"klunking" when I turn....

[elektrik]

Can anyone clue me into the seriousness of this problem? Basically here's what happens:

I'm driving along, and I slow down to a stop, to turn right, for example. I "creep" forward without fully releasing the brake and I FEEL a sort of "klunk" when I let the brake off to creep forward...

Sorry for the technical jargon, but I'm not much of a mechanic =]

[71swb4x4]

Sounds like you have something loose on the front end, probably a tie rod. I would get under there and check it all out. All of those front end parts (tie rods, ball joints, etc) are pretty important.

[Eddie H.]

Check your upper control arms to see if the bolts are loose, or any shims have fallen out.

[71swb4x4]

Check your steering box too. I had the bolts holdind one on work loose on me once. Frames also like to crack right where one of the bolt holes for the steering box is too.

[elektrik]

I'll check them for sure, but I should have mentioned one more issue-the klunking feels like it's coming from behind the vehicle (or maybe directly underneath me)-however, that doesn't mean the problem's actually there

[Eddie H.]

It could also be loose or missing trans crossmember bolts, or rear trans mount worn out.

[71swb4x4]

The turning may be a coincidence. Check your U-joints too.

[elektrik]

Ok, I'm going to take a pic of the transmission mount and post it-I'm not sure if that's the culprit, but to my (untrained) eye, it looks like it is kinda chewed up....

In the meantime, anyone got a pic of what the transmission mount's supposed to look like?

[71swb4x4]

I just replaced a bad one on my truck last week. You can't really tell just by looking at it. I had the crossmember out of the way, so I stuck a bolt in it and pulled, and the rubber wasn't holding anything in place. They are cheap, and fairly easy to replace. Moving the crossmember is 95% of the work.

[breeh]

A bit off topic but I've not found it necessary to move the crossmember. Just unbolt the trans mount from the crossmember, jack up the trans, reach between the trans and crossmember to unbolt the mount. Then do the reverse to put the new one in.

[hogzilla89]

My 69 shortbed is doing the exact same thing, sounds like its in the rear end.I took my bed off and it looks like the drive shaft is not centered in the drive loop.I have lowered mine a couple inches in the rear,I did not change the tracking arm to an adjustable one, so I think it pushed my rear to the passenger side enough the the drive shaft hits the drive loop. Mine make that loud sound when I stop then turn wheel to the left and pull off real slow.I Can feel it shake the truck. Hope this might help. If you find something else please let me know. Charles

[El Jay]

If it's "clunking" in a low speed turn, and you have a posi rear end, you just might need some "posi" lube.
My Chevy was doing the same thing. It almost felt like the 3rd member was trying to shift a bit, side to side.

I pulled the rear cover, just to take a look at things, and repair the weeping gasket; put in a bottle of "posi" lube topped it off with a synthetic gear lube (I forget what flavor).
And the "clunk went away.

All in all, a pretty cheap fix.

[Tom Vogel]

If you have an original posi rearend, its exactly what EL JAY said. Get some Posi conditioner from Napa and youll be good to go.

[El Jay]

Originally Posted by El Jay

If it's "clunking" in a low speed turn, and you have a posi rear end, you just might need some "posi" lube.
My Chevy was doing the same thing. It almost felt like the 3rd member was trying to shift a bit, side to side.

I pulled the rear cover, just to take a look at things, and repair the weeping gasket; put in a bottle of "posi" lube topped it off with a synthetic gear lube (I forget what flavor).
And the "clunk went away.

All in all, a pretty cheap fix.

P.S. I forgot to mention, if that doesn't take care of the problem; at the minimum,your 3rd member has been "serviced", that is it's had an oil change.

[elektrik]

Ok, I think I'm gonna enlist my nextdoor neighbor's help on this one-You've all been extremely helpful to the point of me being scared to death because I don't know where to start hehe

I'll let you know when/if I figure it out...

[special-K]

Could be a trailing arm bushing or panhard bar.How does it go down the road?When hitting the gas hard,does it pull to one side?If not,it still could be what I mentioned.A bushing would have to be real bad to effect tracking,but can clunk with just enough wear.

[Zonaman]

Originally Posted by special-K

Could be a trailing arm bushing or panhard bar.How does it go down the road?When hitting the gas hard,does it pull to one side?If not,it still could be what I mentioned.A bushing would have to be real bad to effect tracking,but can clunk with just enough wear.

I vote for trailing arm bushing, I've rebuilt my suspension, most of what's been suggested, except for these- and I get the same thing.

[71swb4x4]

breeh is exactly right. I wasn't thinking. I replaced mine when I was replacing the whole tranny, so I had to get the crossmember out of there. Hopefully you aren't outside moving the crossmember right now!

[larry may]

Posi or not I'll pick spider gear or axel gear breaking down. Pull the rear cover off and look in there for chipped off peices or other loose metal . My.02%

[LBJ]

Grease and add lube oil to everything in sight!

I had the driveshaft making noise in my 91 GMC. I removed it to try to replace the u-joints. They were held in there with some kind of injected plastic. I decided NOT to try to replace them. I just greased them with some newly installed zerks and replaced the shaft. Everything was fine after that.

Also, if the clunk is after you put your foot off the brake, you may need to check your tranny modulator. I have replaced that before and it helps smooth things out.

Other than that, sounds like broken shocks, shock mounts, missing shock bolts, very worn a-arm bushings or ball joints, etc. Give everything a good look on a lift.

[ChevLoRay]

[QUOTE=LBJ;2663439]Grease and add lube oil to everything in sight!

I had the driveshaft making noise in my 91 GMC. I removed it to try to replace the u-joints. They were held in there with some kind of injected plastic. I decided NOT to try to replace them. I just greased them with some newly installed zerks and replaced the shaft. Everything was fine after that.QUOTE]

I was lookin' to see if anyone would mention greasing "stuff".

I had a '76 Blazer with a pronounced clunk when stopping/starting. The previous owner was from France, working here to train bellhops at a new hotel, and didn't know we had paved roads in Arkansas, hence the 4WD. The Chevy dealership knew they had a rube in the hand and proceeded to help them spend a couple thousand bucks to "fix" it. Part-time kit in the front end; replaced the inner axle bearings, new torque convertor bolts (left one of them in the nose of the starter....another issue) and replaced the door jamb switches. Clunk still there. It had a set of 10-inch white spokes and 12.00x15's on all four corners and sang like crazy on the highway.

Pulled off the wheels/tires. Installed 8-inch wide wheels and 31x11.50's. It's now quieter. Still clunks, but not so bad. Took it for an oil/lube. Greased the slip yokes on the front end, plus all the other lube points. Noise gone.

It may not be a lubrication issue, but it's certainly something to be done on a regular basis. Not driving them very often, and those that have been parked for a while, are susceptible to "grease worms" that eat up the grease on your vehicles. Once the "worms" eat all the grease, parts start to wear....or worse.

Feed the Grease Worms!!!

[special-K]

Is there a bottle between the passenger seat and door.That one had me worried until I had someone ride with me and the bottle fell out.My son left it there.
A rear end fluid change is always a good thing.If you can jack a wheel up you can check if it`s a posi.If the raised wheel won`t turn,it`s a posi.If it is a posi and a fluid change w/additive doesn`t cure it I`d look at the bushings in the panhard bar and trailing arms.

[Boog]

Yeah, I remember my first time. Not that first time but my first time experiencing the rear end klunk. Posi rear in my old truck. Turning at slow speed it bumped and bumped. It felt like the driveline was sort of binding up somewhere. Naturally I thought something MAJOR was wrong and an older mechanic told me to change the rear end oil and add a small bottle of GM posi additive. I did and the klunk was gone, for good.

[LONGHAIR]

If you can jack a wheel up you can check if it`s a posi.If the raised wheel won`t turn,it`s a posi.

Ah, that only works if you are in neutral too. If you only raise one wheel while in gear/park, it won't turn anyway. The spinning of one wheel has to have somewhere to go. If one turns, the other has to turn, either with it or opposite...or the driveshaft has to turn.
Also, if you brakes are too tight, this can all be deceiving.

What rear end is in the truck? If it is a locker, no amount of "posi additive" will fix it.
My initial thought from the OP was brakes. Drums in front?

[Sonny]

I had a front end "clunk" that eluded me for the longest time. I never could find it so I rebuilt the entire front end. I put it back on the road and the clunk was still there. Come to find out is the tabs on the front disc brake pads were bent out enough to let them move around. It was just enough movement to make a "clunk" when you would stop or go. A little malletization to the tabs where the pads fit tight and no more clunk. Too bad it cost me a couple hundered dollars to figure that one out. On the bright side the tuck has a fresh front end on it...