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clunking and rattles from front pass. side

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dj-t

10+ Year Contributor
197
1
Nov 30, 2010
Sacramento, California
This has just started when I reinstalled my transfer case. I have checked all that I can from bolts, joints, mounts, endlinks, and rechecked the transfer case. I am out of ideas here.

It only rattles when I make a left turn or like when the weight shifts to the front passenger corner and also when decelerating in lower gear.


Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Check the wheel bearings for play. Jack up the front of the car, grab a wheel, and shake it in every direction. If you hear a clunk or feel play in the wheel, it's a bad wheel bearing.
 
Check the wheel bearings for play. Jack up the front of the car, grab a wheel, and shake it in every direction. If you hear a clunk or feel play in the wheel, it's a bad wheel bearing.

I've never had a bad wheel bearing clunk before it always sounded like I had some mud tires on. But I'll test it one more time.


Have you checked the ball joints?
When they go bad you will hear a clunk when ever you hit bumps.
The 2g's have a recall on them and they will break and your wheel can fall off.

Ball joint was the first thing that popped into mind when this happened. Because of the exhaust drowning out some of the noise/clunking it seemed like it was from the back at first.

I have checked the ball joints by prying between the joint to see if there is any movement but saw none. Never knew that they had a recall on the ball joints. That is some scary stuff to have it fall off on you.

Will they still honor the recall since its been this long or was the recall not to long ago? I guess the recall would be voided if you have modified the suspension.
 
Check all your mounts for deteriation/seperation and loose or missing bolts/nuts. Any of those can also give you strange noises and clunks. Don't ask how I know. ;)

I have went through and checked every, bolts, and bushings from the motor mounts, suspension, and the drive shaft . Visually the bushings/mounts look like normal wear and tear just some small cracks here and there but not completely separated.

The car sat for about 4 months until I reinstalled the transfer case. How can something go bad from sitting? Once in awhile the sound seems to shift from the rear to the front but it mainly comes from the front pass. of the vehicle. After listening to it more, it sounds like a mix of loose bolt and metal to metal rubbing against one another. Kind of like the metal clips to secure the interior panels. That squeak sound right when you push the panels back in mix with clunking.

By the way how would you guys go about checking the ball joints for damages or any other methods to track down my problem on the vehicle?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
does it only do it and you go over a bump if so its probably your strut. I would jack your car up and wiggle the tire left to right and up and down if it moves its your wheel bearing.
 
upper strut mount is another possibility. To check your balljoint, jack the car up and put a pry bar inbetween the lower control arm and the steering hub being careful not to rip the balljoint boot, and pry up and down if there is any movment its bad
 
does it only do it and you go over a bump if so its probably your strut. I would jack your car up and wiggle the tire left to right and up and down if it moves its your wheel bearing.

It doesn't make the noise when I drive over harsh roads. It only happens when I make a left turn or when the weight shifts to the pass. side and occasionally the noise will continue on for a about 30sec after the vehicle travels in a straight line. Also, i have checked the see if it was the bearings how you explained it and it seems pretty solid.


upper strut mount is another possibility. To check your balljoint, jack the car up and put a pry bar inbetween the lower control arm and the steering hub being careful not to rip the balljoint boot, and pry up and down if there is any movment its bad

How can the strut mount go bad? I've checked all the bolts and they are on there tight. As for checking the ball joints, that is the same method that I have use and there is no abnormal play in it at all.
 
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