Hasty
Full Access Member
I’m going to give this a try tonight! I previously disconnected one side of the sway bar to see how the truck rode and thought I had a little less clunk. Easy enough to do!
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Chasing that "frt end clunk"
- Thread starter Eyespyautomotive
- Start date
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Hasty
Full Access Member
Well, sway bar wasn’t it. Now it’s time to throw some parts at it, starting with upper control arms and shock bushings.
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Eyespyautomotive
Full Access Member
Yup, reread my "clunk is gone" post. UCA's, spring hats, and tightening lower bolt in full droop. Get all your tolerances pulled up so the shock is tightened "high" in the LCA. I still believe the shock eye sitting too low will "clunk" the shrouded area of the LCA.
I personally think a lot of lower shock bushings are replaced unnecessarily. If you have ever had to cut one out you will learn how stout they are. I dont think the metal sleeve spinning in the bushing is a sign of wear, my new installed ones spun. Put a long bar in the bushing and try to deflect it, see if it has unusual play. or looseness.
After i did the last fix, my truck is as quiet as the King Ranch I had.
I personally think a lot of lower shock bushings are replaced unnecessarily. If you have ever had to cut one out you will learn how stout they are. I dont think the metal sleeve spinning in the bushing is a sign of wear, my new installed ones spun. Put a long bar in the bushing and try to deflect it, see if it has unusual play. or looseness.
After i did the last fix, my truck is as quiet as the King Ranch I had.
Hasty
Full Access Member
Clunk is gone, took a slightly different route than originally intended. First,I’ve come to the conclusion that there are about a dozen different sources of a front end clunk. I don’t daily the truck but when reflecting back the clunk was progressively worsening. I’ve always been suspect of the shocks since last rebuild, but I confirmed my suspicion enough to investigate this weekend.
A little context, I’m usually driving around when it’s warm outside, clunk is predominately on sharp square edge bumps, think fast shaft speed. Son had a late baseball practice and it cooled down nicely and on the same route home the clunk was noticeably better. This led me to think about an internal factor in the shock, namely the IBP. I rebuilt the shocks approx 15K miles ago as my first attempt so I decided to rebuild again. This time I was going to pay extra attention to the IBP current position and I was going to set is 25% into its stroke on rebuild. For those who’ve rebuilt these shocks know that the diy thread doesn’t specify and contacting Fox directly says to the snap ring. I did some research on another forum and 25% is a fairly solid number for IDP depth. What I found when opening the shock was the IBP was up against the snap ring/topped out. This to me would make sense why on sharp square edge bumps that the shock piston will drive the IBP down then on rebound slam back into the snap ring making a clunk.
I rebuilt the shocks setting the IBP down about 25% into its travel. Buttoned the shocks up, charged and reassembled all. I’ve been driving around the past 1 1/2 days, it’s hot as hell and no clunk.
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A little context, I’m usually driving around when it’s warm outside, clunk is predominately on sharp square edge bumps, think fast shaft speed. Son had a late baseball practice and it cooled down nicely and on the same route home the clunk was noticeably better. This led me to think about an internal factor in the shock, namely the IBP. I rebuilt the shocks approx 15K miles ago as my first attempt so I decided to rebuild again. This time I was going to pay extra attention to the IBP current position and I was going to set is 25% into its stroke on rebuild. For those who’ve rebuilt these shocks know that the diy thread doesn’t specify and contacting Fox directly says to the snap ring. I did some research on another forum and 25% is a fairly solid number for IDP depth. What I found when opening the shock was the IBP was up against the snap ring/topped out. This to me would make sense why on sharp square edge bumps that the shock piston will drive the IBP down then on rebound slam back into the snap ring making a clunk.
I rebuilt the shocks setting the IBP down about 25% into its travel. Buttoned the shocks up, charged and reassembled all. I’ve been driving around the past 1 1/2 days, it’s hot as hell and no clunk.
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Hasty
Full Access Member
My clunk came back a couple of weeks ago. Replaced lower shock bushings, applied anti-seize to the nut/washer per KHC recommendation and torqued the hell out of the lower bolts. No change in clunk, I’m going to Go Pro the lower control arm bushings and if they look good I’ll replace the upper control arms. I’m at the point of throwing parts at this damn thing.
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Eyespyautomotive
Full Access Member
I was in the same spot as you Hasty, I think alot of people blame that lower shock bushing, there's nothing in it that clunks, cut one apart. If anything the lower shock eyelet hits the lower control arm under compression. Check your clearance, it is designed at 5mm, I had like 2 mm. Once I did UCA's, spring hats, and tightened the lower shock bolt in droop with all the clearance taken out, did I get nice soft quietness.
prowakeskater
Full Access Member
I was chasing my clunk since I first bought the truck. Front passenger side.
I rebuilt the shocks, even had a different rebuilt shock swapped on the passenger side. replaced a bunch of parts, tried a new LCA, went to mid perch, torqued the bolt to 600+, new hats, everything. Nothing worked.
Finally swapped my shocks today, left to right/right to left
Low and behold, the clunk followed.
My shock clunked before and after rebuild, and the replacement shock clunked as well.
Hopefully the rebuilder I used makes it right... not sure why they would continue to clunk after rebuild! I can imagine many others who experience the same clunk that doesn’t go away with a rebuild replace tons of other stuff unnecessarily!
I rebuilt the shocks, even had a different rebuilt shock swapped on the passenger side. replaced a bunch of parts, tried a new LCA, went to mid perch, torqued the bolt to 600+, new hats, everything. Nothing worked.
Finally swapped my shocks today, left to right/right to left
Low and behold, the clunk followed.
My shock clunked before and after rebuild, and the replacement shock clunked as well.
Hopefully the rebuilder I used makes it right... not sure why they would continue to clunk after rebuild! I can imagine many others who experience the same clunk that doesn’t go away with a rebuild replace tons of other stuff unnecessarily!
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prowakeskater
Full Access Member
highly doubt its anything but your shock
wonder if these shocks that clunk just need to be replaced
allinon72
Full Access Member
I have an intermittent clunk - sometimes it's smooth and sometimes it clunks, albeit lightly. Only think I can find in the suspension that has play is the CV on the axle side - very slight play, which I believe is normal. I have new struts and isolators on the way so we will see if that helps
prowakeskater
Full Access Member
Noticed something else. Extended trips “works” in the shock and the clunk vanishes until the fluid or whatever cools or settles. Seems like a fluid thickness issue? Idk. Brand new shocks have been ordered and these flutter valved, spherical bushing’ed shocks are going up for sale! Will only buy new shocks up front and rebuild the rears once from here on out.
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