Front end clunking noise

Mostly happens with the wheel turned right and while backing up then going forward again. Checked the brakes and slides are free and moving. Noticed if I have it in drive and apply the brake and turn the wheel, I can hear the lower ball joints creeking but no popping. I also found a remanufactured sticker on the rack. Wonder if this one crapped out to.

maines ram said:

Mostly happens with the wheel turned right and while backing up then going forward again. Checked the brakes and slides are free and moving. Noticed if I have it in drive and apply the brake and turn the wheel, I can hear the lower ball joints creeking but no popping. I also found a remanufactured sticker on the rack. Wonder if this one crapped out to.

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Quite possible. I would start with the steering rack and pinion (they're all re-manufactured by Reeman I believe from the Auto Parts stores) and throw some lower ball joints on there. Ball joints are one thing you don't want to cheap out on. I believe the Moog's run about $35.00 for the lowers at RA or $70 at Advance. You can use the online coupons at Advance and pick them up for somewhere around $55. Forgot to tell you, if you use the online coupon at advance on the steering rack too. I honestly believe Advance is cheaper for the rack and pinion especially if you use the online coupon. Good luck!

Commonly Seen Ram Problems

Read the first section under noises with our trucks. Points directly at the lower ball joints or the steering rack, and possibly lower shock bolts.

Thanks guys. Thinking more and more its the lower ball joints. It made the noise today backing up while holding the steering wheel in one position slightly turned. Didn't move the wheel at all. Think I can hear it mostly on driver side and every once in a while pas side. So both prob bad. Sound right?

Have you inspected the boots for them? Any rips or tears? Do you know how many miles you have on the ball joints that are in there? Like I said, whatever you do, don't cheap yourself on the lower ball joints. I'd only go with Moog or Dealership OEM's. Some people get luckier than others with them cheap ball joints, but from everything I've read if you get some lower ball joints like Duralast or Driveworks don't be surprised if your changing them out in another 10k miles.

So I replaced lower ball joints and the noise is still there. It makes a loud banging noise if I have the wheel turned to the right slightly and back up slowly. Then pull forward again still leaving wheel in same spot and bang bang. Does it again. Any ideas? Going nuts!!

Can you have someone else move the truck while you get your head under there? Any chance it is a diff noise?

Yea. Gonna have the wife move it. Seems like the noise is on driver side. But might be diff. Is there a way to check the fluid? Also, with it jacked up, I spin the tire and can hear a slight tick tick. Could the hub bearing be bad?

I haven't messed with my Ram diff's yet. Just got this truck. On my Jeep Rubicon you could just pull the fill plug on the diffs and make sure the oil was up to that fill hole. I imagine its the same on the Ram.
I used to change the diff fluid every 20K miles or so on the Rubicon, but I used to wheel that truck. I think I saw the change interval on the Ram around 100K miles or so.

You should get a better idea what's making noise if you can be under there when it happens.

So. Had the wife move the truck while I listened. Sounded.like.the noise was more in the middle of the truck. So I removed front driveline and noise was still there. Can I remove the cv axles and see if the noise is gone? That should tell me if the noise is the axles or front diff cause it wont be spinning. Does this sound correct? If the rack was going, wouldn't it make the noise with the truck still? It only makes the noise backing up then going forward again. Any sugestions? Thanks

This sounds like a tough one to diagnose. I guess you could remove the CV axles but its probably pretty involved, especially if they are stuck like a few others found when changing theirs.

BlazersandWildcats said:

Commonly Seen Ram Problems

Read the first section under noises with our trucks. Points directly at the lower ball joints or the steering rack, and possibly lower shock bolts.

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Some good info.

Sorry to pull up an old thread, but did you find out what the problem was? My 09 is doing the exact same thing and I can not figure it out to save my life. I have all new suspension so I don't think it's suspension related. It only does it when the wheel is turning, usually when i'm turning slow in a parking lot but I also hear it when hitting a sharp bump in the road occasionally. It's not consistent at all.

have any of yall tried lower control arm bushings?

JINXR said:

Sorry to pull up an old thread, but did you find out what the problem was? My 09 is doing the exact same thing and I can not figure it out to save my life. I have all new suspension so I don't think it's suspension related. It only does it when the wheel is turning, usually when i'm turning slow in a parking lot but I also hear it when hitting a sharp bump in the road occasionally. It's not consistent at all.

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It's the hub. My '05 did the same thing a couple yrs ago. I was at a loss too as I couldn't find the problem. The only thing I suggest is when you get the new hub, go ahead and get new upper and lower ball joints. You're going to at the very least tear the boots up getting it all apart. Go ahead and do it all at once. For less than $200 bucks your problem will be fixed. Just make sure whether you have 2 or 4 wheel ABS when you order the hub, because it makes a difference. Getting the CV shaft out is a PAIN if you don't have a lift, but it can be done. I did mine in the driveway. Breaking the hub loose once you get the 3 bolts out was worse. Beat on it with a BFH and got nowhere. Ended up jacking it up and placing jackstand under hub and let the weight of the truck sit on the hub and jackstand. After about 5 mins it broke loose. Took about 2 hrs to put it all back together with ball joints. Took about 8 to take it apart, LOL. Don't buy the cheap joints, get the MOOGs. As I said, for less than $200 you can get a new hub and both joints. Well worth it. How I fixed mine, hope it helps! Good luck.

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Same thing is wrong with mine. Turns out it's the steering rack and when it happens I've noticed that the tie rods are actually digging into the hubs like the wheels are turning too sharp. I found out it was finally the steering rack because it started leaking power steering fluid all over my driveway and it threw a code0551 and I am betting it is what has been making my belt squeal as well

We have a 2015 Laramie. We only have 15,000 miles so far. The clunking began this past spring when we'd make a turn after being stopped. Noise is increasing volume and frequency. Servicing has been done twice now with no results. Any news on this issue? Has RAM investigated why so many of their trucks are doing this?