Stumped by the suspension, it's driving me crazy

[ezrider440]

ok folks, i have done searches on this and i still haven't come up with anything. here's the problem which is driving me crazy, i have a noise coming somewhere from the suspension, when i go over bumps every now and then, sounds like a metallic noise, like banging a wrench against a piece of metal, it happens at normal driving speed 25-45 mph, ( but not all the time ) i have done a lot to the suspension so far, new balljoints, new shocks, torsion bar ends, the front is realigned, in the rear i have a lift shackles set up i made, with re arched leafs which give me about 3 1/2 inches of lift. My next step is probably going to replace the sway bar end links, they are tight, and seem to sit flush to the control around but i tried to tighten them and was un successfull, i placed two sockets one on top one on the bottom and tightened them as much as a i could but they still spun when turing a wrench on the bottom nut. Any suggestiions? I do all the work myself so i don't have doubts about any of the above mentioned. I really apprecaite any advice

 

[Dan Whitaker]

Does the sound intesify when making a turn in either direction?
If so I would check the CV's.

 

[Homerexplorer]

What about tie rod ends?

 

[ezrider440]

sorry i forgot to mention, it's a two wheel drive, the cv joints are tight in the rear and the tierod ends don't show any play, the wheel doesn't move when pulling and pushing at the 9 and 3 oclock position, and i tried to move the tierod ends with a prybar, it doesn't show play, and it doesn't matter which direction the steering wheel is in, i'd think it's like an exhaust sheild or something but i've been under there shaking and pulling and still can't come up with anything, the truck drives tight no slop. Can this be the sway bar links?

 

[skoal_mint]

i just had a noise coming back from a bumpy road...the tailpipe was swinging side to side on bumps and hitting the reciever hitch

 

[zhanx]

dido on the noise in the back and thought it was the front. I had a rattle of metal and i checked out the front end 3 or 4 times before haveing someone stand next to the truck and drove over some bumps, then found it.

It was in the back. might be the same for you.

 

[ezrider440]

thats a possiblity that the muffler is hitting something but i have been shaking the daylights out of everything including the muffler and nothing, i believe it's coming from around the area of the rear axle but acoustics sometimes can be a tricky thing to deal with,

zhanx what was your issue? what was causing the noise?

thanks in advance to everyone, the thing is that the truck runs perfect and has a ton of money invested into the motor and i really love it so it bothers me on a very deep level when i go over a bump and it sounds like a beat up hunting rig, which it is far from

 

[zhanx]

if i member right it was caused by me (at least the loose shock mount part) and the other was the spare tire holder with out a tire on it. and a the heat sheild - a combo of things - most were there from whe ni first got the x tho.

 

[asessnios]

check your exhaust hangers before you change anything else.


to me that sounds like your exhaust may be hitting your diff or shock

 

[entinnovations]

Its most likely the steering damper(5th shock going from frame to middle of differential) take it off and the noise will go away.

 

[ezrider440]

YES! that makes sense, i overlooked the fifth schock, it does sound like a loose shock and i do have axle warp when i shift gears into reverse, and i do have a little whining sound from the rear end when accelerating between 50-65 mph, but i don't have any vibrations , i am going to remove it see what happens, if i don't have too much body roll i will drive without it, thanks for the clue

 

[entinnovations]

Well I just replaced mine and that wasn;t the noise I have been noticing. It is driving me nuts... its a clicking/knocking sound on the right rear/middle you can hear when turning. I just had all ball joints replaced, shocks are new, sway bar is tight, spare tire is tight, there is something ratteling when I hit just behind the cat conv. with my hand.. somthing is vibrating inside. Don't think thats it though.

 

[ezrider440]

thanks for all the suggestions it did turn out to be the fifth shock, the oil must have leaked out years ago, and since i lifted the rig, the shock was always fully extended and have given me noise, but i ripped it off, and i feel no difference, it was really a pitaful attempt to keep the body rolling in turns. on top of that i think it drives better now, because the rear axle has a lot more room at ariculate in bumps and obsticles, before when it dropped like after a pot hole there was almost a pulling feeling because the shock kept the axle attachted to the frame. but this will put a bit more stress on the leaf spring bushing and the bushing on the trailing arms and sway bar, but these can be easily replaced, thanks again.........happy trucking

 

[N912DF]

have you check the transmission mount,check and see it the rubber has been torn.