Front end clunk- what to look for?

[sroodtuo]

I’ve been hearing a small clunk that I believe is coming from my front passenger wheel area. It happens when driving and hitting imperfections in the road. Speed doesn’t seem to matter but I notice it most around town. I feel like it is most prevalent when driving over things that cause the suspension to droop (think shock bottoming out).

The rig is. 2013 TE (67k miles) with stock suspension and KDSS.

I’ve “looked” at the suspension, upper and lower control arms, etc and didn’t see anything that jumped out at me.

Any suggestions on what to look for or how best to troubleshoot?

Thanks.

 

[tylertenny]

I’ve been hearing a small clunk that I believe is coming from my front passenger wheel area. It happens when driving and hitting imperfections in the road. Speed doesn’t seem to matter but I notice it most around town. I feel like it is most prevalent when driving over things that cause the suspension to droop (think shock bottoming out).

The rig is. 2013 TE (67k miles) with stock suspension and KDSS.

I’ve “looked” at the suspension, upper and lower control arms, etc and didn’t see anything that jumped out at me.

Any suggestions on what to look for or how best to troubleshoot?

Thanks.

I have the same thing happening and, from what I've read, the sway bar bushings and sway bar end links are a good place to start. I'll be replacing mine in the next couple weeks so we'll see if that's my issue.

Others have said that a clunking sound can happen if the long upper control arm bolt isn't torqued to spec. I've also seen others with the same issue because their skid plate bolts were a little loose. Hopefully you can track it down!

 

[octanejunkie]

First thing I would check for is wheel bearings and lower ball joints, then all tie rod ends, sway bar end links, etc.

Do you happen to have remanufactured or aftermarket CV axles?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[sroodtuo]

First thing I would check for is wheel bearings and lower ball joints, then all tie rod ends, sway bar end links, etc.

Do you happen to have remanufactured or aftermarket CV axles?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

Axels are stock and there are no cracks/breaks in the boots. What's the best was to check the wheel bearings and ball joints? I don't have a lift so I'm limited in what I can accomplish at the house.

Thanks again.

 

[2021nightshade4x4]

Jack it up and check for play. Rubber bushings can dry out and shrink slightly without necessarily visibly cracking


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[T4R_Canuck]

I’ve been hearing a small clunk that I believe is coming from my front passenger wheel area. It happens when driving and hitting imperfections in the road. Speed doesn’t seem to matter but I notice it most around town. I feel like it is most prevalent when driving over things that cause the suspension to droop (think shock bottoming out).

The rig is. 2013 TE (67k miles) with stock suspension and KDSS.

I’ve “looked” at the suspension, upper and lower control arms, etc and didn’t see anything that jumped out at me.

Any suggestions on what to look for or how best to troubleshoot?

Thanks.

Well it could be a large range of things unfortunately, but since you have KDSS and an older 4R like myself, its possible that its coming from the KDSS system. I started with replacing my sway bar bushings, which helped a little, but didn't solve my clunk. My KDSS has been clunking at slow speeds for quite some time as well. Search up "KDSS clunk" on this forum and the rest of the ol interwebs and see if your symptoms are the same. Some people have successfully solved their clunk by removing the front KDSS cylinder from the sway bar completely.

A note, my 4R eats front sway bar bushings, so i'm assuming my KDSS is problematic, but i've had no performance related issues or KDSS dash lights. I just run it and replace the bushing once a year or so.

 

[John in NC]

I had a clunk that would happen when accelerating from a full stop. Doesn’t sound like what you have, but I had all the prop shafts lubed and it took care of it. They took a lot of grease

 

[2021nightshade4x4]

I had a clunk that would happen when accelerating from a full stop. Doesn’t sound like what you have, but I had all the prop shafts lubed and it took care of it. They took a lot of grease

Wild tangent but is that something they’d need to loosen and re-torque the axle nuts for?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CutthroatSlam]

Quickest and cheapest place to start is to make sure the lower control arm bolts are torqued to spec.

 

[caper]

betting on sway bar end links , I replace mine every 2-3 years as they start clunking ( Napa life time warranty ones )
and put poly greaseable sway bar bushings in long ago , and only grease them with silicone grease ,

 

[John in NC]

Regarding lubing the prop shafts, I think it’s a zerk type fitting. I paid to have them all done and got roasted a bit on here for it. But I didn’t want to buy the grease gun, grease, grease fittings and all that, and risk messing it up.

Here’s that thread-
Lube and Torqe Drive/Prop Shaft Cost

 

[jcrown7]

Quickest and cheapest place to start is to make sure the lower control arm bolts are torqued to spec.

This. In 80k miles, all but one time that I've had a clunk from the front, it's been after an alignment and the shop doesn't tighten the LCA bolts to spec (129ft/lb).

 

[sroodtuo]

I think maybe(?) I found the problem or at least where I’ll start replacing parts. Looks like there’s a small gap on the passenger side bushing.



Thoughts on oem vs an aftermarket brand bushing and changing it while the vehicle is on the ground?

 

[FiReBReTHa]

Quickest and cheapest place to start is to make sure the lower control arm bolts are torqued to spec.

This.

That's what happened to me.

 

[catrains]

I think maybe(?) I found the problem or at least where I’ll start replacing parts. Looks like there’s a small gap on the passenger side bushing. quote...

put a silicone spray on that rubber and then changes that noise ..

 

[sroodtuo]

I think maybe(?) I found the problem or at least where I’ll start replacing parts. Looks like there’s a small gap on the passenger side bushing. quote...

put a silicone spray on that rubber and then changes that noise ..

I don’t understand this. The noise is a clunk. Not a squeak or squeal. Sorry if I misinterpreted what you are saying and I’m happy to try almost anything.

I was ready to swap out upper and lower UCAs, ball joints, and shocks

 

[daytonaviolet]

I also have similar clunk sounds. the other week I changed my oil and drove around without putting back my trd skid plate. I noticed the clunk was gone.

Seems like my clunk is coming from the rear trd skid plate bolts. These bolts are connected to the radiator supports. i haven’t isolated why this clunk occurs with the skid plate on, but I’m guessing the skid plate may be rubbing on something. I do have a diff drop so I suspecting that area.