Need Help Mysterious Clunk

[JD522]

View attachment 489193
I circled the questionable object ,
what is that ?

It is the cable you see coming from the right side of the picture, which is the rear of the truck. It just makes a loop around that piece that the left side of your circle covers.

 

[JD522]

I again had someone (wife) bounce in the truck bed while I was under it. We switched twice. That damn noise is like cricket. You can't pinpoint it. Sometimes it seemed like the top of the shock (driver rear). Sometimes it seemed like the fuel tank - like something was in there clunking against the side. Towards the end we both independently thought it was a joint right above the axle where a straight bar connects that spans the width of the truck (see red arrow below). I can definitely feel the clunk there and when holding that bar. I swear I can see that joint move exactly when the clunk happens.



The odd thing is that I have not moved (or even started) my truck since the last time I was bouncing it. But, this time a different joint was squeaking loudly and making it hard to focus on the clunk. The squeaky joint is the one the green arrow points to. It is where a vertical chrome bar meets a black bar that also spans the width of the truck but is lower than the other bar and angles around the pumpkin. What can I do about that squeak? WD40? Grease?

I wanted to try what @healthyrx suggested and leg press the bed from beneath. But, I'm not sure I could have gotten my legs above me with so little clearance. Also, I didn't see a clear path to the bed with muffler, pipes, gas tank, etc. in the way. I was able to sit behind my truck and just lift up on the rear bumper enough to bounce the truck and make the clunk. It really doesn't take much to make the clunk and it seems to happen no matter how you make the truck bounce.

I don't have a torque wrench. I guess I need to buy one so I can loosen some of these bolts and re-tighten them. Does anyone know of a good set of diagrams that show these parts and their proper torque?

 

[Dusty]

I again had someone (wife) bounce in the truck bed while I was under it. We switched twice. That damn noise is like cricket. You can't pinpoint it. Sometimes it seemed like the top of the shock (driver rear). Sometimes it seemed like the fuel tank - like something was in there clunking against the side. Towards the end we both independently thought it was a joint right above the axle where a straight bar connects that spans the width of the truck (see red arrow below). I can definitely feel the clunk there and when holding that bar. I swear I can see that joint move exactly when the clunk happens.

View attachment 489286

The odd thing is that I have not moved (or even started) my truck since the last time I was bouncing it. But, this time a different joint was squeaking loudly and making it hard to focus on the clunk. The squeaky joint is the one the green arrow points to. It is where a vertical chrome bar meets a black bar that also spans the width of the truck but is lower than the other bar and angles around the pumpkin. What can I do about that squeak? WD40? Grease?

I wanted to try what @healthyrx suggested and leg press the bed from beneath. But, I'm not sure I could have gotten my legs above me with so little clearance. Also, I didn't see a clear path to the bed with muffler, pipes, gas tank, etc. in the way. I was able to sit behind my truck and just lift up on the rear bumper enough to bounce the truck and make the clunk. It really doesn't take much to make the clunk and it seems to happen no matter how you make the truck bounce.

I don't have a torque wrench. I guess I need to buy one so I can loosen some of these bolts and re-tighten them. Does anyone know of a good set of diagrams that show these parts and their proper torque?

[EDIT]

Torque specifications in ft/lbs:

Upper shock mount - 35
Lower shock mount - 103
Track bar, axle - 127
Track bar, frame - 96
Stabilizer bar link, lower - 74
Stabilizer bar, upper - 41

As far as the bracket where the Track Bar mounts to the frame (red arrow), They don't list a torque.

I enlarged the photo and the lower rear shock bushing doesn't look right to my eye.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 066966 miles.

 

[NJMOPAR]

The track bar (upper one) looks like it has some type of relocation bracket on the left side. I'd check those bolts.
The sway bar link your arrow points to looks like it's bushing is shot, looks expanded out of it's sleeve.
Find a good 4x4 shop and have them inspect all aftermarket suspension pieces.

 

[JD522]

I will take closer pictures of both from different angles.

 

[indept]

Have you checked the gas tank mounting straps? The points that they fasten to on the frame have been known to rust out.

 

[JD522]

@indept, I will check those straps the next chance I get.

Here are better pictures of that chrome (sway bar?) joint. Left is from rear of truck. Right is from the other side, which was tough to get a good picture of.


Here are more pictures of the track bar joint. From rear:


Looking from passenger side:


Below are from the front where a different bar connects. It runs along the side back toward the front of the truck.






Here are two pictures of the bar from the side of the truck and the joint it connects to on the other end:

 

[Dusty]

@indept, I will check those straps the next chance I get.

Here are better pictures of that chrome (sway bar?) joint. Left is from rear of truck. Right is from the other side, which was tough to get a good picture of.
View attachment 489437

Here are more pictures of the track bar joint. From rear:
View attachment 489438

Looking from passenger side:
View attachment 489439

Below are from the front where a different bar connects. It runs along the side back toward the front of the truck.
View attachment 489441

View attachment 489442

View attachment 489443

Here are two pictures of the bar from the side of the truck and the joint it connects to on the other end:
View attachment 489444

View attachment 489445

Chrome?! I've never seen any chrome on a factory sway bar link from Ram.

Regards,
Dusty
2019 Ram 1500 Billet Silver Laramie Quad Cab 2WD, 5.7 Hemi, 8HP75, 3.21 axle, 33 gallon fuel tank, factory dual exhaust, 18” wheels. Build date: 03 June 2018. Now at: 067078 miles.

 

[JD522]

@Dusty I assume it was part of the Zone suspension lift.

 

[Quick_Shifter]

I again had someone (wife) bounce in the truck bed while I was under it. We switched twice. That damn noise is like cricket. You can't pinpoint it. Sometimes it seemed like the top of the shock (driver rear). Sometimes it seemed like the fuel tank - like something was in there clunking against the side. Towards the end we both independently thought it was a joint right above the axle where a straight bar connects that spans the width of the truck (see red arrow below). I can definitely feel the clunk there and when holding that bar. I swear I can see that joint move exactly when the clunk happens.

View attachment 489286

The odd thing is that I have not moved (or even started) my truck since the last time I was bouncing it. But, this time a different joint was squeaking loudly and making it hard to focus on the clunk. The squeaky joint is the one the green arrow points to. It is where a vertical chrome bar meets a black bar that also spans the width of the truck but is lower than the other bar and angles around the pumpkin. What can I do about that squeak? WD40? Grease?

I wanted to try what @healthyrx suggested and leg press the bed from beneath. But, I'm not sure I could have gotten my legs above me with so little clearance. Also, I didn't see a clear path to the bed with muffler, pipes, gas tank, etc. in the way. I was able to sit behind my truck and just lift up on the rear bumper enough to bounce the truck and make the clunk. It really doesn't take much to make the clunk and it seems to happen no matter how you make the truck bounce.

I don't have a torque wrench. I guess I need to buy one so I can loosen some of these bolts and re-tighten them. Does anyone know of a good set of diagrams that show these parts and their proper torque?

Where the green arrow is take the bolt completely out. 2 19mm wrench’s. Where the red arrow is loosen the top bolt 21mm wrench (loosen about 4 turns) then try and reproduce the sounds