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Front end...."clunking" noise

jeepstrjohn

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Yea it's annoying, but I haven't decided if I'm going to replace it, or just turn the radio up.
I know this is an older thread, but my 2023 with 4400 miles on it does the same thing. The passenger side tie rod and drag link end both clunk when traveling over slow parking lot speeds. And when underneath I can duplicate the sound by putting my hands on either the tie rod or drag link and putting some force on them. I checked torque specs and they are all good. Seems this should not be "normal" on a $50,000 vehicle. I wonder if there are replacement and greasable joint that might be the cure for this?
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MaysvilleStig

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I know this is an older thread, but my 2023 with 4400 miles on it does the same thing. The passenger side tie rod and drag link end both clunk when traveling over slow parking lot speeds. And when underneath I can duplicate the sound by putting my hands on either the tie rod or drag link and putting some force on them. I checked torque specs and they are all good. Seems this should not be "normal" on a $50,000 vehicle. I wonder if there are replacement and greasable joint that might be the cure for this?
I replaced my tie rod and drag link with the ones from metal cloak. They have replaceable and greaseable joints. However, I still have the clunk, turns out the disconnecting sway bar motor has slop in it. At least that's what I have narrowed it down to after replacing everything else.
 

DSGladiator

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I have same issue gladiator has only 5700 miles on it and if it wasn’t for 1 round trip last summer texas to Colorado it would only have 3700 miles. I don’t drive it much. have 3.5 inch JKS lift and 35’s. Can’t say if the clunk was there when all stock or after lift as I put lift on pretty soon after I bought. My lift came with upper and lower control arms. I have been under truck several times tightening all the stuff i switched out with the lift and nothing there is loose. Except the when I grab and shake the draglink and tie rod it seems to clank a little at the knuckles. I tightened them down more than enough and still same movement in ends. Cant believe these are worn out with so little miles. It does not have any driving issues feels normal just the clank when I hit some small sharp bumps like drive ways or other small bumps. I don’t feel it or hear it at normal driving speeds just when at slower speeds like pulling into driveway or insignificant things like that. Anyone found a final solution to this problem. Seems like others here exact same issue. could it be that I need new drag link and crossover.
????
 

Jccook777

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Mine started to do this, only could hear it at low speeds on the passenger front side. I could re-create the sound with the drag link and the tie rod by rotating them. I was running a RC 2.5 inch spacer lift until yesterday. Swapped my springs out for 2.5" metal cloak dual rates with the spring isolators and new perch pads... my noise is completely gone. The OEM perch pads on the axle side on the passenger side of the truck was completely crushed, my truck only has 7500 miles on it. I'm so glad that noise is gone though, I felt like it kept getting louder and louder.
 

DSGladiator

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Are you saying the noise was coming from your springs or bad spring isolator pads and had nothing to do with tie rod even though you could twist drag link by hand and it made the same or similar noise?
also I drove truck today on a decent 45 mile trip with lots of stop and goes. I noticed that after I go forward for a while and then come to stop for traffic I hear the clunk 1x when under first braking but can’t replicate again under braking until I hit go again and drive forward for a while and then hit brakes i hear the clunk again just 1x. Comes from front passenger side. Seems like something is twisting, rolling or settling backward when I drive forward and then when hit brakes it it shifts back. Still think it is coming from tie rod or draglink but will go out and look at springs and isolator to see if something there. But I had originally thought was springs and had grabbed spring to shake and see if loose and did not feel anything abnormal
 

JohnWick

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To add to this, I had the same issue after installing my leveling kit.

The occasional clunk was coming from the right side somewhere. I re-torqued all of the control arm and shock bolts, and the noise disappeared.
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