Tracka96

Hey all, My 2003 supercrew lariat 4X4 has a real annoying noise that I can't find. It's a definite clunk which seems to be getting slowly worse, not aninternal engine noise. The strange thing is - after I drive it a few miles and go back over the same clunk causing road, the noise is either much quieter or gone. My driveway is about 300 feet long, bumpy and rocky. it seems that when the right front wheel hits a little bump, I get the clunk. It sounds like it's in the wheel area, battery area, or heater area, but I've been all over it and can't find anything. The big mystery to me is why does it clunk less after I've used it a while?? Any thoughts or suggestions will be much appreciated.
(If I go over a speed bump, both front wheels at the same time, no clunk. Could this be a clue?)

AFSOCSGT

Check the Idler arm for the steering, it will be under the truck, it bolts to the passenger side inner frame. Mine is getting worn out also and I can move it up and down, also the passenger tire has more movement then the driver side when jacked up. Mine makes the same clunk on bumps but never at the same time, that is how I found the worn idler arm. They sell them for about 50 bucks at parts stores.

freakyfishinkid

dont no why it gets quieter...but crawl under and look at the swaybar links...i had one shear off a couple months ago...not hard to fix

colton

i had to replace a sway bar link too. don't know if i ever heard a clunk from it. im hearing one on my truck too, but that would probably be because my front shocks no longer have bushings on them. fixing that in a week or two hopefully.

Tracka96

Thanks to all for the ideas, I'll get under it again tomorrow and look some more.
AFSOCSGT, can you give me description of how your passenger wheel has more movement when jacked up? Is this with both front wheels up at the same time? How does this movement show up? Thanks a lot, Tracka

AFSOCSGT

After my clunk began I jacked the front up enough to get the wheels off the ground, than wiggled them back and forth horizontally while watching the steering links. That is when I noticed that the passenger side had more play and the idler arm was moving up and down.

Tracka96

Thank you! Hopefully I'll get time to check that tomorrow. Keeping my fingers crossed that that's it. Tracka

Tracka96

UPDATE:
Quoting AFSOCSGT - <After my clunk began I jacked the front up enough to get the wheels off the ground, than wiggled them back and forth horizontally while watching the steering links. That is when I noticed that the passenger side had more play and the idler arm was moving up and down.>

Today I jacked up the front end and checked the play in the wheels. The passenger side does have a very slight bit more play, couldn't really see any noticeable play in the idler arm, but saw that it has a grease fitting. I went ahead and greased that, test drove, still have the same clunk. I did find that the clunk comes when I go over a bump with the drivers side front tire, but the clunk noise comes from the passengers side. While I was under there I looked at everything else I could think of. Maybe I'll just have to wait and see if it gets worse or something falls off??? Tracka