Front end clunk and steering knock

[fsaral77]

I need help. I have a 2018 TRD premium that formed a mysterious clunk and a knock. The clunk happens usually first thing in the morning or after the car has been sitting for over an hour. As I back up out of the driveway or a parking spot I get a single clunk when hitting the brakes. The same clunk comes out sometimes during a medium stop turn, line pulling from a street into a parking lot to beat traffic. Also happens after going over a quick large bump like a rain road track jump. It feels like it’s the front drivers side. I can feel in brake pedal and steering wheel.

I also have a knock I can feel in my steering wheel and brake pedal when slow crawling over uneven roads like when your driving in a line of cars to pick up fast food. As the truck rocks back and forth over small washboard bumps under 5 mph. Can also feel that in brake pedal and steering wheel.

I have changed my sway bushings. . Drivers side CV, and sway bar end links. Also changed one tie rods end that had grease leaking out of boot. Still there. Dealership is clueless like always. Not sure where to begin. It’s gotten so annoying I am almost ready to sell the truck. Any help is appreciated.

 

[ProLee]

Try this.......not a 5th Gen but first post I saw while searching.

Intermediate Steering Shaft Replacement - fixed steering clunk!

 

[rhadam]

I need help. I have a 2018 TRD premium that formed a mysterious clunk and a knock. The clunk happens usually first thing in the morning or after the car has been sitting for over an hour. As I back up out of the driveway or a parking spot I get a single clunk when hitting the brakes. The same clunk comes out sometimes during a medium stop turn, line pulling from a street into a parking lot to beat traffic. Also happens after going over a quick large bump like a rain road track jump. It feels like it’s the front drivers side. I can feel in brake pedal and steering wheel.

I also have a knock I can feel in my steering wheel and brake pedal when slow crawling over uneven roads like when your driving in a line of cars to pick up fast food. As the truck rocks back and forth over small washboard bumps under 5 mph. Can also feel that in brake pedal and steering wheel.

I have changed my sway bushings. . Drivers side CV, and sway bar end links. Also changed one tie rods end that had grease leaking out of boot. Still there. Dealership is clueless like always. Not sure where to begin. It’s gotten so annoying I am almost ready to sell the truck. Any help is appreciated.

Do you have any suspension modifications? After swapping my stock to Dobinson's I have a lout pop/clunk sound when I reverse out of my parking spot. This is when the vehicle is cold.. basically parked for a while or overnight. I replaced the sway bar end links, put in DuroBumps up front, and had my shop look over the entire front suspension after telling them "I don't care what it is, if you find something i'll pay to have it fixed." They said everything is solid.

What I have read in other various threads on this topic (super common topic) to check the torque on the upper and lower shock mount bolts.

 

[Jeremy556]

Has it been aligned recently? Check the LCA cam bolts are 130 ft lb, iirc

 

[fsaral77]

Has it been aligned recently? Check the LCA cam bolts are 130 ft lb, iirc

Yes it was aligned. If I torque them myself will the alignment go out of wack

 

[fsaral77]

Has it been aligned recently? Check the LCA cam bolts are 130 ft lb, iirc

Yes it was aligned recently. Took a hard left one day heard the thud and it’s been there ever since. Taking it in tomorrow so they can retorque it and realign it and check my ball joints. Hope this fixes it. Driving me crazy

 

[WEAK_E90]

mines doing this. Seems like more after I had an alignment done.

Do you have a trd skid plate?

 

[Jeremy556]

Yes it was aligned recently. Took a hard left one day heard the thud and it’s been there ever since. Taking it in tomorrow so they can retorque it and realign it and check my ball joints. Hope this fixes it. Driving me crazy

If they don't tighten the LCA bolts down enough, they'll loosen up and then the eccentric bolts can move, changing your alignment. If you are hearing it, I would say the alignment needs to be at least checked. most likely adjusted.

 

[ahtoxa11]

If you don't have aftermarket skids, LCA bolts would be my main suspects as well.

 

[WEAK_E90]

is there a way to retighten the alignment bolts without having to do another alignment?

 

[Jeremy556]

You can tighten the bolts without moving the eccentrics, which change your alignment, but if they were loose enough to make noise, they likely moved on their own and your alignment is now off.

 

[WEAK_E90]

noticed with mine - below 5mph it happens when i hit the brakes and then give it gas - i can get the "pop" to happen.

 

[hellifiknow]

With mine that clunk was fried upper ball joints. Took about 30,000 miles with no grease to notice the clunk and by 50,000 it couldn't be aligned properly. Just replaced them (SPC ones, into SPC UCAs) and the clunk is gone. Tip your servers AND grease your ball joints, ladies and gentlemen.

 

[lunchboxtheman]

I also have this exact same issue. Only started happening about 2k miles ago. Before that was perfect. I have Dobonson’s coilovers and JBA std high caster UCAs.

Same thing. Only hear it when moving slow, turning, and generally when the car is cold. I DID notice that I only get it to clunk when changing direction. Like when the steering wheel passes zero to go from left to right or right to left. Sometimes I can actually feel the clunk through the pedal.

I double checked all torque on front suspension. LCA bolts, cam bolts, upper and lower shock bolts, sway bar mounting bolts, tie rod ends. Everything. All cam bolts have been marked and are not moving. I don’t see any wear patterns indicating rubbing or contact anywhere.

I greased my upper ball joints and UCA bushings. Didn’t help. UCA has about 20k miles on it and I grease them religiously.

Because of what I said about it only happening when changing direction, I suspect my tie rod end ball joints might be shot. But I only have 50k on the truck. I wouldn’t think they’d be bad so soon but I do have 275s and maybe the extra weight and diameter wears them?

Does anyone have any other ideas what to check? Thank you to all the mechanical detectives out there!

 

[fsaral77]

Got rid of the clunk by tightening the lower LCA bolts like recommended. Still have the steering chatter when going slow over uneven road. Like when truck is rocking back and forth over washboard roads. It never happens when the car is cold. Happens after I sit in park for 30min then put back into drive. Like then I can feel Lorna rubber or grinding on brake pedal on that first brake and then the chatter. Driving me nuts.

 

[Jivewalker]

I have clunks, knocks, ticks, grinds, squeaks, rumbles, sometimes random beeps, they all come around. Best thing to do is check all of the known stuff and do the maintenance like ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, shocks, skids, bolts, nuts, etc. then let it go. Otherwise you will spend 200,000 miles trying to find "the noise" instead of enjoying the ride! Some pantera usually fixes it for me.

 

[BorotHex]

Because of what I said about it only happening when changing direction, I suspect my tie rod end ball joints might be shot.

This sounds logical and probable.

 

[ax2021]

Had the same problem with my front and, clank, pops sounds when backing out from the drive way or pulling into the parking spot with the sharp turns. Solved that problem yesterday. In my case was LCA rear bushings were shot, it was so easy to find out. I would say before do anything check those first. My truck feels like I bought it yesterday brand new.


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[WEAK_E90]

Had the same problem with my front and, clank, pops sounds when backing out from the drive way or pulling into the parking spot with the sharp turns. Solved that problem yesterday. In my case was LCA rear bushings were shot, it was so easy to find out. I would say before do anything check those first. My truck feels like I bought it yesterday brand new.


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how do you "check" those? Visual? procedure?

 

[ax2021]

how do you "check" those? Visual? procedure?

Yes, I can tell when bushings are bad visual just because I had them. But best way to check it with the pry bar on platform . Place the pry bar in between the frame and LCA brackets and try to move it left and right. If bushings are good, won’t be any play. On my truck rear ones had like one inch+ of play and front ones were solid no play at all.


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