Update 3/13 - Found it: Front end noise thats driving me crazy... any advice appreciated!

2005 DCSB with 884's up front and spc control arms. Frame replaced 1.5 yrs ago with new components up front.

Just started to here this annoying click or clank (metal to metal sound) and I cannot find where it is coming from. Basically I pull past my driveway and put it in reverse to back in. As I am at almost full lock and going in reverse i here a metal to metal sound sometimes as a clicking and multiple times and sometimes just once little bang. I can replicate it by going forward also and turning the wheel usually when i pull the truck slowly into an incline or decline.

I replaced the body mounts under the radiator because they were shot. Ive tightened all the nuts I could under the truck to eliminate something loose and I took off my sway bar to eliminate that in case it was hitting the coils. The lower control arm bushings are tightened to spec and are brand new. Nothing has worked. I have access to a lift and im out of options and need some help.

 

Tighten your UCA and LCA hardware. It should go away. While under there, it would be a good idea to pull the LCA bolts one at a time and cover them with anti seize. Don't forget to mark the cam tabs so you don't lose alignment.

 

Check your cv joints

 

The lca's are good but I will check the uppers. Thanks for the advice

 

Have not done this, I'll do it as soon as i can. Trying not to sound like an idiot, but how do i do this? Lol

 

another question about the cv's.... I can replicate the sound sometimes when not moving and just turning the wheel back and forth. The noise in that case is just once and then goes away. Wouldnt the truck have to be moving for the cv to be the culprit of the noise?

 

Not necessarily, there will still be movement in the CVs when you are turning the wheel.

 

The noise you are hearing is indicative of worn cv joints. One test is to listen for clicking at full lock under power. Another is to support frame on stands with suspension at full droop, steering at full lock and engine off. Rotate each tire and listen.

 

Thanks, just tested it a little while ago and all i have to do is have the truck standing still with one wheel on lower ground than the other. When i turn the wheel and the truck flexes because of the incline, i can get it to click and clank. Makes me think it has to do with the flexing of the truck as apposed to something else. Is this still indicative of the cv?

 

Tires rotate when steering wheel is turned. Cv joints rotate when tires rotate. You mention you have access to a lift. Get the wheels off the ground and poke around turn things.

 

It is the steering stops on the back of the spindles hitting the bumpers on the LCAs. Totally normal.

 

I'll try that and report back, thanks

 

The noise happens prior to full lock. If i get it right, i can stopped and turn the wheel and when i get the spot right, i can go left and right and make it click a few times before it goes away and i have to reposition the truck again...

 

Take your wheels off and tighten every bolt...could be the lca bushings...torque them to 100

 

good idea, im sure the lca's are to spec, but i wil be tightening everything else again in there when i take the wheel off. Thanks

 

Just really weird cause ive had multiple people under there and nobody can pinpoint where the noise is coming from.

 

@Seabass had the same problem. It turned out to be his stearing rack. It had come just a little lose and started to click when he backed down a kerb.

 

Thank you, steering rack hadn't occurred to me.... Would love to hear from you @Seabass Maybe message me with the specifics of what happened to you and if you think my situation is the same.

 

I know that he replaced the entire front of his truck, new lower control arms new spindles new stearing rack... all of his stuff was just warn out. Then it developed a klunk as you have described. He went in for an alignment hopping it would go away and the tech there informed him his sterling rack was loose.

Tightened it back up and the klunk went away.. the klunk is now back and again the rack was loose again. We are fixing it today with a bit of thread lock. It is just held on with 2 bolts.

 

Much appreciated! Hopefully that's the problem with mine and just became loose after the frame replacement. If you could post a picture of the two bolts in question that would be great. Im working the next 4 days and will be examining it all on Wednesday.