• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Suspension 101?

Mopar500

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Colorado
Hello all,
I have a 92 4.0, aw4
I have read many threads about different clunks. I'm sure the clunk that I have is one of those, but I would like to know how to tell the difference between a control arm bushing clunk, a ball joint clunk, or some sort of tie rod clunk.
The clunk I have happens when turning, and is most noticable at a stand-still or going slow. It happens going forward or backward. My limited experince with other vehicles and a similar noise has been a worn ball-joint, but any service guy I take it to, claims the ball-joints are fine. I'd like to do it myself, and I guess proper diagnosing is the first step.
Any help is appreciated
 
Trac bar will clunk when turning a slow corner.
Ball joints I usually notice turning into a driveway, or a bump during a turn.
Control arm bushings I check with the front axle on jack stands. Have somebody push a fender sideways and get my eyeball really close. They sometimes clunk when braking at a low speed.
Tie rod ends I usually check by having someone turn the steering wheel a couple of inches left and right and eyeballing all the tie rod and drag link ends. First indicator is often the ball going up or down before it goes left or right.
I check the steering box and column by using a block of wood and a C-clamp. I clamp the center link to the tie rod link, near the pitman arm and turn the steering wheel left and right.
 
Back
Top