2500 ram clunk noise

Clubbs

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Location
Blounts Creek
My trusty 2018 2500 Cummins has developed a clunk. Not a tap or a click but a "hitting the frame with a hammer" clunk. Usually happens when turning left, but has become more frequent. Sometimes it sounds like it's coming from the front passenger and other times it's in the back maybe. Loud, and can feel something shift but not in the steering wheel.

Replaced ball joints and no change. Checked bolts on links and trans cross member shocks and body mounts.

Thought it should be track bar but Im not seeing any play.

Any ideas???
 
When you figure it out....

My 2019 F250 does about the same. Front left. Sounds like a missing bushing in a shock mount, sway bar, something like that. Heavy meta clunk. But everything looks good.

I've given up looking. Had a couple of shops look at it too. Figure one day it'll get worse and I'll be able to see something. Or crash into a busload of puppies.
 
Clubbs said:
My trusty 2018 2500 Cummins has developed a clunk. Not a tap or a click but a "hitting the frame with a hammer" clunk. Usually happens when turning left, but has become more frequent. Sometimes it sounds like it's coming from the front passenger and other times it's in the back maybe. Loud, and can feel something shift but not in the steering wheel.

Replaced ball joints and no change. Checked bolts on links and trans cross member shocks and body mounts.

Thought it should be track bar but Im not seeing any play.

Any ideas???
Click to expand...
I broke a motor mount in my 07, had similar symptoms.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
I broke a motor mount in my 07, had similar symptoms.
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This clunk only seems to happen when im braking and or turning. Doesn't happen or at least I can't hear or feel it when I'm in the go pedal so I don't think it's drivetrain related
 
Maybe. Haven't thought about that yet. I'll pull wheels and check
 
Mine ended up being the trac bar. Slowly got worse. I’d have someone rock the steering while you look. Don’t want the holes to get work on axle. That being said both my motor mounts are trash too lol
 
Noel said:
Mine ended up being the trac bar. Slowly got worse. I’d have someone rock the steering while you look. Don’t want the holes to get work on axle. That being said both my motor mounts are trash too lol
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I'm thinking this is the culprit and had my son rock the steering. Didn't see it move with just him steering on pavement. But I also hear the clunk with stopping quickly in a straight line, I guess the track bar loads up in that situation too as the suspension compresses.

Thuren or Carli level kit may be in the future
 
If the frame side has a bushing, that's probably it. They won't move much. They'll make a bunch of noises though.
 
Link bushings
 
shawn said:
Link bushings
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You know that's what I thought at first. Never heard of these going bad and when I search for radius arm bushings the googles aren't flooded with solutions. Have you replaced yours? Are these dealer only parts? Permanently installed in the radius arms maybe?
 
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Also check your unit bearings, the Cummins is so heavy that they do not live long on these trucks. I had a four year old Chevy 2500 start popping and clacking over potholes and one if the unit bearings was the culprit.
 
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