Front end clunk while turning - FIXED - TSB # 23-047-18

[OgRedd]

I guess some of us are starting to think the same way. I, too, was annoyed with the "clunking" at first, but now, I just tune it out. I came to this forum when my truck was purchased after three weeks because of this issue, called RamCares, posted to RamCares, got a case number from RamCares, took the truck back to the Ram dealer and noted all the fixes everyone has posted here. To date, no resolution. I soon realized time was passing me by and all I was doing was worrying about a problem I'm sure Ram knows about. I had to convince myself that the truck is under warranty and the worse thing that can happen is a hole develops in the floorpan and ultimately Ram is on the hook for it. My clunking isn't as pronounced as some, so I can understand why others are more frustrated than I. I'm just going to enjoy the truck as much as I can until Ram does its due diligence and take steps to correct. If worse comes to worse-er, I'll just trade it. There's always more trucks to drive. My .02.

 

[TurdFerguson]

I guess some of us are starting to think the same way. I, too, was annoyed with the "clunking" at first, but now, I just tune it out. I came to this forum when my truck was purchased after three weeks because of this issue, called RamCares, posted to RamCares, got a case number from RamCares, took the truck back to the Ram dealer and noted all the fixes everyone has posted here. To date, no resolution. I soon realized time was passing me by and all I was doing was worrying about a problem I'm sure Ram knows about. I had to convince myself that the truck is under warranty and the worse thing that can happen is a hole develops in the floorpan and ultimately Ram is on the hook for it. My clunking isn't as pronounced as some, so I can understand why others are more frustrated than I. I'm just going to enjoy the truck as much as I can until Ram does its due diligence and take steps to correct. If worse comes to worse-er, I'll just trade it. There's always more trucks to drive. My .02.

When I started emptying out my center console so I could hear the clunk over all my junk rolling around, or driving with the stereo muted I kind of realized I was being a bit OCD. I have an appointment to get some stuff added in a couple weeks and I will take one of the guys for a ride and let them hear it. Past that its just a clunk.

 

[Polaris Man]

I honestly believe they are all the same. thats why I am trying to figure the common denominator

I agree, after many many hours researching this topic and having the clunk for a couple months now, I can pretty confidently say the clunks being reported are the same, people's understanding of what and where they hearing it. It's obvious to those of us that have had to clunk for a long
Time that just tightening bolts isn't the fix unless someone actually had a VERY loose bolt. A couple foot pounds isn't making a difference, especially considering many have locktight. This thread is getting hard to sift through with all the "I think I have it" or "do I have it" posts.

 

[TurdFerguson]

I agree, after many many hours researching this topic and having the clunk for a couple months now, I can pretty confidently say the clunks being reported are the same, people's understanding of what and where they hearing it. It's obvious to those of us that have had to clunk for a long
Time that just tightening bolts isn't the fix unless someone actually had a VERY loose bolt. A couple foot pounds isn't making a difference, especially considering many have locktight. This thread is getting hard to sift through with all the "I think I have it" or "do I have it" posts.

so random question. There are 4 isolators right? could that explain where people hear the clunk from front back etc?

 

[19RamLimited]

Well just so you guys know my clunk is 100% gone. I have not replaced any parts at all.

I think the fix is really as simple as this.

1 remove all four isolator bolts cleans red loctite

2 wd40 or other lubricant spray the isolators and threads of the bolts and using a wd40 with flex tip spray it up through the hole where is soaks the threaded brackets

3 thread the bolts in bye hand and then torque to 90 foot pounds

Noise gone..

Now the reason the noise exists in my opinion is if you look at the pic I posted the threaded plate is basically metal to metal. It is spot welded in a few spots. What’s happening is as the isolator compresses it pushes the bolt up thus pushing on the threaded bracket. The threaded bracket is moving up and down hitting the metal making the noise.

The increased torque creates more pressure on the bracket and causing less potential isolator compression.

I’ve had no Ill effects from this and the insanity of the noise is completely gone. Has been gone for a while now. I didn’t want to report until I have driven it a while. But it’s gone. Now tome will see if this is permanent but I didn’t have a torque lube so the WD40 lubrcated the bolt head and threads enough to get an accurate torque on the bolt. When bolts are dry you can’t get a good torque.

Now some may argue but I think it’s clear I have spent a lot of time on this and I have been honest when not successful. This was the only way I was successful

 

[19RamLimited]

so random question. There are 4 isolators right? could that explain where people hear the clunk from front back etc?

Possible. There are 6 total on the body’s front 4 are the same. I believe the way the front was designed is the problem though. Since it’s metal is extremely difficult to isolate the origin of the noise as a rattle noise will travel on metal. We can feel it though at our feet. So I feel safe in saying there is a problem there

 

[Joker4L]

Well just so you guys know my clunk is 100% gone. I have not replaced any parts at all.

I think the fix is really as simple as this.

1 remove all four isolator bolts cleans red loctite

2 wd40 or other lubricant spray the isolators and threads of the bolts and using a wd40 with flex tip spray it up through the hole where is soaks the threaded brackets

3 thread the bolts in bye hand and then torque to 90 foot pounds

Noise gone..

Now the reason the noise exists in my opinion is if you look at the pic I posted the threaded plate is basically metal to metal. It is spot welded in a few spots. What’s happening is as the isolator compresses it pushes the bolt up thus pushing on the threaded bracket. The threaded bracket is moving up and down hitting the metal making the noise.

The increased torque creates more pressure on the bracket and causing less potential isolator compression.

I’ve had no Ill effects from this and the insanity of the noise is completely gone. Has been gone for a while now. I didn’t want to report until I have driven it a while. But it’s gone. Now tome will see if this is permanent but I didn’t have a torque lube so the WD40 lubrcated the bolt head and threads enough to get an accurate torque on the bolt. When bolts are dry you can’t get a good torque.

Now some may argue but I think it’s clear I have spent a lot of time on this and I have been honest when not successful. This was the only way I was successful

Thats pretty much what I did but I only removed the Isolators bolts on the driver side of the truck.

 

[19RamLimited]

Thats pretty much what I did but I only removed the Isolators bolts on the driver side of the truck.

I had read someone else did this couldn't remember who to credit. But it worked for me also.

 

[RIC3BOY]

2019 Rebel crewcab from Canada here.

I started experiencing a "knocking" or "clunking" noise when going over bumps while front wheels are turned. The truck had less than 300kms on it. The last two days I haven't experienced any of those issues. I brought it into the selling dealer, and I spoke with a service adviser. He mentioned that this was common among the 2019 Rams, and would have a look. He stated that it was the sway bar bushings seating itself into a "groove" on the mounting bolts / end links. They only inspected the truck, no work was performed. He also mentioned it would only be an issue if the bushings did not seat correctly, but it appears mine have. I figure its the break-in process of a new truck.

The noise hasn't returned (I'm at 600kms now), but will update this thread if it does.

 

[TurdFerguson]

Well just so you guys know my clunk is 100% gone. I have not replaced any parts at all.

I think the fix is really as simple as this.

1 remove all four isolator bolts cleans red loctite

2 wd40 or other lubricant spray the isolators and threads of the bolts and using a wd40 with flex tip spray it up through the hole where is soaks the threaded brackets

3 thread the bolts in bye hand and then torque to 90 foot pounds

Noise gone..

Now the reason the noise exists in my opinion is if you look at the pic I posted the threaded plate is basically metal to metal. It is spot welded in a few spots. What’s happening is as the isolator compresses it pushes the bolt up thus pushing on the threaded bracket. The threaded bracket is moving up and down hitting the metal making the noise.

The increased torque creates more pressure on the bracket and causing less potential isolator compression.

I’ve had no Ill effects from this and the insanity of the noise is completely gone. Has been gone for a while now. I didn’t want to report until I have driven it a while. But it’s gone. Now tome will see if this is permanent but I didn’t have a torque lube so the WD40 lubrcated the bolt head and threads enough to get an accurate torque on the bolt. When bolts are dry you can’t get a good torque.

Now some may argue but I think it’s clear I have spent a lot of time on this and I have been honest when not successful. This was the only way I was successful

Post a step by step for folks that aren't mechanics?

 

[19RamLimited]

Post a step by step for folks that aren't mechanics?

Ill try.. Im not the best at doing them. tried making videos when I did what I did to the brackets. But I forget to record certain things.

Ill try to make a pictorial type. Just scared to touch my truck again since it quiet now

 

[TurdFerguson]

Ill try.. Im not the best at doing them. tried making videos when I did what I did to the brackets. But I forget to record certain things.

Ill try to make a pictorial type. Just scared to touch my truck again since it quiet now

Well. remove, clean, lube, torque makes perfect sense to me.. so no need to undo everything. But where these things are and how you got to them would be useful.

 

[Edwards]

I'm happy to report that I have the clunk. Happy, because I now have my Limited and having a problem is better than still waiting on a truck that might have the problem.
I'm at 67 miles and can hear it turning on flat pavement. Radio fixes it for now but I'm expecting I'll be re-torquing bolts on Saturday thanks to this thread.

 

[19RamLimited]

Well. remove, clean, lube, torque makes perfect sense to me.. so no need to undo everything. But where these things are and how you got to them would be useful.

Ok.. there are 4 bolts under the body. They look like the picture. Remove them. Will need a breaker bar and 18mm. They are hard to remove and cant use a impact to remove. the red loctite is really doing its job. Once removed then clean the threads and lube with WD40 or even better ARP torque lube, make sure the head of the bolt and where it meets the washer is lubed well. Spray the isolator itself with WD40 and also I bought the one with flexible straw and bent it to go up through the bolt hole. Sprayed liberally up there as well from the front. There is an access you can see the top side of the bolts.. I sprayed from there also basically saturating it. I have a picture below you can see where. its behind the front plastic liners.

Like I said this was the final fix for me. will it be permanent? I don't know but I do know its been fine and Ive been driving in rain and heat here in Dallas.

You may hear the clunk a time or two at first don't get disappointed once the lubricant gets all into where it needs to it goes away. I heard it once and frowned then never heard it again. I waited a while to report here because I didn't want to mislead anyone.

 

[TurdFerguson]

Ok.. there are 4 bolts under the body. They look like the picture. Remove them. Will need a breaker bar and 18mm. They are hard to remove and cant use a impact to remove. the red loctite is really doing its job. Once removed then clean the threads and lube with WD40 or even better ARP torque lube, make sure the head of the bolt and where it meets the washer is lubed well. Spray the isolator itself with WD40 and also I bought the one with flexible straw and bent it to go up through the bolt hole. Sprayed liberally up there as well from the front. There is an access you can see the top side of the bolts.. I sprayed from there also basically saturating it. I have a picture below you can see where. its behind the front plastic liners.

Like I said this was the final fix for me. will it be permanent? I don't know but I do know its been fine and Ive been driving in rain and heat here in Dallas.

You may hear the clunk a time or two at first don't get disappointed once the lubricant gets all into where it needs to it goes away. I heard it once and frowned then never heard it again. I waited a while to report here because I didn't want to mislead anyone.
View attachment 5391 View attachment 5392

Did you reapply any thread locker when reinstalling the bolts? Did you add washers.. if so which diameter/thickness. Lastly... Does this void warranty?

I may give it a go this weekend.

 

[19RamLimited]

No.. I did not add washers. I tried that made no difference.

I did add blue thread locker because I didn’t have red

I can’t imagine how this would void warranty you aren’t adding or removing you’re just tightening. But that would have to be a decision you make. You may want to take it to the dealer and ask them to do it for you?

 

[TurdFerguson]

No.. I did not add washers. I tried that made no difference.

I did add blue thread locker because I didn’t have red

I can’t imagine how this would void warranty you aren’t adding or removing you’re just tightening. But that would have to be a decision you make. You may want to take it to the dealer and ask them to do it for you?

Fair enough. Good reason for me to go to harbor freight I will post results if I get to it this weekend. Thanks for all of your help.

 

[TurdFerguson]

No.. I did not add washers. I tried that made no difference.

I did add blue thread locker because I didn’t have red

I can’t imagine how this would void warranty you aren’t adding or removing you’re just tightening. But that would have to be a decision you make. You may want to take it to the dealer and ask them to do it for you?

What size breaker did you use?

 

[19RamLimited]

What size breaker did you use?

Mine is 20” I believe. But it requires a lot of torque all the way out. It doesn’t ease until they end basically. Thebottom isolator has a clip and it will hang in place. Just leave it do not need to remove it.

Hope it works out for you looking forward to hearing your results.

Also if you have running boards or power steps you’ll need to take off or get a long enough extension to get below them. Or you’ll have a tough time getting a good angle

 

[RAM805]

Hey y'all ... well a few weeks in and about 1,000 miles and low and behold ... I have the "clunk" in the front driver's footwell area when making turns, happens a few times a day. Bummed.

7-18 build date.