something..and of course their ceremonies are 3hrs apart since there is an age gap So they come first, then truck and booze after if i have time left.

Aw congrats to them! Ill keep you updated what the dealership tells me!

 

[neverlift]

a quick list of things I would do.
Check toque spec on everything. Sway bar links, tie rod ends, shocks ect..
Spray wd40 on one joint at a time.
Lastly if you don’t have a bad joint, leave the truck on the ground, loosen and re tighten bolts.

 

[Gren71]

I was able to verify the LCA bolts are both torqued to spec (105 ft/lbs)

Two of the four front sway bar bolts had 3/4 - 1 full turn in them. So i tightened those and took a close look at the bushings, which looked fine.

I decided to pause and just stick with making one adjustment at a time to try and dial in on the source. Though to be honest im thinking its just a bushing that needs some lube since the sounds is gone 24hrs after it rained.

 

[msnyder1112]

I was able to verify the LCA bolts are both torqued to spec (105 ft/lbs)

Two of the four front sway bar bolts had 3/4 - 1 full turn in them. So i tightened those and took a close look at the bushings, which looked fine.

I decided to pause and just stick with making one adjustment at a time to try and dial in on the source. Though to be honest im thinking its just a bushing that needs some lube since the sounds is gone 24hrs after it rained.

I got a new set of moog end links and energy sway bar bushings JUST INCASE!
Haven’t installed them yet. Figured I’ll see what dealer says monday.

Let us know if it manifests again.

 

[Gren71]

I got a new set of moog end links and energy sway bar bushings JUST INCASE!
Haven’t installed them yet. Figured I’ll see what dealer says monday.

Let us know if it manifests again.

got a link to what you got? If I can catch a sale I am always a fan of having some odds and ends on standby

 

[msnyder1112]

Yeah

https://a.co/d/i6gpvtA

https://a.co/d/bKX8cVL

 

[boogielander]

i had same clunking issue. took off sway bar, issue went away.
replaced sway bar bushing and end links. no more noise.

I also greased the sh*t out of the bushings before I put them in.



I think my stock end links were fine, and it was the bushings giving me the problems.
Notice how much dirt is trapped on the inside of the bushing. Dalton and Dempster highway dirts are no jokes.

 

[Morenar]

Just bought the energy bushings. Which way should the split face? I have read forward towards the front of the truck but then see video that says facing towards the back to avoid water and dirt being pushed into them.

 

[PurpleRT]

Just bought the energy bushings. Which way should the split face? I have read forward towards the front of the truck but then see video that says facing towards the back to avoid water and dirt being pushed into them.

If you’re referring to the sway bar bushings… they can only fit one way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gren71]

Yeah

https://a.co/d/i6gpvtA

https://a.co/d/bKX8cVL

ty!
Just watched this to ensure there wasnt some special step or some such..ive been working on a mazda beater I have recently and ive learned that A) Mazda HATES its owners and B) not all components disassemble the same..

what are the extra rubber pieces for? the video calls them sway bar link bushings...and he says theyre for an "older model" but didnt say much else.

 

[msnyder1112]

ty!
Just watched this to ensure there wasnt some special step or some such..ive been working on a mazda beater I have recently and ive learned that A) Mazda HATES its owners and B) not all components disassemble the same..

what are the extra rubber pieces for? the video calls them sway bar link bushings...and he says theyre for an "older model" but didnt say much else.

Yeah they are bushing for some end links. Wouldn’t be applicable for ours.