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clunking noise coming from front of truck

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allenr19

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I have a 2019 1500 with the off road package.
Around the 1,500 mile mark I began to notice a clunking sound driving through my neighborhood coming from the front of the truck. To me it sounded like something might be coming loose or has broke, either way its not a normal sound you should hear from a brand new truck. I only really hear it when I am driving under 30 mph. I took the truck to the dealer they tried to blame my trailer hitch and something in the door and said truck was fine. driving it home I can still hear it. Has anyone else had this issue?
 
Sounds like a loose sway bar mount or bad ball joint. Never trust a dealers first opinion and always include the service manager on a second visit so he/she knows that the shop/advisor let you down.
 
Take it back and have them check the sway bars. My truck started the clunk today halfway to work. I asked my boss for a couple of hours and went to the dealer. He basically said it's no big deal you can leave it here for days or come back later. Said they had no loaners and that even if he wanted to he had to get FCA's approval first.

So I contacted RamCares (member here on the forums) and although I haven't heard anything back, the dealer took his best mechanic and told me to take him for a test drive. Mechanic heard the clunking and thought at first it was the skid plate. Nope wasn't that. So then he started touching every bolt (I was watching him this time) and he said it's the drivers sway bar.

Of course it's on order and can take 4 days to 2 weeks to get here ....
 
I had the same noise on mine last week. It was a loose sway bar end link. Tightened it down to spec lbs. and it’s all good now. I’m going to assume that’s exactly what’s going on with yours.
 
Same deal here. Right sway bar link 2 flats loose. Added a little blue loc-tite to both sides and no issues since.
 
If it sounds like it’s near your feet, there is a tsb for it. Something about a body mount. I had the same clunk before winter. Now, for the life of me, I can’t replicate it.
 
This is the TSB for the body mount. Mine is doing the same thing. Now that I got rear ended today I should be dropping it off soon to get everything fixed! Screenshot_20190423-223544_Gallery.jpg
 
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Same clunk. Took to dealer and now i have a complete sway bar assembly on back order. No idea when it will be in though? At first had two technicians tell me they couldn’t hear or find anything wrong. Had the service manager drive it with me and inside 1/4 mile he heard and felt the clunk. Said I described symptom perfectly and apologized for his technicians ineptness. He kept it overnight and had his suspension specialist look at it and diagnosed it as the issue 2019 Rams are having with sway bar assemblies. Apparently, there is a service notice issued to replace the entire sway bar assembly, but on back order at this time.
 
Same clunk here and a neighbor with a Limited has the same issue. Both started around the 2,000 mile mark. Both of our trucks have the air ride suspension. Sway bar seems tight and no visual clues but that’s where it sounds like it’s coming from.
 
Mike97 said:
Same clunk here and a neighbor with a Limited has the same issue. Both started around the 2,000 mile mark. Both of our trucks have the air ride suspension. Sway bar seems tight and no visual clues but that’s where it sounds like it’s coming from.
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Hi Mike97,
We recommend having your dealer look into this for you. If you would like any additional assistance, please feel free to send us a private message and we'll be happy to help!
Lydia
Ram Social Care Specialist
 
My noise is coming from a loose Sway bar link. The sway bar has some preload so it’s difficult to determine that it’s loose. Once the whole assembly is removed it’s very apparent. I tightened the nut and the noise is gone. I tried to post a video but it wouldn’t let me post it. If you look at the two pictures you can see on one side the witness marks line up and other one doesn’t. The loose side turns freely and clunks as it’s loaded up and down. Hope this helps.
 

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I'm curious as to why if tightening it solves the problem, that the dealers are replacing the entire sway bar that is on back order for who knows how long? I will try tightening mine on Monday (only day I'll have time) and see if it works :D
 
Zombieslayer, I can’t really say why the dealership is replacing the whole assembly. My experience has been that dealerships no longer take components apart to diagnose the problem they just replace them.
 
Mike97 said:
My noise is coming from a loose Sway bar link. The sway bar has some preload so it’s difficult to determine that it’s loose. Once the whole assembly is removed it’s very apparent. I tightened the nut and the noise is gone. I tried to post a video but it wouldn’t let me post it. If you look at the two pictures you can see on one side the witness marks line up and other one doesn’t. The loose side turns freely and clunks as it’s loaded up and down. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
i had this issue. The sway bar links need to be re torqued
 
Mike97 said:
Zombieslayer, I can’t really say why the dealership is replacing the whole assembly. My experience has been that dealerships no longer take components apart to diagnose the problem they just replace them.
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They probably get paid more to replace a part (more labor hours) than to simply tighten a bolt.

My truck is at 1500 miles and has the same sound. Dealer appointment scheduled for Monday. It happens very consistently so hopefully I won’t get the “we can’t reproduce it” run around.
 
Hello, I have the 2019 ram 1500 4WD Classic. When I slow down and begin to accelerate there’s a loud clunking noise. Anyone have this problem or know what it is before I take it in so I can throw an opinion instead of them telling me it’s normal? I have 1200 miles on it and it started about 100 miles ago.
 
Jacobs said:
Hello, I have the 2019 ram 1500 4WD Classic. When I slow down and begin to accelerate there’s a loud clunking noise. Anyone have this problem or know what it is before I take it in so I can throw an opinion instead of them telling me it’s normal? I have 1200 miles on it and it started about 100 miles ago.
Click to expand...

Hi Jacobs,
We understand your concern. since we are not trained technicians, we are unable to determine the cause of this but please send us a private message once you have an appointment scheduled with your dealer and we will have a case escalated in your behalf.
Lydia
Ram Social Care Specialist
 
Alrighty folks an update on the sway bar link replacements :)

It's been 2400 miles since I've had my sway bar links replaced at my crappy local dealer. So far so good! No clunks. I wanted to wait until I drove the same amount of miles to see if it would be a repeat issue, thankfully it's not :)

Now all I have to do is find someone to figure out what the start up clunk is :D
 
There is a service bulletin. They need to tighten the sway bar links. Will go away.
 
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