Front End Noise (Clunk) Driver Side...Extended Driving and High Ambient Temp

[SSF556]

2008 WK with 85,000 miles
OME HD Lift


Pavement driving, 2-3 hours of driving paved country roads, high ambient air temp 85+...no offroad. Clunk is not there at the start of the trip, but by the end the clunk is present. I do not get the clunk when I do rapid side to side movements of the steering wheel. I do not get the clunk when doing hard braking or accelerating. Clunk is at slower speed generally, but I have heard it at highway speed when you hit a pot hole or bridge joint. No excessive movement in the steering wheel or change in handling character. I rotate tires every 5,000 miles and I have gotten great tire wear across all 4 tires...nothing that indicates suspension or steering issue.

- 15,000 miles on OME shocks/springs

- Stock OEM CV axles...never had an grease leak

- Aftermarket UCA with greasable ball joints installed 5,000 miles ago...I greased them after I got the first clunk 2 months ago

- New greasable tie rod ends installed 15,000 miles ago....greased as well after I got the first clunk 2 months ago.

When the clunk first happened I thought something was loose in the suspension....went through and tightened everything that can be tightened. Nothing was loose.

Given that it is at the end of the driving cycle not the start and high ambient heat I was thinking the following....

1) Can a worn CV axle cause the clunk noise when hitting bumps?....I was hoping to get to at least 100K on the OEM axles

2) Could heat buildup in the front shocks cause the clunk? Again this is country road pavement...no continuos corrugation, no trail driving.

3) Could worn wheel bearings cause the clunk? With 32" tires they do wear quicker but again was hoping to get to the 100K mark on those as well.


The only reason I am thinking this is a friction or heat issue is that I do not get the noise all the time. If it was something that was not tight....upper shock mount it would be happening all the time.


Input appreciated....

 

[kojackJKU]

Yes, CV joints could cause clunk, Also, a bummed shock could do this after heating up. Another thing you could check is the swaybar bushings that attach to the frame. mine had a horrible clunk and that's what it was. Replaced those and all was good again. My clunk was intermittent too.

 

[SSF556]

Yes, CV joints could cause clunk, Also, a bummed shock could do this after heating up. Another thing you could check is the swaybar bushings that attach to the frame. mine had a horrible clunk and that's what it was. Replaced those and all was good again. My clunk was intermittent too.

Sway bar bushing were replaced about 10,000 miles ago. But I will double check those and make sure they are tight.

Thanks

 

[kojackJKU]

Hmmm, I am guessing cv, ball joint, or shock. Even though the shocks are fairly new one could fail. also check the sway bar links as well. They are known to cause a nice clunk.

 

[Concours14]

I have a 06' Commander (same platform). As others have said check the upper & lower ball joints, sway bar bushings. You stated you changed the tie rods was this just outer or inner or both?

If you did not change the inner check there. I have just order mine as I was getting a random clunk I couldn't trace until now I can make the inner joint clunk by turning the wheel while stopped.

Another source for clunks are the bushings for the front diff.

 

[kojackJKU]

Are these solid front axle? If so, track bar is a culprit too

 

[SSF556]

Are these solid front axle? If so, track bar is a culprit too

IFS

 

[kojackJKU]

Ok. Hmmmm. I think we have gone through everything. Oh. Check your brake calipers too. I had one crap out on my caddy Cts and it caused all kinds of weird noises.

 

[AnotherRedZj]

Had a bad intermittent clunk in the zj......turned out to be power steering box bolts to the frame.

 

[Bobs boot camping]

yeah, that could do it. Does Crock still have a brace plate for those?

 

[KK6POV]

I don't know much about jeeps... BUT, I had a mystery clunk, I thought it was sway bar end links, thought it was bushings... turned out it was a loose brake caliper... glad I found that before it was serious. If you run out of Ideas thats a place to check.

 

[Matches]

Try cutting the tie wrap on your intermediate steering shaft, sliding the boot down, and greasing the splines with 5th wheel grease. Work the shaft up and down to make sure the splinesare well coated. Numerous threads on other forums regarding this. Google steering shaft clunk.

 

[SSF556]

Thanks everyone...will double check calipers and see if I can grease steering shaft...noise has been absent the last couple of days...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[kojackJKU]

Ahhh the chasing the clunk. I have many more suggestions if it were a JK. The boot that goes around the hole in the firewall, the brake pedal bushings, steering shaft/brake pedal bracket, I could go on, because everyone on of these were an issue with my jeep. All since have been fixed and its all been good. I think my jeep was the last one to go down the assembly line on Friday before a big party, or the first one to go down on Monday after the same party. There were many little things that were not like any other jeep I have talked too. from all these brackets etc being loose, to c clips left off the C/V joint on the front end. All has been fix long ago under warranty, and my Jeep is the best rig I have owned.

 

[KK6POV]

. I think my jeep was the last one to go down the assembly line on Friday before a big party, or the first one to go down on Monday after the same party.

Hahaha