Can someone help identify a clunk noise?

[marc11]

Sorry, I am not sure where this is coming from, so I couldn't post it in any other forum. Today I noticed a clunk for lack of a better word as I am coming to a light stop. Say for example I pull up a few feet and just lightly put on the brakes, just as the truck is about to stop I here/feel a click and clunk, almost as if the brakes slip and then grab. Feels like it is coming from the right front for sure.

This is a 2004 Ranger FX4, 76k on it. The only thing done recently is that I had the tires balanced and rotated today, not sure that would have caused anything. I jacked it up and checked for play, everything feels tight.

Any ideas?

 

[88gt]

might be the drive shaft if you have a 2 piece?

 

[marc11]

Nope, one piece. It isn't that clunk that is solved by greasing the splines either, I have that, know what it sounds like, this is different, like something is shifting.

 

[retep88]

I would check your lug nuts and make sure they are tight. My buddy had a ranger that was making a strange clunking and we couldn't figure out where it was coming from. He was going to take it into the shop at the end of the week but the truck didn't make it that long. I get a call from him saying that he had lost his tire on the road. Especially with you going in for a tire rotation, check your lug nuts.

 

[marc11]

Thanks, yes I checked that, they are all tight.

 

[skippy]

How old is the rear universal joint?

Had that same noise in a f-i50 one time,ended up being a radius arm bushing. Not sure if your truck is so equipped,just tossing out ideas.

 

[marc11]

As far as I know they are original, I purchased the truck used. The universals seem fine, I was under the truck today checking them to see if I could find the cause of a shimmy/vibration at 65 MPH. I am guessing the clunk and shimmy are related.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I would maybe shake down the front end... could be that somethings getting loose up front.

 

['99 EB Explorer]

almost sounds like the piston in the caliper is sticking and the click/clunk is when it finally gives and the pad slaps against the rotor.

besides that, i agree with the idea of giving your front end a shake down.

 

[marc11]

You know that is exactly what it FELT like too, like the brake just grabbed. Today it didn't do it at all. I should add I did flush/change the brake fluid before this started happening. I didn't think that would had been a factor, since I never ran any air into the system, but maybe somehow I compressed the brake piston sucking the fluid and it was sticking. Who knows, but it seems to have stopped.

I really apprecaite everyones input!

 

[adsm08]

I've seen stones get thrown up in the wheel, catch between the caliper and the bracket and make that exact noise. Take the stone out, noise stops.