Apex parts causing terrible Clunk on an F350 with full Carli & Redhead

[Macfly]

Can you help me identify this loud metallic clunk that seems to be emanating from the front left?

The truck is steering and handling perfectly, having recently replaced a faulty track rod bar, but this persistent noise is loud and worrying. Sounds like it could be suspension brakes or even engine mounts. Has anyone heard anything like this or know what it might be?

I've edited it together here so you can really hear the noise, which happens relatively infrequently, sometimes three or four minutes between clunks; they come in rapid succession. It isn't possible to generate it consistently with steering or braking inputs.

https://youtu.be/w8cs6c2h42g

 

[andy_b]

What year truck?

Assuming you have checked: upper and lower shock mounts, track bar mounts, TREs, swaybar endlinks, caliper mounts, etc? Don’t mean to be patronizing but it is hard to guess what has been checked, which makes suggesting what to check next challenging.

I know when I do projects like these, I’m fastidious about making sure critical fasteners are torqued and marked. Then, on my test drive, I hear a worrisome noise that ends up being something dumb like the 1/2 drive socket rolling around in my door panels or hood cowl. I doubt few are as dumb as me but it could happen.

 

[tacollie]

Have you laid under the truck and grabbed on to the steering components to see if anything would move? If the track bar was most recent work in may to be torqued again.

 

[GR8ADV]

I hear a worrisome noise that ends up being something dumb like the 1/2 drive socket rolling around in my door panels or hood cowl. I doubt few are as dumb as me but it could happen.

Yes, yes and then yes. Omg I thought it was just me.

 

[andy_b]

Yes, yes and then yes. Omg I thought it was just me.

LOL, the number of times tragedy *almost* occurred on a complicated project is like the number of stars in the sky.

 

[GR8ADV]

LOL, the number of times tragedy *almost* occurred on a complicated project is like the number of stars in the sky.

Oh the stories I have of unrelated noises could fill a book.

Back to the OP. If it were me I would start by eliminating variables.
-Drive straight on flat pave.
-then uphill and down hill.
-no brakes, brakes
-speed bumps.
-Then do corners.
-Then repeat all the above off pave.

One thing at a time to try to isolate what causes the problem and just as important, what does not.

But for fun, I’ll toss my dollar in that you have a splined/friction shaft somewhere that is not greased enough.

 

[KSM garage]

if the noise started after the track bar was replaced i would start there, i know you said it was a ford but on the dodges you can get a similar clunk from the upper bolt on the track bar even when torqued properly. thuren fabrication. (similar to carli) recommends cranking on the upper track bar bolt until the clunk stops. if the opening is wider than the track bar the correct torque wont pinch the bar enough and allow it to shift on the bolt.

 

[Kingsize24]

Sounds like the uniball in the track arm is dry. Sticking, then releasing with a pop as the tension releases during suspension cycling and turning.

 

[Macfly]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions, will make a list and start eliminating everything again.

 

[TexasSixSeven]

That sounds exactly like mine when my Apex ends decided to prematurely wear out. Dan Tourino (from Carli) had the same issue, at almost the same time. We installed within a month of each other, had within 1k miles of each other, and happened within a month of each other. I called Apex up, and they split the cost of new ends with me. Not exactly impressive service since they failed at less than 12K miles of mostly highway miles with zero abuse in that time.

 

[Macfly]

I had several Apex parts added around 4k miles ago, combined with the Redhead steering box to try to eliminate the terrible steering vagueness and wandering all over the road that turned out to be the bad Carli track rod end. To be honest the noise was there before the Apex parts were added, but it's got a hell of a lot worse recently.

 

[plumber mike]

It may not help or be relevant, but I had an older super duty steering knuckle u joint get stiff from not using 4wd enough. It made similar sounds and was inconsistent in making the sound. You might try locking the hubs and going for a ride to see if frequency of clunk changes.

 

[Macfly]

Here's a new clip of the worsening noise...

The Worsening Steering-Suspension Clunk

It sounds like the entire front is getting ready to break off my truck

youtube.com

 

[FAW3]

I had a mystery “clunk” start up in the front suspension of my Ram 3500 after playing down in Big Bend NP. Could not really tell where the noise came from other than front end.

I started methodically visually inspecting and checking tightness/looseness of everything I could reach.

Finally found a couple of slightly loose strut mount nuts. Retightened…issue fixed.

 

[GR8ADV]

2wd? 4wd? pavement? Wheel straight?… more videos are not helping to narrow down the cause.