What are the possible sources for this? Just had my ball joints replaced and an alignment done. It didn't do this before. If it happens when I turn, does that mean it is automatically the swaybar?

***EDIT only when I turn, from the front.....***

I think the possible knocking sound sources are probably the end links on the sway bar, check that the bolts are torqued down to the correct ft lbs and examine the bushings. The rubber bushing doesn't last that long, they could be messed up or squished/torn.

Then check all of the other bolts for torque, the clevis bracket, the lower bracket bolt, all of the upper strut bolts "from inside the hood", both upper and lower ball joints.

I also heard that those dust covers on the struts can make a noise also when stopping hard or turning hard.

_________________
2002 Liberty Limited
2.5" Rusty's Coil Lift + OME 927 springs + 1/4" spacers
265x70 Revos
Warn 4x Floods
ARB bumper
TeraFlex extended front bumpstops
Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Bosch Size 86 battery
Jeepin by Al's 4.5 UC Arms
Kryptonite Differential Cover
JBA Bolt on KJ Tri-Angulated 4 Link

Yup, just check everything to make sure its all torqued to proper specs. Be sure to check the sway bar end links.

_________________
LOST KJ'S
Where are you going???
Current Jeep: 2004 Jeep Liberty
-Atlantic Blue
-Air Ride Rear Suspension ; OME/Rustys Lift ; Powertrax Locker ; Moog Lower Ball-Joints ; 245/70/16 Yokohama Geolander A/T-S's on MOABS ; Flowmaster 50 SUV
Lost #007082
http://www.cardomain.com/id/jeepjeepster

It is most likely the rear shocks. If you didnt get the washers to fill in the space at the top of the shocks it will clunk on turns and bumps sometimes too. At least that was my experience.

_________________

The topic makes it sound like a Rusty's lift problem but when you mention that the sound/affect started AFTER you had your ball joints worked on and an alignment done, you should not claim that it is the Rusty's lift making the noise.

The topic gives Rusty's lift a negative thought to new people.

You also failed to mention where the clunking noise is coming from, front or rear?

Need more specifics for other members to help you determine the problem through cyberspace.

_________________
===
New KJ Gear - Desert Armor Flak

2004 Renegade Light Khaki - 4" JBA Lift - Rock Lizard Products: Komodo Dragon Rear Bumper, Prototype Winch-mount Front Bumper, Super Skink Sliders - All J's Super Tranny Skid II - 31" Firestone Destination AT's on Moab wheels - Cobra 75W CB w/ stock Antenna mod

[b]Retired, US Military

First and foremost, Im impressed with the Rusty's kit....I got the upgraded OME shocks for the rear, so I know that is not the problem. The clunk is coming from the front, when I turn. Sorry, should have clarified.

Anyway, I think it may be the swaybar. I took it apart when installing the lift, and no matter how I loaded the Rusty's suspension later, I could not get the swaybar to line back up. I torqued the s--t out of it, but couldnt get it to line up. That, and the fact that it clunks when I turn, lead me to think that.

Any ideas on how to fix the sway? Im serious, loaded or unloaded, it just never seemed to line up right. If I lift it back up, take off the sway and adjust it, will that ruin the alignment I just got?

Check if you need new bushings. If everything is torqued right and all the pieces are there then maybe you have some bad bushings. Can you tell if your A arms are bumping on anything...just a thought.

_________________

A few weeks after mine was making the same type of clunk the drivers side lower ball joint failed.

_________________
#666
Lifted & No-Slipped [sold]

I need to crawl up under it after work, but i remember thinking that the A Arms have a lot of distance between the edge of them and where the bushing/connector is....

sigh.

One big mistake that alot of poeple make when installing these lifts are that they torque the bolts/nuts for the suspension componets(any place there is a bushing) with the KJ jacked up,which leads to premature bushing failure and noises.You must have the full wieght of the KJ on the front suspension and at ride hieght before you torque the bolts/nuts,this also includes the LCA mount bolts(need to lossen them so they are not binding and then retorque).If torqued when jacked up your bushing will be binding when at ride hieght.

Thanks, tjkj, I did not know that. Maybe my LBJs aren't as bad as I think. Guess I'll find out when I retorque, this weekend... If the weather stays nice enough. Hopefully, I can get my $$$ back from RRO and get the MOOGs ordered this week, too.

I didn't know that.............hmm...........just bought a new torque wrench, I guess I will be retorqueing everything this weekend.

What is a good way to do this? Let it all the way down with the wheel off, with the lower arm on the jack?

You have to drive the vehicle a little ways to get it at ride height(just for the front,ever notice after jacking up the front then lowering it and the front tires still look like the camber is way off?).After driving it awhile just park it on a level surface and then slightly loosen(to make sure none of the bushings are binding) all bolts/nuts(one at a time) and them retorque,some will be a royal pain to get with the KJ not on stands and the wheels on but it's the best way.

so drive it until the weekend, then reach around the tire and loosen and retorque everything? I dont even see how that is possible, my torque wrench is two feet long.....

Only need to drive it about 20-30 feet.I've done mine this way about 10 times(I've had mine apart about that many times!).It's a real pain but can be done,now having a 2" torque wrench is going to make it fun I use my short Craftsman that only goes up to like 125ft-lbs,it's only like 15" long.

darn ive got a short one that only goes up to 80lb ft.........I think there several of the nuts go past this

The bolts on the clevis are past 80ft lbs.

Upper Strut fork (clevis) 100 ft/lbs
Lower strut fork (clevis) 110 ft/lbs
lower stabilizer at LCA(swaybar link)...85 ft lbs
upper stabilizer(swaybar link) is 100 ft lbs



Top plate/Upper strut nuts 80 ft/lbs
Upper ball joints 60 ft/lbs
Lower ball joints 60 ft/lbs

_________________
2002 Liberty Limited
2.5" Rusty's Coil Lift + OME 927 springs + 1/4" spacers
265x70 Revos
Warn 4x Floods
ARB bumper
TeraFlex extended front bumpstops
Rock Lizard Skink Super Sliders
Bosch Size 86 battery
Jeepin by Al's 4.5 UC Arms
Kryptonite Differential Cover
JBA Bolt on KJ Tri-Angulated 4 Link

TJKJ, That sort of makes sense when you first think of it but then again, they don't do that on the assembly line and they don't do that at the dealer repair shop. They put the suspension parts on, tighten them down to spec then put the wheels on. I don't know why that would be necessary. But hey, you've done it 9 times more than I have. I do know that if you don't put Loctite on the strut mounting studs, the strut clevis and the ball joint studs, it will loosen over time. Not because it's happened on my Liberty but because it's happened on my older model Chevy 4x2. There's just something about that Loctite.
Oh yeah, I was wondering why you've (anyone) had to disconnect the swaybar to put the lift on?

_________________
05 Black "RUBI-GADE"
MOABs w/ MTRs
Rusty's 2.5 lift
Al J's Gen4 Upper Control Arms
Custom front skid
Rusty's rear diff guard
Super Sliders by Screamin Lizard
ARB Air lockers!!
Cut my teeth in a CJ-5
"It's less the Machine and more the Operator."
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2591493

"Why did you have to take the sway bar off?"



Well, me personally, I didn't have any definite instructions, just cobbled together notes here, pics there. Once I got the strut out and tried to put the new one in (completed and uncompressed, there was NO way to get the spring compressor in there) I realized that it was going to be impossible to leave the suspension exactly like it was, torqued and everything, and force that new, longer strut and clevis bracket in there. Impossible.

So, where the sway bar meets that first pin (forgive my lack of jargon)that travels downward, I disconnected it there, the upper balljoint, and one other bolt. This let the suspension sag enough to get both the strut and clevis lined up.

Sorry but I learned to wrench from a old guy that had been doing it for like 60+ years so I rather trust him on stuff like that,plus that's what we where instructed to do also when I was in my school in the Marines.As far as removing the front sway bar for removing/installing the lift I leave it on,but I use spring compressors though which makes the job easier.