ahenderl

Forgive me for being wordy...but I want to give as much info as possible. Here is my setup:

RE 3.5" front coils
ACOS spacers set to give a total of 5.5" of total front suspension lift
RE Superflex fixed lower control arms from original RE 3.5" Superflex lift
Rusty's Offroad adjustable uppers
JKS adjustable trak bar with Johnny Joint
Rocky Road Outfitters control arm drop bracket kit: http://www.rocky-road.com/xjcad.html
Currie HD Steering system

Installed the CAD & ACOS at the same time...got clunking. I replaced the trak bar with JKS thinking it was the problem...nope. The trak bar needed replaced anyway, but the additional lift caused front driveline vibrations, so I bought Rusty's adjustable uppers to dial in the pinion angle...that fixed vibs, but clunking continued when turning left & right.

After some inspection, I noticed the trak bar bracket at the axle was wallowed out and the bolt was moving freely in the larger hole...surely that must be it. I opened the hole up to the next size on the bracket, but the bushing was impossible to drill, so I pressed out the sleeve, spread it open to accept the larger bolt and pressed it back into the bushing. Now, it fits like a glove. There is no movement at the trak bar / axle mount. I still have the frigging clunk clunk!!

I decided I may have a broken steering box spacer or frame may be broken at steering box mount, so I installed a JCR steel steering box spacer (turns out my original was ok and frame looks good, too) and a steering box brace from Kevin's Offroad http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/xj/xj_s...box-brace.html. Now, my steering box is rock solid. Actually, the steering response is way better than before, but the clunk clunk is still there!!

After inspection, all of my control arm bolts are tight, as are the trak bar bolts, the trak bar to frame bolts, steering box bolts, CAD bracket bolts, etc. I am about to pull my hair out! It is driving me crazy! The RE arms have superflex joints at the axle end and they appear to be ok and well lubed. The uppers have Johnny Joints at the frame end, they are tight and are well lubed. Everything seems solid including the steering stabilizer, which is a relatively new Black Diamond piece. The rubber bushings look to be good, as well.

The Currie system was installed about 3-4 months ago, so all of my tie rod ends are new. At the same time, I installed new ball joints, front axle u-joints and wheel bearing assemblies as well. Everything in the front is new...still clunk clunk.

Help!

I have just about decided it may have something to do with the CAD system, but don't know for sure. If it is, I think I'll jerk the whole dang thing out and install a Treks or Iron Rock long arm kit.

The whole thing is very frustrating! I feel I have a well thought out package, but I just can't seem to find the source of the clunking.

It will not clunk turning the wheel side to side while sitting still. It simply won't make the noise unless I am moving. Also, it feels like the source is somewhere in the proximity of your feet, but I can't say for sure...bangs & clunks seem to travel.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Adam

Phatwitaph

i know this is a stupid question, but your sure your tires are not scrubbing on anything?

ahenderl

No scrubbing. I have plenty of wheel/tire clearance...also the cluncking is usually with slight turns at speed. It's not like it waits until I turn to lock.

It sounds similar to when I had the trak bar clunking, but it does feel as if it comes from the driver's side of the vehicle when I turn right and the pass side when I turn left. If I turn right and the driver's side clunks, it will not necessarily clunk again if I turn right again. It's like I have to turn the other way, make a clunk in that direction before it will clunk again turning right.

If I were to make continuous turns back and forth, it will clunk with every turn.

Hope this makes sense.

ericfx1984

sure sounds like a track bar to me

TheDale

Control arms can clunk, ball joints can clunk. Every single jeep I have ridden in has clunked in the front end, ESPECIALLY with Superflex arms, Sorry. I didn't read your whole post.

blank87

Is it only when you hit a bump? If so check your shock mounting points through your engine bay. I had a problem with one of my shocks that the top metal stud was touching the engine bay mounting location so instead of the bushing absorbing the hit causing a clunk each time I hit a bump.
If it's constant and not just when you turn check your wheel u joints, my right side one went out and every time that I turned left with all of the pressure going to the right it made a horrible clunking noise with my u joint binding because of a bad bearing in it.

ahenderl

Thanks for the input.

The shock mounts are good and the rubber bushings on the shocks are good. I suppose it is possible about the u-joints, but I had the same problem before and after replacing the u-joints.

It is not so much when I hit a bump, but more when I have to turn the wheel and create a little body roll. Pulling into a parking space won't do it, but rolling down the road with at any speed over 15mph-ish will.

ahenderl

Maybe you're right?? Do superflex arms make loud popping noises when in good shape? If so, I think it's time to change. If it weren't for the clunk/pop, I couldn't be happier with how my Jeep rides.

TheDale

It's a jeep. They make noise, just crank the stereo and don't worry about it.

But ya, The superflex joints even brand new can make noise, they are metal and not rubber bushings.

ahenderl

Hey..I'm all about turning up the radio, but something isn't right. It sounds like someone is smacking my control arms with a sledge...can't be right

PJsJeep

What about sway bar bushings. Mine made a clunk when worn, but clunked over bumps

white91

I second this motion.

VTJeep

i have similar issue, clunking when turning, nothing pops, or is too loud or causes the steering wheel to shim, but its there and its annoying. i feel like maybe the coil overs are binding and shifting where they are seated. i have a 2" BB and i was right there for the install helping, so i dont feel like thats the prob. but for a vehicle w/o any real lift, it seems like a similar issue to yours. the sway bar is a poss. the bushings on the actual bar its self that hold the bar to frame are totally done for on mine, and would allow for wiggle nad poss even clunk. but i still feel like its something else... are the shock mounts all solid both the upper and lower fittings? i blew the tops out on my rear sus. on my honda and it clunked over bumps. but that was pretty obvious. this issue w/ the jeep is different... i have had two diff. mechanics in there recently doing different work, and no ones found anything yet. i also have suspicions about my front drive shaft. my TC has a stretched chain in it that causes a really bad noise when 4wd is engaged. so idk, if that has something to do with it? idk, totally frustrating indeed. good luck!

ahenderl

Thank for the advise.

Sway bar is not a possibility...it's out of the Jeep entirely.

Before I get flamed...I in no way advocate driving sway-bar-less!

I went over-the-knuckle on the driver's side with a Go-Fer-It insert. Because the Currie tie rod is so dang thick, I had to remove a fair amount of material from the driver's side sway bar bracket...eventually it broke. I plan to weld new brackets to the axle for the sway bar, but haven't done so yet. At the moment, the entire sway bar is out of the Jeep and I drive well below posted speed limits.

The coil coming seated and unseated is a possibility?? At the moment the coil retainers are not on the bottom of the springs. I plan to reinstall them before wheeling, but they are out at the moment. One thing that has me thinking this isn't the case is that only a very small amount of body roll while turning makes the clunk. It isn't like I am totally flexing the thing and the coil comes completely unloaded.

ahenderl

Has anyone else here used ACOS and have they had similar issues?

Also, I agree with ericfx1984 thinking it sounds like a trak bar...it totally does but I am not getting any play whatsoever in either end of the bar...ugh