Metal on metal clunk..cant figure it out

[Nickleahy23]

Ive had this clunk for almost 2 years now..It happens when i accelerate, brake, and hit bumps in town, turn into a driveway etc..sometimes its a quiet clunk, sometimes its so loud people on the street look like wtf is that..the clunk started 2 summers ago. since then i have replaced the entire front end (ball joints, tie rods, idler and pitman arm, sway bar links, control arms, rear set up, shocks etc. Ive had the trans crossmember out a few times as well so you can rule any of those things out. I thought it maybe slip yoke clunk, but ive greased it and no difference..I think im gonna try pulling the rear shaft and seeing if i still get the clunk..the only other thing i can think of is that my keys are almost fully decranked cuz to the 3" arms. I almost think thats what my problem is. It seems to be coming from midway under the truck on the pass side. Ive had the bars out since this clunk started and it hasnt changed, but ive been decranked the whole time. is there any kind of bushing on the T bar xmember? or should i try throwing in some drop keys and cranking it up so i actually have some tension on the bars..its basically sitting on the "Keys" that the bolts press on..any ideas would be great..thanks

also the other day i jacked the truck up and it made the clunk as i was jacking the truck up

 

[NORCAL SS]

are you sure its not the rear its coming from?

 

[ATL]

we have a discussion going on in general about this. my truck has been doing it for years also. theres so many things it could be, its hard to narrow it down. i have a feeling mine is caused by more than 1 thing. it sounds like its my brakes sticking. the sound mostly happens, starting and stopping. its loudest once u release the brake pedal and start moving forwards. ill be making a how to article in about 2 weeks on how to rebuild calipers in the case they are sticking. also, mine very seldom makes the noise when the truck is parked and not even running. like if i run to truck to get something out, and i lean on it, itll make the noise. so i also think its my shocks, almost like they are stuck in one certain position and when you make them move they have to break free from the way they are seated at time. but it could also be coming from transmission, u joints, play in the rearend. theres soooo many possibilities its crazy, im very eager to see what you find!

 

[NORCAL SS]

If you guys look at my bolt thread the same applies to 00-06 trucks upgrading the rear bolts to the bigger size gets rid of all the play in the rear.

 

[Nickleahy23]

i have everything perfectly centered in the rear..pinion is perfect, side to side is perfect, etc...it did it with 3 different sets of coils, and with and without the panhard bar..it drives me nuts..

I did think it was my brakes because it started a few weeks after i did my brakes, but i had someone outside the truck and they said its definatly not coming from the front..it feels like its right under the passenger seat..once i get home from school next week im gonna crawl under and retorque everything and then pull the rear shaft and see if it still makes it, just to rule out slip yoke clunk

 

[NORCAL SS]

please read my post on the 07 section on getting rid of the slop it helps a lot in rear

 

[Nickleahy23]

I just looked it over but i didnt see much besides the sphon bar and aftermarket lowers..is it saying i can run 9/16s in my stock arms in the rear? I just dont think its coming from the rear..the rear stays nice and tight..it feels under my feet and it sounds like someone hitting a solid piece of metal with a hammer..you dont think it could be that im as decranked as i can go?

 

[NORCAL SS]

yes you can run bigger bolts in rear you will see how much movement there is when you take the bolts out. DJM hardware kit already uses bigger bolts on the back portion of the relocators but the front bolts on the arms are smaller and the bolts that go thru the frame endlinks are smaller. You can upgrade those

 

[hoe]

Sounds like the Keys... I had that before with my stock keys for about 2 months. Sometimes the truck would be parked, and you just hear it clunk. I believe this was with my stock keys, maxed tight.

When I lifted the truck with ebay keys, the noises went away. All I did was add the keys, and some shock extenders in the front to reuse the stock shock. The lift kit comes off this weekend, and stock keys go back in, and going to decrank to match the 3" drop.

You need to keep a Eye on those keys, or try lube on them.

 

[Modded]

The undersized bolts may cause some minor noise but I know for a fact they are not causing the clunking you guys are getting. If they were, all these SUVs on the road would be clunking, stock or not.
More than likely the clunk is drop related.