Clunking sound

crazykid1994 said:

Probably. That or the zones. The zones I’m 90% sure the bushing only went out because of my driving off-road. The maxtrac lifts how much with the springs? The jba are definitely a huge upgrade over stock and I’ll write a review after getting my alignment and getting some driving in about how I like them. So far they are good. Not noticing any more on road vibrations or anything harsh but haven’t driven much. The ball joint has some extreme angles so lots of flex available for extended travel. I’m expecting the steering and side to side to feel slightly firmer due to the poly bushings

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With the springs it is 2.5" and the lift spindles is 4.5" ....

CheechDogg.0n37s said:

With the springs it is 2.5" and the lift spindles is 4.5" ....

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At 2.5 yea. If you can justify the jba then I would go that route over the zone. I really wanted to go icon but couldn’t justify that cost. Honestly the jba are way above my expectations for the price point that they are compared to the zone. Pretty sure if it wasn’t for the “delta joint” the jba and zone are pretty close to the same. The jba is a “high angle” ball joint which is technically what the “delta joint” is.

crazykid1994 said:

At 2.5 yea. If you can justify the jba then I would go that route over the zone. I really wanted to go icon but couldn’t justify that cost. Honestly the jba are way above my expectations for the price point that they are compared to the zone. Pretty sure if it wasn’t for the “delta joint” the jba and zone are pretty close to the same. The jba is a “high angle” ball joint which is technically what the “delta joint” is.

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So to determine the UCAs that should be used, we have to look only at the amount of lift accomplished only by the coil springs and not the spindles right, because the spindles are just relocating the original placement of the OEM spindles? ..

If that is the case it makes more sense now, so this lift kit is really only giving you the 2.5" of lift ....

Maxtrac Suspension said:

not a problem I don't mind answering questions... As far as your ball joints go, the spindles keep your suspension geometry like stock so there should not be any extra strain on them. Larger wheels and tires are what will put more wear and tear on those components, but that is what comes with the territory when lifting any vehicle. Basically (without getting too technical) what a lift spindle does is lower down your unit bearings however many inches. This case being 4.5". That is why lift spindles will only work on 2wd vehicles. It's also why they are a popular choice for people to lift their trucks as it retains stock geometry, stock ride, and allows for maximum ground clearance because subframe crossmembers are not required. As far as pricing goes if you check out our website there is a big dealer locator tab on the home page. Click on the dealer locator and enter your zip code. If there are no local shops we also have a listing of online retailers that carry our products. You can also search on eBay and Amazon for our products as well. Please contact me if you are unable to get pricing or need part numbers. Thank you I hope I was able to answer your questions.

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I got my answer here @crazykid1994 ... so yes the spindles keep all the geometry stock and the only lift that needs to be addressed is the 2.5" from the coil springs ...... so any UCA that is for 2"-4" of lift will work if I am not mistaken. Now if I wanted to add a 1" coil spring spacer up front that would make it a 3.5" lift which would still work with the 2"-4" UCAs .....

So if I am not a "dummy" which I probably am lol ... I could get away with a 2" coilspring spacer in the front and if I added the Maxtrac UCAs which are meant for up to 7" of front lift it would be fine .... right ? Or am I really a dummy lol ...

CheechDogg.0n37s said:

So to determine the UCAs that should be used, we have to look only at the amount of lift accomplished only by the coil springs and not the spindles right, because the spindles are just relocating the original placement of the OEM spindles? ..

If that is the case it makes more sense now, so this lift kit is really only giving you the 2.5" of lift ....

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CheechDogg.0n37s said:

I got my answer here @crazykid1994 ... so yes the spindles keep all the geometry stock and the only lift that needs to be addressed is the 2.5" from the coil springs ...... so any UCA that is for 2"-4" of lift will work if I am not mistaken. Now if I wanted to add a 1" coil spring spacer up front that would make it a 3.5" lift which would still work with the 2"-4" UCAs .....

So if I am not a "dummy" which I probably am lol ... I could get away with a 2" coilspring spacer in the front and if I added the Maxtrac UCAs which are meant for up to 7" of front lift it would be fine .... right ? Or am I really a dummy lol ...

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Yes. The technical lift is 2.5” because that’s the only part modifying the actual suspension travel. The maxtrac UCA does not look like it adjusts the ball joint angle. And yes. Technically you could add a 2” spacer but even with the UCA I’m not sure I would. You still have to consider shock length and actual suspension travel causing binding on other components like your steering or ball joints.

crazykid1994 said:

Yes. The technical lift is 2.5” because that’s the only part modifying the actual suspension travel. The maxtrac UCA does not look like it adjusts the ball joint angle. And yes. Technically you could add a 2” spacer but even with the UCA I’m not sure I would. You still have to consider shock length and actual suspension travel causing binding on other components like your steering or ball joints.

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Right ....makes a lot more sense now ....

So now, how would you even get 7" of lift up front ? The Maxtrac UCAs are for 0"-7" up front so are the Rolling Big Power which are actually the Zone UCAs and Zone only says they are good for 2"-3" ....

Good news and bad news. Part of my clunking is gone. Apparently I’ve been chasing multiple clunks. So I’ve still got a clunk in the front end that I’ve now narrowed down to side to side motion. I can duplicate the sound from turning the steering wheel lock to lock. It happens just before lock in both directions. Had the alignment done and was told it does not appear to be in the steering. Had my fiancée turn the steering back and forth and I tried tracing the sound down. It’s definitely coming through the frame because I can put my hand to the front bumper and feel it and hear it through the front bumper. May have to remove my skid plates and check the steering rack to make sure there is no damage on it or actual popping in the rack. To be continued.

crazykid1994 said:

Good news and bad news. Part of my clunking is gone. Apparently I’ve been chasing multiple clunks. So I’ve still got a clunk in the front end that I’ve now narrowed down to side to side motion. I can duplicate the sound from turning the steering wheel lock to lock. It happens just before lock in both directions. Had the alignment done and was told it does not appear to be in the steering. Had my fiancée turn the steering back and forth and I tried tracing the sound down. It’s definitely coming through the frame because I can put my hand to the front bumper and feel it and hear it through the front bumper. May have to remove my skid plates and check the steering rack to make sure there is no damage on it or actual popping in the rack. To be continued.

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Good luck. You should be able to see it move whatever it is. It’s going to be slight

crazykid1994 said:

Good news and bad news. Part of my clunking is gone. Apparently I’ve been chasing multiple clunks. So I’ve still got a clunk in the front end that I’ve now narrowed down to side to side motion. I can duplicate the sound from turning the steering wheel lock to lock. It happens just before lock in both directions. Had the alignment done and was told it does not appear to be in the steering. Had my fiancée turn the steering back and forth and I tried tracing the sound down. It’s definitely coming through the frame because I can put my hand to the front bumper and feel it and hear it through the front bumper. May have to remove my skid plates and check the steering rack to make sure there is no damage on it or actual popping in the rack. To be continued.

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Depending on how much work it is to remove your skid plates, it may be worth jacking the front end up to get the tires off the ground and then turning steering back and forth to see if you can replicate it with the suspension unloaded.

@crazykid1994 see if your spindles are contacting the front coil springs. That’s about where they hit (right before the lock) if they are hitting

crazykid1994 said:

Yes. The technical lift is 2.5” because that’s the only part modifying the actual suspension travel. The maxtrac UCA does not look like it adjusts the ball joint angle. And yes. Technically you could add a 2” spacer but even with the UCA I’m not sure I would. You still have to consider shock length and actual suspension travel causing binding on other components like your steering or ball joints.

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Can our tell me more about UCA’s please. Do you consider the JBA better than the Icon or is it just the price point that you chose jba? Anything else in the same ballpark as far as quality etc? Going to start modifying my truck later this summer and UCA’s are on the list but admittedly I don’t know too much about them.

westcoasting said:

Can our tell me more about UCA’s please. Do you consider the JBA better than the Icon or is it just the price point that you chose jba? Anything else in the same ballpark as far as quality etc? Going to start modifying my truck later this summer and UCA’s are on the list but admittedly I don’t know too much about them.

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That’s really going to be dependent on your needs. I bought the jba due to the price point being less than icons but I really wanted the icons and don’t have that spare cash at the moment. Your suspension needs should dictate your build. Originally my truck was aimed towards camping and mild off-roading which the zones were perfectly fine. I have taken my truck on some jeep trails and tested the flex out and that’s where I ripped the zones. I had my front sway bar disconnected and it pushed the limits of my suspension setup. Would I buy zones again? Absolutely. And @Nick@GotExhaust can cut you an amazing deal on the zones if you want to go that route. They are great for an every day driver. Now that I’m pushing my truck harder it’s time for me to upgrade my front struts to something heavier duty. I will be ordering 6112s when I get the money for them. I already have extended travel 5160s for the rear which for me are great. They do well with mild off-roading. I’ve looked at fox and king. Definitely leaning towards fox 2.5 dsc coilovers when the time comes. Rear control arms and track bar are a must if you do any off-roading at all. I like the Clayton off-road jeep gladiator arms or teraflex IR arms as they are maintenance free bushings instead of the poly so no greasing necessary. That’s why I like the zone UCA over the others. Core 4x4 is a big one for the rams as well if you want poly bushings or Johnny joints. All the big jeep companies offer both as well for the gladiator which is a direct fit for the rams. If someone offered an UCA with a no maintenance rubber bushing like the Clayton off-road or teraflex bushings I would have gone that route in a heartbeat.

crazykid1994 said:

I think I need an alignment now. Lol. Crazy how much the jba are pulled in vs the zones. Also lost some height from the alignment being off. Guessing I may sit a pinch higher up after the alignment with these vs the zone because the strut will actually sit at a better up/down angle.

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Did you do any kind of driveway alignment before going to your alignment to fix the camber? I got my JBAs in as well and want to install them with my icons tomorrow evening but I have a 25 mile drive on 55mph roads to the dealership who said they would do an alignment for me. So Im on the fence about installing the UCAs myself or having the dealer install them so that I dont have to drive 25 miles with my alignment looking like this and risk trashing something on the truck

healthyrx said:

Did you do any kind of driveway alignment before going to your alignment to fix the camber? I got my JBAs in as well and want to install them with my icons tomorrow evening but I have a 25 mile drive on 55mph roads to the dealership who said they would do an alignment for me. So Im on the fence about installing the UCAs myself or having the dealer install them so that I dont have to drive 25 miles with my alignment looking like this and risk trashing something on the truck

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I did not. The 4WP I went to is 20 minutes from me at 50mph. Truck drove straight enough for me to get there with 0 issues going down okeechobee blvd.

So for anyone interested and still following this… I’ve still had random clunking that has been getting excessive recently. It was in the front end still. I removed my front bumper skid plate to try and get closer to the sound and that removed the front metal on metal clunking. Not sure how or why. It only did it when turning from lock to lock. Wondering if it was just amplifying another sound though? My upper control arms have been great. I’m still chasing a random rear end clunk on side to side weight shift over speed bumps or uneven road that I can’t readily duplicate. Rear control arms, track bar, and sway bar all feel tight. All bushings look good. u joints are good. I’ve climbed under the truck with it in neutral to twist the drive shaft and there is very minimal twist at the differential but no side to side so pinion bearing is good. There is the slightest bit of side to side in the axle shafts but I’m pretty sure that’s normal for these axles with the c clip? Hopefully it’s not the limited slip inside or spider gears. Planning on trying to take it to a driveline shop and have them check the rear end hopefully soon. Was going to try going off-roading next weekend but with how loud the clunk has been she doesn’t feel comfortable going. Can’t say I blame her. It’s starting to get extra annoying honestly

crazykid1994 said:

So for anyone interested and still following this… I’ve still had random clunking that has been getting excessive recently. It was in the front end still. I removed my front bumper skid plate to try and get closer to the sound and that removed the front metal on metal clunking. Not sure how or why. It only did it when turning from lock to lock. Wondering if it was just amplifying another sound though? My upper control arms have been great. I’m still chasing a random rear end clunk on side to side weight shift over speed bumps or uneven road that I can’t readily duplicate. Rear control arms, track bar, and sway bar all feel tight. All bushings look good. u joints are good. I’ve climbed under the truck with it in neutral to twist the drive shaft and there is very minimal twist at the differential but no side to side so pinion bearing is good. There is the slightest bit of side to side in the axle shafts but I’m pretty sure that’s normal for these axles with the c clip? Hopefully it’s not the limited slip inside or spider gears. Planning on trying to take it to a driveline shop and have them check the rear end hopefully soon. Was going to try going off-roading next weekend but with how loud the clunk has been she doesn’t feel comfortable going. Can’t say I blame her. It’s starting to get extra annoying honestly

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I'm chalking mine to inner and outer tie rods. Going with Holley Proforged inner tie rods and moog problem solver outer tie rod ends.

Thinking my new tire will be Nitto Recon Grappler 37x12.5r20. 3 lbs a piece lighter than the Ridge grappler.

Tighten your upper shock bolts. My Fox's do it periodically. No rhyme or reason but my low speed clunk was from them even though they check out just fine.

Only other thing I personally had was rear outer wheel bearing. Jack truck up,pry bar under tire and check for any vertical movement. If there's none give the shocks a second look. There's only so many moving parts back there.

crazykid1994 said:

So for anyone interested and still following this… I’ve still had random clunking that has been getting excessive recently. It was in the front end still. I removed my front bumper skid plate to try and get closer to the sound and that removed the front metal on metal clunking. Not sure how or why. It only did it when turning from lock to lock. Wondering if it was just amplifying another sound though? My upper control arms have been great. I’m still chasing a random rear end clunk on side to side weight shift over speed bumps or uneven road that I can’t readily duplicate. Rear control arms, track bar, and sway bar all feel tight. All bushings look good. u joints are good. I’ve climbed under the truck with it in neutral to twist the drive shaft and there is very minimal twist at the differential but no side to side so pinion bearing is good. There is the slightest bit of side to side in the axle shafts but I’m pretty sure that’s normal for these axles with the c clip? Hopefully it’s not the limited slip inside or spider gears. Planning on trying to take it to a driveline shop and have them check the rear end hopefully soon. Was going to try going off-roading next weekend but with how loud the clunk has been she doesn’t feel comfortable going. Can’t say I blame her. It’s starting to get extra annoying honestly

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Any progress?

Quick_Shifter said:

Any progress?

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None whatsoever. Removed the front skid and no more clunk in the front but I can still feel it sometimes which means my skid plate was just echoing the sound… at this point I’m concerned if it’s rear axle but I’ve got no play in the outer bearings and the gears seam to be ok with no excessive play. I’m going to keep driving till it gets worse I guess. I’ve torn all the suspension apart (front and rear) and put it back together twice now in the hopes of finding the culprit. Checked torque. Checked bushings. Checked any moving parts. No luck. Even used a mallet to hit stuff to find any loose parts with no luck.

crazykid1994 said:

None whatsoever. Removed the front skid and no more clunk in the front but I can still feel it sometimes which means my skid plate was just echoing the sound… at this point I’m concerned if it’s rear axle but I’ve got no play in the outer bearings and the gears seam to be ok with no excessive play. I’m going to keep driving till it gets worse I guess. I’ve torn all the suspension apart (front and rear) and put it back together twice now in the hopes of finding the culprit. Checked torque. Checked bushings. Checked any moving parts. No luck. Even used a mallet to hit stuff to find any loose parts with no luck.

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I just had a truck come in last week with strange noises. Turned out to be the front sway bar and rear shocks mounted upside down.

If you can catch it on video (I know it’s very hard) I can try and figure it out. I’m sure it’s the tiniest movement ever that’s the ones I use a stethoscope to find