Loud Metal Smashing Sound

[BinaryData]

Hope y'all have been doing well!

For a couple weeks now, I've been hearing this metal on metal sound, it varies in loudness each time, and doesn't happen consistently. It sounds like two pieces of metal smashing together, and one piece sliding off. It doesn't matter if I'm going slow, fast, turning, or going straight. I'm too fat to look under it, and it's rained heavily where I am, the jack is going to sink. I'm taking my truck into Les Schwab tomorrow, but I wanted to ask for thoughts on it, and rough guesstimates for cost of shocks being replaced. I know a few months ago, I was told that my shocks were leaking and needed to be taken care of. I've bottomed out my truck going over speed bumps, so I know it's time to fix them and I drive like a grandma in my truck.

I'm driving this thing until it's paid off, or the transmission goes. April or May of 2026 it's paid off, and it'll be my first vehicle I've paid in full and haven't turned it into a crumpled can.

 

[Green_Manalishi]

Anvil - Metal On Metal (Live)

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Maybe it's an Anvil? Sorry, just had to.

 

[rzr6-4]

Do you have a 1500 or a real truck? Totally different front ends.

Is it happening when you hit a bump or just randomly? Over bumps then I would guess either a bolt is loose somewhere and you hear the bang as whatever it is, is able to move during impact. Blown shock could also do it, but would take a considerable bump to make that noise. If it just happens randomly as you are going down the road you'd have to give some more details as that makes no sense.

 

[Adamcr68]

Anvil - Metal On Metal (Live)

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Maybe it's an Anvil? Sorry, just had to.

Definitely in my top 5 Priest songs!

 

[Adamcr68]

Definitely in my top 5 Priest songs!

I was referring to the song between the hammer & the anvil, not familiar with the group Anvil

 

[BinaryData]

Anvil - Metal On Metal (Live)

https://www.facebook.com/Unidischttps://www.instagram.com/unidiscmusichttps://soundcloud.com/unidisc-music© Unidisc Music

www.youtube.com

Maybe it's an Anvil? Sorry, just had to.

Haha. All good. I totally get it.

Do you have a 1500 or a real truck? Totally different front ends.

Is it happening when you hit a bump or just randomly? Over bumps then I would guess either a bolt is loose somewhere and you hear the bang as whatever it is, is able to move during impact. Blown shock could also do it, but would take a considerable bump to make that noise. If it just happens randomly as you are going down the road you'd have to give some more details as that makes no sense.

It isn't just bumps, i can be driving, take a slight turn, at lower speeds, even if it's just 10 to 15 degrees angle, it can happen. What it sounds like to me is 2 pieces of metal smashing together, and then sliding off of each other. Could this have anything to do with control arms? This image is from 8-2-2025, this was the report I got back when I had new tires put on my truck. The visit before this was to replace the front control arms that were failing. The kid who did the tires called it out and said it didn't look right. I brought it in a week later, had them look at it, and the response was "It's because one part looks new, and the other isn't". But I have it in writing, if something is wrong, and it's their fault, I'll have them fix it. If that's the case, I probably won't ever return to Les Schwab for anything but tires. The tech who told me that it was because it was new vs old, did some mad smack talking about the kid who did the tires, and I have zero tolerance for colleague abuse.

Side question for you, rzr6-4, what do you mean by "1500 or a real truck"? I have a 2009 Dodge Ram 1500 5.7L, it's crap, showing its age, and it's overdue for replacement. I just made some bad choices, changed jobs, and ended up putting 2 months of my life on Credit Cards, only to find out that I jumped tax brackets and wasn't getting what I thought I was getting by a large amount. I plan to get a 3500 by 2027, and I'm not getting one until I've got at least $30,000 saved in the bank, $20k as down payment, and $10k for any "OH CRAP!" moments that life throws at us.

Definitely in my top 5 Priest songs!

Oh man! I haven't listened to Priest in forever. Thank you for the reminder.


Thank you all for the responses. I appreciate the help. If y'all ever need PC help, let me know. That's my career/hobbies. My appointment is in 3 hours, I'll let y'all know what it is. If I can record the sound, I'll try to do that.

 

[rzr6-4]

Not to say 100% one way or the other but it certainly could be a bolt on the control arm coming loose. Or even a ball joint failing. It's hard to say without getting underneath myself but off the top of my head I'm guessing a loose bolt somewhere.

Side question for you, rzr6-4, what do you mean by "1500 or a real truck"?

No shade on whatever the current condition of your truck is, by "real truck" I was just referring to the HD platform (2500, 3500, 4500) that have a solid front axle. Different parts, different geometry, different things to look for. Now knowing you have a 1500 is why I'm guess control arm or strut bolts.

I prefer the HD platform from a mechanical standpoint but they have their own issues. Nothing is trouble free.

 

[BinaryData]

Not to say 100% one way or the other but it certainly could be a bolt on the control arm coming loose. Or even a ball joint failing. It's hard to say without getting underneath myself but off the top of my head I'm guessing a loose bolt somewhere.



No shade on whatever the current condition of your truck is, by "real truck" I was just referring to the HD platform (2500, 3500, 4500) that have a solid front axle. Different parts, different geometry, different things to look for. Now knowing you have a 1500 is why I'm guess control arm or strut bolts.

I prefer the HD platform from a mechanical standpoint but they have their own issues. Nothing is trouble free.

Haha. No worries! Even if you were throwing shade, I'd be right next to you helping you toss it. I love my truck, but I also hate it. I originally bought it to haul a 2700lbs 3-stall horse trailer for my family. 2 Years later, my mom bought a 2003 or 2004 RAM 2500 Diesel, and a few years later, we got rid of the horses. It's just been a massive pain in the butt since I bought it. I'd say I've spent almost twice, if not close to 70% more than what I spent, which was $25,000.

But to stay on topic, you were pretty close in getting it right. The culprit is Sway Bar End Links. The driver side is broken, and that's what I hear occasionally smashing down.


This is what I was quoted for a price to fix it.


They checked my shocks, struts, etc, and stated that only my left side rear shock is leaking and it isn't THAT bad. This is the quote they gave me to do the struts, and rear shocks.


I have questions about the Sway Bar End Links.


1. Something I can do myself and some time or is it best to take it to the shop and let them do it.
2. Is this something that breaks often?
3. Is this something they could've damaged when they did my control arms? (It took them 2 days to do my front lower control arms. The kid doing it struggled to get one side in.)
4. Can this be damaged like this by having the wrong part installed?

 

[rzr6-4]

@BinaryData Lol, I removed the sway bar in both of my pick ups and so I totally forgot about that.

As far as your questions:
1) it's essentially two bolts to replace one, pretty easy to do yourself with basic tools.
2) I've heard of them breaking but no it's not common. Even if it does it's obviously not catastrophic as you didn't even realize what it was at first.
3) unless the mechanic did something really stupid during installation, no normally installing a control arm should not bend it in anyway. When doing my front shocks on my 2500 I bent the s--- out of mine but that's because I basically had my entire front axle assembly hanging off of them. Your little control arms that shouldn't be a problem.
4) not entirely sure what part you're referring to you as possibly being wrong but when it comes to that, I would think that any wrong part wouldn't fit in the first place.

Like I said I've removed the bar entirely on both of mine so the free and easy route is to just take the whole thing off but some people don't like how it feels going around corners.

I looked on rock auto and depending on what you go with you could get a new link for like 10 or 15 bucks, them charging 90 for the part and then a full hour of labor is pretty ridiculous. For that price 100% something I would do myself.