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Clunk/ pop from suspension, is it drag link?

Midwest Stinger

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Hi all, I know that I'll get some of the responses of " we can't trouble shoot what we can't see or hear" but figured I'd pose the question anyway.

I've had the 3.5" JKS lift added recently and a few days later I started noticing a clunk or pop noise intermittently. Seems like it happens more often when the suspension cycles (no matter how far) during a turn. Don't really notice it at higher speeds, but that may just be due to road noise covering it up.

I got under it and checked it all out real quick last night, and the one thing I noticed was that the drag link has some play in it. It is able to move roughly 1/2" if I grab it and swing it up or down towards the bumper, and gives a little pop / clunk noise when it hits the end of travel. Could this be my issue, or does that link normally have that type of play in it?

Asking because if I just need to tighten it down some more, I can do that at home and save myself the hour trip to the off road shop for them to check over all of their work again.

Thanks!
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RH 67

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Hi all, I know that I'll get some of the responses of " we can't trouble shoot what we can't see or hear" but figured I'd pose the question anyway.

I've had the 3.5" JKS lift added recently and a few days later I started noticing a clunk or pop noise intermittently. Seems like it happens more often when the suspension cycles (no matter how far) during a turn. Don't really notice it at higher speeds, but that may just be due to road noise covering it up.

I got under it and checked it all out real quick last night, and the one thing I noticed was that the drag link has some play in it. It is able to move roughly 1/2" if I grab it and swing it up or down towards the bumper, and gives a little pop / clunk noise when it hits the end of travel. Could this be my issue, or does that link normally have that type of play in it?

Asking because if I just need to tighten it down some more, I can do that at home and save myself the hour trip to the off road shop for them to check over all of their work again.

Thanks!
It should not move up or down at all it`s needs to be re-torqued. I`m surprised that you cannot feel this in the steering.
 
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Midwest Stinger

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It should not move up or down at all it`s needs to be re-torqued. I`m surprised that you cannot feel this in the steering.
Maybe I should rephrase...it's not exactly a down/up movement in the direct vertical. The joint at the knuckle has play that allows the pin of the link to move in a pivoting forward/back direction which in turn swings the majority of the drag bar up or down.

I was assuming that it's still just needing to be retorqued, but wanted to get some input before I get home and take the wheel off to check it.

Haven't had any vibrations or issues other than the occasional pop/clunk noise.
 

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Maybe I should rephrase...it's not exactly a down/up movement in the direct vertical. The joint at the knuckle has play that allows the pin of the link to move in a pivoting forward/back direction which in turn swings the majority of the drag bar up or down.

I was assuming that it's still just needing to be retorqued, but wanted to get some input before I get home and take the wheel off to check it.

Haven't had any vibrations or issues other than the occasional pop/clunk noise.
It should pivot but not flop side to side there is a ring inside that controls this. The 1/2" your talking about is waay too much, it could be that there is internal damage to the drag link.
 

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Or someone forgot to tighten a bold during the suspension install. Have you checked torque on all of the main bolts?
 

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RH 67

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OP read the description on this drag link. https://metalcloak.com/metalcloak-heavy-duty-drag-link-jl-wrangler.html The drag link should only pivot while turning the steering wheel, the fact that you can make it do what you describe while pulling on it tells me that there is something wrong. Mine is solid with zero movement.
Ran across this page on the JL forum, and this is exactly the type of issue that I've noticed. Some play that shows when you grab ahold of it, and a popping during different vehicle movements. Sounds like a lot of guys run into this. To me, it seems like its probably fine with a stock Jeep as FCA designed it, but it rears it's head once bigger tires and or lift are installed. What do you think?

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/drag-link-loose.23537/
 

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Ran across this page on the JL forum, and this is exactly the type of issue that I've noticed. Some play that shows when you grab ahold of it, and a popping during different vehicle movements. Sounds like a lot of guys run into this. To me, it seems like its probably fine with a stock Jeep as FCA designed it, but it rears it's head once bigger tires and or lift are installed. What do you think?

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/drag-link-loose.23537/
The drag link needs to be adjusted with the lift if not your going to have undo force at the joints. Your track bar had to be adjusted to get the axle in place so if your drag link was not adjusted you have undo force placed on the drag link. I just checked mine and there is no movement at all.
 

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The drag link needs to be adjusted with the lift if not your going to have undo force at the joints. Your track bar had to be adjusted to get the axle in place so if your drag link was not adjusted you have undo force placed on the drag link. I just checked mine and there is no movement at all.
This isn’t exactly true. The only thing you can adjust on the draglink is the adjustment for steering center (length of drag link). It’s literally one bolt, and the double adjust collar. This neither increases nor decreases “force”. It only adjusts the length of the draglink.
 

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RH 67

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This isn’t exactly true. The only thing you can adjust on the draglink is the adjustment for steering center (length of drag link). It’s literally one bolt, and the double adjust collar. This neither increases nor decreases “force”. It only adjusts the length of the draglink.
This isn’t exactly true. The only thing you can adjust on the draglink is the adjustment for steering center (length of drag link). It’s literally one bolt, and the double adjust collar. This neither increases nor decreases “force”. It only adjusts the length of the draglink.
I should have said it more clear, yes the adjustment is to center the steering wheel. Uncentered the steering box and steering correction wants to center the steering wheel thus putting more force on the steering components. I explained it the way i did to get a response from the OP to determine if the steering wheel was centered, i should have just asked if it was.
 
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I should have said it more clear, yes the adjustment is to center the steering wheel. Uncentered the steering box and steering correction wants to center the steering wheel thus putting more force on the steering components. I explained it the way i did to get a response from the OP to determine if the steering wheel was centered, i should have just asked if it was.
Steering wheel is all centered up and I don’t get any bump steer, death wobble or other vibration at all. It’s just the noise from that area and that’s the only item that I see or feel is loose/ making noise.
 
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UPDATE: Took it back to the off-road shop that I had install my JKS lift and told them about the noise. They test drove and then looked it all over. They told me that a bit had loosened up a bit from the JKS torque specs and that they retightened them all and I should be good to go. Seemed fine for about the first 400 miles and then I heard another couple of clunks from I’m assuming the same loose control arm. Seems like 400-500 miles is really quick for these to start getting loose again already, these were highway miles and no off-road trips at all.

Question to you all.... how often do you check all bolts for torque, and is there anything to do to prevent them backing out (not sure if lock tite is the answer).
 

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UPDATE: Took it back to the off-road shop that I had install my JKS lift and told them about the noise. They test drove and then looked it all over. They told me that a bit had loosened up a bit from the JKS torque specs and that they retightened them all and I should be good to go. Seemed fine for about the first 400 miles and then I heard another couple of clunks from I’m assuming the same loose control arm. Seems like 400-500 miles is really quick for these to start getting loose again already, these were highway miles and no off-road trips at all.

Question to you all.... how often do you check all bolts for torque, and is there anything to do to prevent them backing out (not sure if lock tite is the answer).
I check mine whenever I hear a noise I’m not expecting. Which has been every couple of off road trips lately. I can’t keep the swaybar link bolts tight. I did put locktite on several tray and will see how that works. Good luck.
 

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Sorry to hear about your issues. Going to watch this closely as I’m getting ready to install my JKs lift soon.

just wondering, where did you have the kit installed? Maybe axleboy? Or Hellbent performance?
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