Anyone else have loose suspension and steering fasteners?

[ChaosActual]

My wife's gladiator with about 6k miles on it started having a lot of clunking in the front, especially during cooler mornings.

So far I've found the following loose fasteners:

Tie rod to steering knuckle nuts on both sides (tightened to 64 ft-lbs which took at least 3 full threads to turn!)

Drag link to steering (about 2 full threads loose)

Lower shock bolts were about a full turn loose

Tie rod sleeve bolt (1-2 turns)

Brake calipers bolts on passenger side (1/2 turn)

Lower sway bar bolt on both sides (2+ turns)

I think that's it so far. Some i couldn't get a torque wrench on like the upper sway bar link nuts and upper shock bolts. I haven't checked the control arm bolts yet either

The clunking seems to have gone away but we haven't had a cold morning either so it's hard to be 100% sure

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[HorneyBadger]

Did you have a lift installed? Loose bolts after a lift install is quite common especially if the dealer did it. Most of the time its the sway bars.

 

[ChaosActual]

Did you have a lift installed? Loose bolts after a lift install is quite common especially if the dealer did it. Most of the time its the sway bars.

No it's completely factory.

Lift is sitting in the garage though. But the only thing we've touched up until this point is the lug nuts.

 

[ChaosActual]

Got a chance to look at the back. Here's a full list of everything I found loose. I also pinpointed the noise we have in the rear. It's the upper shock bushing clanking even though I tightened it up. Must be a bad bushing.

Front
-all three steering damper bolts loose
-front lower shock bolts loose both sides
-right upper control arm to axle loose
-both tie Rod to steering knuckle loose (3-4 full spins before hitting 64 ft-lbs!!!)
-drag link to steering knuckle loose
-lower sway arm links loose
-track bar to frame loose

Rear
-rear track bar frame and axle side loose
-right rear lower control arm both ends loose
-rear lower shock bolts loose both sides
-rear upper shock bolts loose both sides

 

[DAVECS1]

I had the same issue on mine. I bought a new drag ling figuring I would upgrade while under there, realized the nuts were just loose. After using the aftermarket drag link for a couple months, I am not satified may get new rod ends for the stock one and put it back on correctly.

 

[Maximus Gladius]

After reading about loose torque specs I tackled both front and rear suspension points today and the only ones that weren't loose was the front calipers, all 4 control arms and upper drag link nut. Everything else was under torque spec. But let me tell ya, after everything was torqued proper I took it out for a nice long drive and it was night and day different for me. No more steering wonder! I tracked straight and for some good straight flat stretches of highway, I could even let go of the steering wheel and it stayed in the lane.

My alley neighbour, heavy duty mechanic for Finning came over to see what I was doing and I explained I was retorquing all the suspension bolts and he commented I should take it to the dealership to have them go over it again. I said my truck will NEVER see the dealership. I didn't want it practiced on and broken.

I've got 10k on the odometer and it rides like a dream.

 

[Tar Heel Wrangler]

My front starting clunking after 40 miles after leaving the dealership. Annoying.

 

[Rockabillyroy]

I was just watching a video where they were replacing the track bar, tie rod and drag link and were surprised how easy the nuts came off.

I'm going to go over my front end tomorrow.

Thanks!

 

[ChaosActual]

After reading about loose torque specs I tackled both front and rear suspension points today and the only ones that weren't loose was the front calipers, all 4 control arms and upper drag link nut. Everything else was under torque spec. But let me tell ya, after everything was torqued proper I took it out for a nice long drive and it was night and day different for me. No more steering wonder! I tracked straight and for some good straight flat stretches of highway, I could even let go of the steering wheel and it stayed in the lane.

My alley neighbour, heavy duty mechanic for Finning came over to see what I was doing and I explained I was retorquing all the suspension bolts and he commented I should take it to the dealership to have them go over it again. I said my truck will NEVER see the dealership. I didn't want it practiced on and broken.

I've got 10k on the odometer and it rides like a dream.

I'm glad you checked them!! This might be a pretty big problem for Jeep. Did you mark your bolts to see if they loosen up again?

I didn't post about my dealer experience with all of this. They are worthless. I don't blame you for not taking it in.

Tuesday I checked the front and tightened it all up. Friday morning wife calls and said she heard another noise but wasn't sure if it was something that could be felt.

I called the dealer we bought it from. Asked if they would come get it bc she was afraid to drive it. Notta. Plus they wouldn't be able to get to it until Tuesday.

Called the dealer right down the road from her work. They said bring it on in and it would definitely be looked at that morning and they would check every fastener right away.

She got it there by 9. Couple of the service advisors were so rude she was holding back tears trying not to cry. All because their office echoed so bad she couldn't hear them talking over each other and got a little confused on which one was helping her.

1:30 comes around so I called. Service advisor wasn't sure what the status was. I asked him if I could talk to the mechanic so I could make sure he understood what all I found loose. "That's never going to happen." Ok well did you make sure to tell him what I found? He very rudely stated "I'M THE SERVICE ADVISOR. I TOOK THE NOTES. I have made sure he's aware of the problems."

So I asked him what all he told him. He said that he told them there was a noise coming from under the truck on cold mornings that sounds like 4wd is engaging"

I said are you looking at the right notes because none of that is right. So for the 3rd time that day I explained that every fastener in the steering and front suspension I checked was loose but couldn't get to all of them and wanted the others checked because the clunk noise is still there.

He said he'd never heard that. But would put it in the notes for the tech. I asked him when it'll be done and he said it probably won't be done today. So I asked if we could get a loaner. He said ours would qualify for one but he doesn't have any. Told me we would have to rent our own. I said so you're telling me that you guys have a truck with loose steering bolts from the factory and even after being told it would be checked today now you're telling me it's not safe to drive but you are refusing to put us in something else?? He said he would talk to his boss and call me back.

4 pm I leave work early to go up there. Still haven't gotten a phone call. Wait my turn and he was stunned I was there. He told me they haven't touched it yet so I told him to just give me the keys. He said it's not safe to drive so again I asked about a loaner. He said he didn't have one.

I told him that next time just be honest with me on the phone. Don't tell me you'll get right on it when you know there's a good chance you won't. All you've done is wasted my time and yours. There are 3 other dealers around and I'm sure one of them would have gotten to it quickly knowing there are loose bolts from the factory like you guys assured me you would.

He said well we only do first come first serve. I said that's not what y'all said on the phone. So just don't lie to me next time.

About that time another advisor went into the manager's fish bowl and said "hey boss I need a loaner" and the boss started looking through keys.

I said "That's amazing, all he had to do was go ask for one and he's getting one. Simply amazing. Right after you told me you didn't have any."

By this point the dude was trembling and wouldn't talk.

5 minutes go by and he's still on his computer trying to type. I asked why it took so long to get my keys. Why he's wasting more of my time. He said he just had to finish some notes. What notes? Y'all didn't even touch it. Just give me my keys. You've wasted enough of my time.

He quickly printed out my paper work. And of course there were notes about having loose nuts on the steering and suspension and saying he advised customer to not drive it.

So I asked him for his name. He said it was Chad. So i started writing. He asked me what I was doing and I told him "you have your notes, I'll have mine". He tried to trick me into putting them only on my customer copy. I said oh no man, they'll be on every copy. You wasted my time, you can wait on this. So I wrote "Chad refused a loaner. I was told it would be looked at today but as of 4pm it hasn't been touched. Customer will take directly to other mechanic" on both copies. As I was trying to take pictures of it I had to hold the papers to keep him from pulling them away.

Told him if I get in a wreck, it's going to look really bad for you and this dealership that you have documented that the steering nuts are loose and that you guys didn't look at it like you promised you would and that you refused giving us a loaner. Got my keys and left.

They are friggin worthless!

 

[Maximus Gladius]

I'm glad you checked them!! This might be a pretty big problem for Jeep. Did you mark your bolts to see if they loosen up again?

I didn't post about my dealer experience with all of this. They are worthless. I don't blame you for not taking it in.

Tuesday I checked the front and tightened it all up. Friday morning wife calls and said she heard another noise but wasn't sure if it was something that could be felt.

I called the dealer we bought it from. Asked if they would come get it bc she was afraid to drive it. Notta. Plus they wouldn't be able to get to it until Tuesday.

Called the dealer right down the road from her work. They said bring it on in and it would definitely be looked at that morning and they would check every fastener right away.

She got it there by 9. Couple of the service advisors were so rude she was holding back tears trying not to cry. All because their office echoed so bad she couldn't hear them talking over each other and got a little confused on which one was helping her.

1:30 comes around so I called. Service advisor wasn't sure what the status was. I asked him if I could talk to the mechanic so I could make sure he understood what all I found loose. "That's never going to happen." Ok well did you make sure to tell him what I found? He very rudely stated "I'M THE SERVICE ADVISOR. I TOOK THE NOTES. I have made sure he's aware of the problems."

So I asked him what all he told him. He said that he told them there was a noise coming from under the truck on cold mornings that sounds like 4wd is engaging"

I said are you looking at the right notes because none of that is right. So for the 3rd time that day I explained that every fastener in the steering and front suspension I checked was loose but couldn't get to all of them and wanted the others checked because the clunk noise is still there.

He said he'd never heard that. But would put it in the notes for the tech. I asked him when it'll be done and he said it probably won't be done today. So I asked if we could get a loaner. He said ours would qualify for one but he doesn't have any. Told me we would have to rent our own. I said so you're telling me that you guys have a truck with loose steering bolts from the factory and even after being told it would be checked today now you're telling me it's not safe to drive but you are refusing to put us in something else?? He said he would talk to his boss and call me back.

4 pm I leave work early to go up there. Still haven't gotten a phone call. Wait my turn and he was stunned I was there. He told me they haven't touched it yet so I told him to just give me the keys. He said it's not safe to drive so again I asked about a loaner. He said he didn't have one.

I told him that next time just be honest with me on the phone. Don't tell me you'll get right on it when you know there's a good chance you won't. All you've done is wasted my time and yours. There are 3 other dealers around and I'm sure one of them would have gotten to it quickly knowing there are loose bolts from the factory like you guys assured me you would.

He said well we only do first come first serve. I said that's not what y'all said on the phone. So just don't lie to me next time.

About that time another advisor went into the manager's fish bowl and said "hey boss I need a loaner" and the boss started looking through keys.

I said "That's amazing, all he had to do was go ask for one and he's getting one. Simply amazing. Right after you told me you didn't have any."

By this point the dude was trembling and wouldn't talk.

5 minutes go by and he's still on his computer trying to type. I asked why it took so long to get my keys. Why he's wasting more of my time. He said he just had to finish some notes. What notes? Y'all didn't even touch it. Just give me my keys. You've wasted enough of my time.

He quickly printed out my paper work. And of course there were notes about having loose nuts on the steering and suspension and saying he advised customer to not drive it.

So I asked him for his name. He said it was Chad. So i started writing. He asked me what I was doing and I told him "you have your notes, I'll have mine". He tried to trick me into putting them only on my customer copy. I said oh no man, they'll be on every copy. You wasted my time, you can wait on this. So I wrote "Chad refused a loaner. I was told it would be looked at today but as of 4pm it hasn't been touched. Customer will take directly to other mechanic" on both copies. As I was trying to take pictures of it I had to hold the papers to keep him from pulling them away.

Told him if I get in a wreck, it's going to look really bad for you and this dealership that you have documented that the steering nuts are loose and that you guys didn't look at it like you promised you would and that you refused giving us a loaner. Got my keys and left.

They are friggin worthless!

What a horror story! It doesn’t matter what dealership, what brand, attitudes like this at dealerships are everywhere. The only time they bend over backwards is when you’re looking to buy. The Jeep community needs to really band together and support each other. If you were my neighbour or even lived in my community, I’d be under your hood or rolling around underneath with my creeper to see if we could locate the noise.

Just to further my retorquing post above, I read another post which located the 4 -18mm steering gear box bolts next to the driver front coil spring and it was mentioned the torque spec for those is 99lbs. I checked all 4 of mine and they were at 64lbs!

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