Knocking with bumps?

[thirdstreettito]

So for over a month whenever I hit a bump the drivers front wheel hit's hard, like a thud. Small bumps and big bumps. I figured my shocks went. So I replaced them Saturday. Still there! Just as bad as before. Any ideas? I checked my balljoint play and it was maybe 1/32" up and down play. All the spring bushing seems good. No metal on metal. It's rattling the truck and driving my crazy.

[GCncsuHD]

Have you checked to see if the spring eye is hitting the frame when the shackle swings back? Is this on your 83 or your 88? I don't remember exactly what year, but sometime in the late 80s they actually lengthened the front shackles by 1/2" to give a little more clearance at the frame. I have seen many trucks with rotten bump stops or sagging springs and a little shiny spot above the spring eye where it has contacted the frame.

[special-K]

Sway bar bushings?

[JPBrecheisen]

This probably isn't it, but I had a "clunk" in my 72 K25 when I first got it and it was the front brake calipers. The little o-rings that go inside the caliper bolt holes were wasted so every time I hit a bump, the caliper would kinda slop around and make a slight clunking noise. If you can shake it up and down and make a clunking noise, Maybe thats what you're hearing?

Can you re-create it when you bounce up and down on the bumper? Maybe you could bounce the front end and have a friend look to see where the noise is coming from?

[thirdstreettito]

It's the 88. I havent seen any marks on the frame from the eye hitting. I'll check the swaybar bushings today and the calipers.

[thirdstreettito]

Solved! It's balljoints. I checked the calipers and sway bar bushings, they're tight. So my uncle suggested balljoints, which I already thought. I jacked her up by the frame and put a pipe under the tire on both sides. This sucks!

[JPBrecheisen]

Thats a bummer. If you don't have the tools, a lot of the auto parts stores have the ball joint tool kits you can buy and return after the job it done. You pay full price, but long as you bring it back not broken with all the pieces, they give you your money back as if it was a rental. I did this a while back with Advance Auto Parts when I replaced ball joints and springs in my 65 LB. The only thing I really needed it for was the lower ones since they were pressed in. I had to press them out and in. Having those tools made it not too bad of a job. Took about 6 hours, but I got it done and it rides pretty nice now. Good luck with it.

I would also not drive it if you don't have to until you get it fixed. Especially if its the lower ones. I've seen worn out lower ball joints fail and the spindle/knuckle pull the ball right through the socket in the lower a-arm and the corner of the truck dropping to the pavement..wasn't a pretty scene. I'd try to avoid that at all cost.

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by JPBrecheisen

Thats a bummer. If you don't have the tools, a lot of the auto parts stores have the ball joint tool kits you can buy and return after the job it done. You pay full price, but long as you bring it back not broken with all the pieces, they give you your money back as if it was a rental. I did this a while back with Advance Auto Parts when I replaced ball joints and springs in my 65 LB. The only thing I really needed it for was the lower ones since they were pressed in. I had to press them out and in. Having those tools made it not too bad of a job. Took about 6 hours, but I got it done and it rides pretty nice now. Good luck with it.

I would also not drive it if you don't have to until you get it fixed. Especially if its the lower ones. I've seen worn out lower ball joints fail and the spindle/knuckle pull the ball right through the socket in the lower a-arm and the corner of the truck dropping to the pavement..wasn't a pretty scene. I'd try to avoid that at all cost.

Thanks, this is the 4x4 section btw lol no A-arms. Unfortunately it's my DD.

[JPBrecheisen]

Yep, I'm retarded.

I forgot Suburban retained the solid axle until the 1992 model year.

I was thinking about the IFS GM started using on K series in 1988.

Sorry.

[special-K]

Ball joints are ball joints. Who cares what section this is when it's someone offering helpful information? Also,there are 2wd off road trucks you know?

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by special-K

Ball joints are ball joints. Who cares what section this is when it's someone offering helpful information? Also,there are 2wd off road trucks you know?

Lol calm down Tim. I mentioned 4x4 because of his A-arm comment. I know there are IFS 4x4 trucks. And I know there are long travel/prerunner trucks. I also said lol to show I was playing.

[thirdstreettito]

Got a quote of $250 per side from a friend. Much better than the $500 per side all the other local shops want. I'm gonna have him do my u-joints, seals, and possibly bearings while in there. After this it'll be calipers, lines, and a whole system flush.

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

Got a quote of $250 per side from a friend. Much better than the $500 per side all the other local shops want. I'm gonna have him do my u-joints, seals, and possibly bearings while in there. After this it'll be calipers, lines, and a whole system flush.

Why not do it yourself? Ball joints are not that bad of a job if you do it yourself and rent the right tools, kingpin axles on the other hand.....

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by GCncsuHD

Why not do it yourself? Ball joints are not that bad of a job if you do it yourself and rent the right tools, kingpin axles on the other hand.....

Because I cant afford any screw ups. I get single days off at a time. Plus my yard is ALL dirt and if I dont have the right tools I'm driving the 83 20 miles to get them from my tools in storage.

[thirdstreettito]

All done! $540 labor and $140 parts. $680 total for ball joints, seals, and u joints. MUCH better than other local shops. But...the knocking is still there. I drove back and he grabbed a light and we looked. The sway bar bushings are just about gone. I have 2 of them. I'll grab the other two and he said he'll do it for free on Thursday. So hopefully then it will be gone!! Plus I'll have $1500 worth of work done for $680! If the knock is still there then I'm getting leaf springs, bushings, and shackles.

[special-K]

Sounds like you saved a lot of money,if your truck needed that work.

[thirdstreettito]

Originally Posted by special-K

Sounds like you saved a lot of money,if your truck needed that work.

I did and it did.

[thirdstreettito]

Sway bar bushings done. Like a new truck! BUT still knocking! Less, but still there. The bumper is tight. Any ideas that havent already been explored?