Front end clunk

[09fx4guy]

Good Afternoon Everybody,

First thing first, my truck is a 2009 FX4 with an automatic transmission. The front end is completely stock except for the pre key mod that I did a couple years ago, at which time I also upgraded to #1 torsion bars. The truck has just under 44000 miles and has no known problems. I had checked the ball joints and steering back in the summer with my father and did not feel any issues.

Now for the fun part. A month or so ago, I began to notice a gentle clunk / pop from the front end when I would back out of my driveway (on a VERY gentle slope). Usually I turn the wheel to the right when I back out, and when I would stop and put it in drive to move forward, I would hear the clunk. I do not really feel it in the steering wheel, more in the floor so to say. It does not do it every time, but it seems as though it has been doing it more lately. It seems to be doing it when the wheels are turned and the truck is going up or down a bump or raised driveway. I also noticed today that I can replicate the noise when I am going straight. If I am going forwards slowly, and brake firmly, I can hear the click as well.

My gut is telling me that it does not seem like it is the tie rods, but I think it may be the sway bar end links. My logic is that it seems to make the noise based on suspension articulation, not steering direction.

I had taken a quick look underneath recently and did not notice anything out of the ordinary, but I will take a look with my father hopefully on saturday.

I would appreciate any thoughts on the matter. I am not looking forward to doing major suspension or steering work now since I do not have a garage and it has been unseasonably cold and snowy for NJ, and the forecast does not look to be getting better anytime soon.

 

[MikeG]

Check front axleshaft boots. That's a classic symptom of a CV joint going out on a front wheel drive car, but I don't know if the front end is the same. Usually there is grease slung everywhere if a boot leaks, not too hard to find.

When I had a sway bar end link going out, I could open a door and use it to shake the truck side to side and recreate the noise. Got it fixed under warranty a long time ago.

Just a couple of possibilities.

 

[4x4junkie]

I don't think firm braking would induce much of a clunk in the sway bar or it's end links since both sides would be diving down simultaneously (rather than it trying to articulate side-side). Bad ball joints, or a-arm bushings seem more probable.

 

[Shadowrider6661]

Have you checked the drive line ? Its worth looking into. Just a thought.

 

[09fx4guy]

So here's an update. I checked it out over the weekend with my father. The ball joints feel good, as well as the sway bar end links. Now for the steering:

I noticed that when we have the wheels on the ground, the tie rods feel just fine, no play. However, with the engine off, if I jiggle the wheel, I can get a slight click on both inner tie rods as the wheel is moved from side to side. It almost feels like play in the steering rack, which is now on the list to replace come spring.

It does seem as though there are not really any symptoms that are directly related to steering. Don't get me wrong, when I replace the rack in the spring, the tie rods will be done as well.

As far as the clunk that I get, we took the truck for a ride around the neighborhood, and I was only able to duplicate the noise a few times, and from the best we can tell, it seems to be coming from under the seat on the passenger side, which has led me to the torsion bar insulators. If I recall correctly, when I put the keys and new bars in, the rubber insulator from the mount had started to separate from the steel backing piece, and it is just shifting with suspension relaxation. They will also be replaced in the spring.

Thoughts are appreciated as always.

 

[JohnnyO]

It's still most likely a ball joint.

 

[RegularGuy]

Personally, I would suspect control arm bushings or ball joints. On a low mileage truck the bushing will still rot. They can be difficult to check for play, if they're cracking though, highly suspect.

I've been getting a similar issue, I'll be just sitting at a stoplight though and I'll hear a loud pop from the front right. I know the front left upper ball joint is bad and so I'm doing the whole front end (it's all original). In my case, the sound happens after I've been driving so my guess is it's either ball joints, bushings, or torsion bar settling into place. Wheel bearing could also be suspect.

For me, the popping is happening when I have the steering unloaded so I doubt its tierod related

 

[09fx4guy]

I have not looked further into it just yet. It has been pretty cold by me, and just now starting to warm up. The clunk is so intermittent, it can be frustrating.

I am probably going to be doing a steering / suspension refresh in the spring. If I am going to be having the front end apart, I would rather be putting new greasable parts back in, instead of the original "lubed for life" parts.

 

[dvdswan]

Have you checked the drive line ? Its worth looking into. Just a thought.

I would look at this as well. Check the slip-joint to make sure it is lubed. After sitting for a while the joint can stick, and since your are on a "very gentle slope", this can make it so the d-line is in a slight bind until you move forward and relieve the slight stress.