The clunk

[Jasen]

First off, I just replaced both idler arms (they were pretty sloppy) the steering is tight and responsive again, I put shocks on all the way around a few months back and I greased the front end while under there.

So I've had this heavy metallic clunk in the front end for a few years. I never could find it and the stealer charged me $150 a couple years ago to not find it for me. I generally only does it when I'm backing over the dip out of the drive turning to the right and or turning sharp under low speed such as making a turn or pulling in/out of a parking spot. It's just one clunk, and some times another one when I'm changing direction like back out and then pulling away, some times it almost feels like the whole van shifts sideways, kind of like when you slip on a little patch of ice then catch pavement again. It got really bad here recently and was clunk clunk clunk, that's when I discovered the idler arms. Now that those are replaced, it's back to the same sound and no worse then it was before, but it's now back to just the one clunk.
I looked at everything while I had it up, threw a socket on everything to check that it was all tight, pushed and pulled on steering components and nothing caught my eye.
Any ideas.

97 AWD

[Shad0wXCalibur]

My S10 did that... suspension was tight. I checked everything I could think of. One person in the S10 forum mentioned the body mounts saying the clunk went away when he replaced them. It clunked only during the exact situation you describe, low-speed sharp turn, backing out of driveway, etc. However, I sold the truck before thinking about replacing those so I wouldn't know if that was it or not.

[Phantom]

Maybe the CV joints axle shafts , most noticeable when turning since they are covered by rubber boots hard to see , if the boots get cracked it allows moisture and dirt in and after awhile it wears down the joint ,, other things should be easy to see such as broken sway bar end links etc. sometimes the spring clips that hods the brake pad in place breaks allowing the pad to move back and forth when going from forward to reverse etc, that is not so noticeable .

[Jasen]

There might be some weight to what your saying being it is a sub frame vehicle. I know the body twists when I'm parked on uneven ground, and with all the weight I carry sometime the hatch binds a little bit when I open I it.

And another thing, my right front tire rubs the bumper sometimes when turning left, which is a new thing, the bumper stay doesn't look bent.

Maybe I should crack them all loose and spray a little lithium grease up there

[Jasen]

I've done the brakes sense this started, but the CV that's a good point, I did inspect the bots and they are in good shape. I don't have much experience with CV's pretty much the signs I know to listen for is clicking. This is definitely not clicking, it's more like smacking the frame with a big brass drift punch and a BFH. it's metallic, but doesn't clank like hitting a large piece of heavy steel with a hammer.

[Corsemoto]

Others here have mentioned sway bar bushings and link bushings as a possible culprit in the past.

[Jasen]

The sway bar and links looked good, the bushing are old but I didn't see any splits.

It seems to be on the pass side, is there a jack shaft retaining clip that could have failed and it's moving from side to side in the diff?

[Jasen]

You guy's got me thinking now. Maybe I'll spray the sway bar bushings down with lithium and see if it goes away, then squirt the body mount bushing, if it doesn't. Might was well start with whats free.

[paintdrying]

the wheel bearings are tight

[Jasen]

the wheel bearings are tight

This has been going on for a few years and not gotten worse, tire wear is pretty even even with the bad idler arms, it drives straight when I let go of the wheel, no more wobble/wonder/slop/play, plus I think if it was a wheel bearing it would have gotten much worse over the past few years.
I'm going to say no, but I am going to check.

[trapper20]

Try upper/lower control arm bushings or upper control arm bolts. That would also explain the shifting.

[Jasen]

Ok, got a list now, going to get it off the ground the next break in the weather. Thanks for the input

[Jasen]

With the carpet guys Eww 350 cargo parked tight next to the "Real Mans Van" and the car parked in just the right spot across the street from the drive way I had to do a 4 point maneuver to get out of the drive way today. The front end was popping and clunking like a bag of Orville Redenbacher's in the microwave. This is not the first time I've made extreme maneuvers like this, so I'm thinking the new idler arms have taken some of the slop out of the system and making things worse.
So the next day it's not 42* with a 10* wind chill, I've got to find this problem.

[Lumpy]

... so I'm thinking the new idler arms have taken some of the slop out of the system and making things worse.
So the next day it's not 42* with a 10* wind chill, I've got to find this problem.

While you're in there, pull the crank and inspect the bearings. Maybe do a quick rebuild on the rear diff.


Lump

[Jasen]

I think I should do the PTFE coated ceramic muffler bearing upgrade first

[Jasen]

I'm just going to rebuild most of the front end, it looks to be all original. If I'm going in that deep for the bushing, it would be stupid to not do the ball joints at the same time. Prices are better then at Moog, plus 5% off of price shown.

[Jasen]

Looks like I have plans next weekend



On Schedule

Initiated Picked up In transit Delivered
In transit
LEWISBERRY, PA
Shipment Dates
Ship date Mar 16, 2012
Estimated delivery Mar 23, 2012
Destination
Shoreline, WA

[Jasen]

Got my parts today. I wasn't aware that for AWD the upper and lower Moog problem solver balls joints where both bolt in. I thought it was just the upper that bolted in and the lower was still a press in.
They shorted me 1 sway bar link and are shipping me another one, that's no big deal, those are easy to R&R, and I can still do the major work.

[Corsemoto]

Yeah, mine were all bolt in also. Don't forget to eat your Wheaties!

[Jasen]

If worse comes to worse, I'll just have to wait till Sunday, my son's day off, he's built like a brick out house, unlike his dad, straw brick house comes to mind. Onry only get's you so far