suspension pop?

[MtnT4R]

I have been trying to track down this noise for about a year with no success. When the rear suspension sways (3" lift- OME coils with bilstiein shocks) I hear a loud bang or pop, almost like some component popping out of place, and then popping back in. I would almost call it more of a bang noise, its very loud and I've scared more than one pedestrian pulling into parking garages and other areas with uneven storm drains or whatnot. It happens pretty much constantly when wheeling and sounds like the truck is falling apart.

So far I have replaced the rear UCAs and LCAs, panhard, and front UCAs with zero success. All I can tell is the popping happens more often now that I have switched to softer bilstein shocks that allow greater articulation in the rear suspension.

I had a friend isolate the noise in the rear half of the truck after driving by him on a road full of potholes. From the cab it almost sounds like it might be the front suspension, but from outside its definitely coming from around the rear axle- I have replaced pretty much everything that could cause this noise, so I am stuck. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[thegipper]

Driveshaft hitting the gas tank skid plate?

 

[tarsun]

CV / UV joint...? axle yolk...? pinion bearing...?

 

[kolelt]

Driveshaft hitting the gas tank skid plate?

This. Check the driveshaft near the back. There’s a weight on there that hits the gas tank when flexed. Nothing you can really do.

 

[thegipper]

This. Check the driveshaft near the back. There’s a weight on there that hits the gas tank when flexed. Nothing you can really do.

If it is hitting the gas tank skid plate, I would just take a mallet and bend it back a bit to give it a little more clearance.

 

[derpiful]

Do you still have your sway bar on? I had a similar noise and it turned out to be that.. check it out!

 

[thecole1098]

I had the same loud bang that would happen anytime the axle articulated greatly and it scared the shit out of me everytime it happened. Turned out being my coils popping out of place momentarily and quickly seating back into place once weight fell back on to them after switched to different shocks that were longer than what the coils were meant for. I ended up losing a coil on a trail one time because of this haha.

 

[MtnT4R]

Thanks for the input everyone- the holidays are crazy around here so I haven't really had time to check this until Friday. There is nothing hitting the gas tank skid, and my buddy had the truck in his shop for an afternoon to check everything out. He is stumped, the noise seems to be coming from the passenger rear when driving, but his crew was unable to reproduce the sound in the shop using lifts and other tools.

He thought it might be the sway bar links, but I had those off the truck for 3 months last summer and the sound was still there. Checked the rear coils at full droop, they are seated correctly and tight.

I might try some Eibach coils instead of the OMEs on there right now, think they might somehow be the cause of the noise?

 

[Mark_BC]

I get the same thing, since I replaced the whole rear end with another stock one. Everything is stock. It otherwise seems OK. It isn't from hitting the shaft or anything, it is just a very loud pop.

 

[deves2]

I had the same loud bang. its the coil spring coming out of the seat then banging when it goes back in. simple fix. run a bolt up through the cone to a piece of flat stock above the frame ....that will hold the cone in the correct position and the spring will just slide up and down on the cone.....done/fixed . ......... It has worked for me for over a year and no more clunks... I should add that I chased that clunk for over a year before I finally found it. Every time I would get under to check things out the spring would be in its normal/correct position. finally I noticed it was sitting off to the side of the perch and shook the runner and it banged into position..... good luck

 

[MtnT4R]

I had the same loud bang. its the coil spring coming out of the seat then banging when it goes back in. simple fix. run a bolt up through the cone to a piece of flat stock above the frame ....that will hold the cone in the correct position and the spring will just slide up and down on the cone.....done/fixed . ......... It has worked for me for over a year and no more clunks... I should add that I chased that clunk for over a year before I finally found it. Every time I would get under to check things out the spring would be in its normal/correct position. finally I noticed it was sitting off to the side of the perch and shook the runner and it banged into position..... good luck

Thanks Deves I'll give that a try. Cheaper than anything else I've tried so far :doh: