Help Diagnose Front End Clunk - On My Truck

[jmgtp]

In OT because this is in regards to my 2006 Dodge Dakota ST (3.7L/4sp auto/4x4).
I'm the second owner and there are 80k miles on the truck. I don't know the prior service history but what lead me to buy this truck (I looked for 6 months) was that it was by far the cleanest, most rust free one I came across.

The truck makes a metallic clink/clunk sound over small bumps. I mean literally cracks in the road will cause this sound. It isn't too loud and I can't really hear it unless the windows are down. It will make the same noise at 4mph as it will make at 40, and again only small stuff like a bigger crack in the road, a manhole cover, etc. It sounds like it comes from the front drivers side suspension. If I drive over a big bump (like a speed bump) it does NOT make the noise.

Dakotas kind of got a bad rep for wearing out ball joints, so I checked that first. I raised the front wheels off the ground and supported the truck with jack stands under the front axle. I then performed the "wiggle test" on the wheels. Meaning, I pulled, pushed and pryed on them in all directions in an attempt to identify slop in a bad ball joint. I found none. Is there another or better method? I think I can possible use a pry bar to try to separate the hub from the control arm to see if I can get play that way.

Second thing I checked was the front sway bar. I really hoped it was this, and it would make sense, if it shifted to one side and was making contact over the small bumps but when the suspension compressed over big bumps it cleared whatever it was hitting. No such lke, it looks perfectly centered and clear of all obstacles. End links look like good as do the bushings.

So, what else can I check? Is there a better way to check ball joints? The clinking sound drives me nuts since its nearly constant as our roads are not perfect. The truck is about to take over daily driver duties for the winter and I was hoping to resolve this before the snow came.

Help me out!
thanks, John

[pocket-rocket]

How are the shocks and suspension bushings?

[Azrael]

I had a suspension clunk that turned out to be a broken swaybar bushing mount. One of the studs had broke so it was only being held down by one fastener. Although this clunk was more specific to tight turns like in parking lots and between heavy accelleration and braking.

Look for things like scuffs or rubbing around bolt-heads and nuts. The sort of thing that would indicate movement between parts if something was loose. Also check for play in the tie-rods and balljoints.

[55trucker]

In OT because this is in regards to my 2006 Dodge Dakota ST (3.7L/4sp auto/4x4).
suspension. If I drive over a big bump (like a speed bump) it does NOT make the noise.


So, what else can I check? Is there a better way to check ball joints? The clinking sound drives me nuts since its nearly constant as our roads are not perfect. The truck is about to take over daily driver duties for the winter and I was hoping to resolve this before the snow came.

Help me out!
thanks, John

To properly test the lower ball joint you need to as well having the chassis supported you need to get a jack under the control arm as near as possible to the spindle and raise the arm just enough to allow the upper & lower arm to move (don't put the weight of the truck back on the control arm). Now get a prybar between the spindle boss & the balljoint, and work the prybar up & down. If the balljoint is loose it will move up & down. You can do the same for the upper joint.

[jman093]

I've only seen a few bad ball joints on the newer style Dakota and you tested them right anyways. They are nothing like the ones on the old 97-04 style that wear out incessantly. The newer style like yours is bad about sway bar links. That ball and socket it uses wears out. Gets noisy first and then eventually break in 2 pieces. Can you get it make noise under body sway? Drive it at a pretty slow speed and start sawing at the wheel and get it to sway. If it does it then I'd say it's the links. If it's only on bumps it's probably something else, like maybe a shock.

[jmgtp]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I looked at it again this weekend. I raised the front end and visually inspected everything again. I also push, pulled and pryed on every joint, but due to the shape of the hubs/control arms and having a front axle in the way I found it really difficult to do the prybar test on the ball joints. I just couldn't really get a pry bar in there.

The ONLY thing I found is that the sway bar was closer to the fraim rail on the drivers side than on the passenger. I was able to shift it back in place - using a prybar, it slid a little too easily through the bushings. That's right, the bushings that secure it to the frame are not holding it all that tightly (the bolts are tight, just the bushings don't seem to have that good a grip on the bar). That said, there were no rub marks on the bar or the frame rail that it was close to. Anyway it is in there evenly spaced now and it still makes the same noise.

I did see that the end links do use some kind off mini sized ball joint. Truck doesn't make the noise when swerving, but I'll try intentionally swerving wildly tonight to see if it makes the sound. Only small bumps, manhole covers, large cracks in the road. And again, LARGE bumps (like speedbumps) never make the noise.

I don't know the condition of the shocks. With 80k miles, I imagine the shocks themselves are OK. As far as bushings on the shocks I have no idea because I can't see them.

So bottom line is I still have this annoying noise. I'm not sure if the sway bar bushings have anything to do with it but other than the fact that I could slide the sway bar so easily. I guess I can eliminate the sway bar as a possibility all together by disconnecting the end links, if the noise stops then I will know for sure that it is sway bar related.

[TGP37]

What about the axle nut? Is it tight because there is a large washer behind it that can rattle if loose. My bro had a Dodge that rattled similar and we found it in the hub....forgot though what it was, I'm not partial to Dodges.

The axle bolt may appear tight but take the CV Boot by hand and try to pull it in/out of the wheel hub.

It won't cause a steering wobble, but it could shift and the axle nut/washer is large and would surely make noise.

Tie-rod ends, did you check them? Are your motor and trans mount bolts tight? (under the subframe)

Just a guess, an idea to check.

[jmgtp]

I didnt check the axle nut or motor mounts but those are all things that have never been touched so I think they should all still be torqued at factory spec. Further, if it were those things I don't see how the noise would only be triggered by small bumps and not the big ones?

I'm driving the truck for the next day or two (we actually got snow ALREADY) but once its back in the garage I'll check those things out. I think by Thanksgiving the truck is going to take over as daily driver for the winter and I was hoping to resolve before then.

[jmgtp]

I did some more Googling and I think that those of you that suggested it may be the front sway bar end links might be onto something.
I don't see why they engineered a joint into the end link when everyone else has been doing just fine with solid end links and bushings. But it does look like the joint is prone to wear, clunking and ultimately failure. I may just pull the suspect end link out and see if I can find play in the joint. If I do I guess it'll get replaced - one online source priced it at $38 which is extremely expensive for an end link! I may see if a universal Moog end link with the poly bushings can fit as a substitue but I doubt it, I'm sure they engineered it so the joint is necessary

[TGP37]

Yeah, those were just off the wall ideas for what seemed a tricky to find noise.

Hope you solve it.

[bob442]

Front and rear sway bar links and bushings go all the time

[jmgtp]

I changed the upstream o2 sensors last week (what a pain! connector BURIED between trans and truck body - had to lower the trans about 5" to access). While under there I searched for my clink/clunk, again.

FINALLY, I found that the end links on the REAR sway bar to be totally shot. I could jiggle the sway bar with my hand and sure enough there was the clink. While driving it just really sounds like it came from the front - but I can't find anything loose or worn up front so I'm assuming at this point it was the noise at the back of the truck that I was hearing.

So, I'll be replacing the rear end links and hoping for the best. Also found a torn boot on the CV joint for the front driveshaft at the transfer case end (differential end has a U joint). Since I don't know how long its been torn I think its best to just rebuild the joint. Replacement parts are about $100-200 depending where you look. I may just drive it as is through the winter and replace the CV in the Spring.

[60dgrzbelow0]

Have a look at this thread... "Rack and Pinion Caused the Clunk" This man's truck is a year younger than yours and sports the bigger Hemi- Engine... but since this very unusual problem is so symptomatically similar to yours...and it finally got sorted out, I thought it might be helpful here, too.

--== Best of Luck! ==--

http://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen-ram/146131-2005-ram-front-end-rattle-clunking-at-last-fixed-today.html

[jmgtp]

Well I need to replace the rear sway bar end links first. The parts stores don't seem to carry them. They are a definite source of a clunk sound. If it still makes the noise after that then the search will be back on!