Clunking after lifting?

jmichaelsjeep · **Posted:** Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:47 pm

So as I posted in the "what did you do to your jeep today" and in the Midwest section "possible WI lift party" post, I finally got my Frankie installed. It was aligned today and they couldn't get the caster all the way to where it should be, but at least it drives straight without a wobble now

.

But here is my dilemma, I have a clunking coming from my right front wheel. I looked under in there and it appears everything is in the right places, meaning I don't think I have any binding from anything in particular, but I'm just not sure. I need HELP! Before I take it to a shop, I want to see if there is anything I can do to fix it. I did a search and the first thing that comes to mind is a bad tie rod joint, but wouldn't the alignment shop have mentioned that?

I also need help with two other things: 1) I got my extended bumpstop in on one side, but not the other, any tips? AND 2) when I was taking my rear sway bar off to get the lift in, I must have had too much pressure on it or it must have been seized in there pretty good, because one of the two bolts for the right side got sheared off (the one towards the front), besides the evident slight noise coming from that area, will I do more damage than good if I don't get that fixed soon?

Please HELP, the clunking noise is the most critical for me...

Oh, and mods, if this is in the wrong spot, please move it, I wasn't sure where the best spot for it was... Thanks!

tommudd · **Posted:** Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:57 pm

Did you check the top nuts on the front shock before the install? I have seen two frankenlifts that the top bolt was not tight enough.
Also did you reinstall the sway bar end links after it was sitting back on its wheels? If not that will cause problems, mostly squeaks though
AND you did not have to remove the rear sway bar to install the lift in the rear unless you were just wanting to remove it for good.

jmichaelsjeep · **Posted:** Sun Oct 03, 2010 11:10 pm

First - No I did not check the top nuts on the struts :furious:

I guess I shouldn't have trusted it was together right!!!! I guess I know to check that next time:)
Second - No I tightened everything in the air, supported so it was up enough to put the link back together.
Third - DOh, I used directions I found on here and KJ Country on how to install this lift and it said you had to remove the rear sway bar.... Which after fighting to get it to droop enough with it connected, I don't know how I would have gotten enough droop to get the new spring in.. I suppose this means I must have been doing something unapproved by the Rev Mudd!

I did check on Ryanee182's theory though, he may be on to something. I didn't cut open the pockets because when I did the drivers side first I checked and it didn't appear like it needed it. When I got to the passenger side, it appears that it did need it (and I didn't check before I put it all together). I'm getting contact with the a-arm and the pockets. I hope this won't cause any long term damage, but I won't be able to fix that for a few more days... I did notice too that visually the right side front seems to sit a little higher, so it is at a greater angle causing more contact than the drivers side...

jmichaelsjeep · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:05 am

So Tommudd you may be right

I thought I had enough pressure on the LCA when I retightened the sway bar link to "mimick" the force of being on the ground, but evidently not. I loosened it up a little on the ground last night and re-tightened and NO MORE CLUNKING from the front! Thanks for the thoughts. I'm glad I didn't have to take the whole thing apart.

Now I just have to fix the mildly annoying metal on metal noise that comes from being one bolt short on the rear sway bar :shock:

I'm not sure if I'm going to try and drill out the center of the sheared off bolt and use my bolt extractor, then buy a new bolt, OR if I can rig up a muffler clamp type thing that I can clamp it down (using some foam tape to eliminate metal on metal binding). I know the correct thing to do is to fix it right. But that might have to wait.

I also noticed that my right rear spring folded over a portion of the lowest upper isolater so I think that's where I'm getting a little squeaking from. another thing to tweak!!

ridenby · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:53 am

yellocoyote wrote:

Just take the swaybar off entirely! There are a lot of us running without it. I can barely tell the difference.

X2

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:51 pm

jmichaelsjeep wrote:

First - No I did not check the top nuts on the struts :furious:

I guess I shouldn't have trusted it was together right!!!! I guess I know to check that next time:)
Second - No I tightened everything in the air, supported so it was up enough to put the link back together.
Third - DOh, I used directions I found on here and KJ Country on how to install this lift and it said you had to remove the rear sway bar.... Which after fighting to get it to droop enough with it connected, I don't know how I would have gotten enough droop to get the new spring in.. I suppose this means I must have been doing something unapproved by the Rev Mudd!

I did check on Ryanee182's theory though, he may be on to something. I didn't cut open the pockets because when I did the drivers side first I checked and it didn't appear like it needed it. When I got to the passenger side, it appears that it did need it (and I didn't check before I put it all together). I'm getting contact with the a-arm and the pockets. I hope this won't cause any long term damage, but I won't be able to fix that for a few more days... I did notice too that visually the right side front seems to sit a little higher, so it is at a greater angle causing more contact than the drivers side...

Your gonna want to fix this slight higher than other asap. you are putting alot of pressure on yoyur drive line and CV's. That is where you might be getting the nosie when driving. Aslo, your springs might take a few days to settle down.
Measure from ground to bottom of LCA on both side and see what differance is there.

VoodooMann · **Posted:** Tue Oct 05, 2010 10:16 pm

I agree with taking the swaybar off completely, I drive pretty hard, and I hardly notice any difference when driving, but the flex is undeniable offroad.

jmichaelsjeep · **Posted:** Wed Oct 06, 2010 9:30 am

I'm still debating on the sway bar piece....

Jeep Dawg - As far as the front clunking and "slightly higher", I posted on another post here that I had readjusted and retightened the sway bar link and no more clunking/ noise from that area anymore. It also was only a 1/4" in the measurement from the ground to the fender (and similarly from the wheel center to fender) different than the other 3 wheels, thus I don't think it is at all associated with the driveline itself. But I will check the measurement from the ground to the LCA just to be safe. Since the noise is gone after a sway bar check, I think it will be a mute point.

KJ04 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 09, 2010 7:53 am

VoodooMann wrote:

I agree with taking the swaybar off completely, I drive pretty hard, and I hardly notice any difference when driving, but the flex is undeniable offroad.

Took mine off when I did my first lift kit, that was seven yrs. ago!

jmichaelsjeep · **Posted:** Fri Oct 15, 2010 9:48 am

Well, I did end up taking the rear sway bar off because I couldn't stand the metal on metal noise all the time anymore. I then drove it to get gas to make sure the noise was gone, and it was still there :furious:

So when I got back home I checked the last thing that I hadn't checked yet, the shocks (to make sure the bolts were tightened down). Guess what, someone forgot to tighten the shock all the way down to spec :banghead:

Well, at least I could tighten down the upper shock mount without taking off the wheel! Five minutes later I was tightened to spec and ready to go. And no more clunking!

I may still put the rear sway bar back on once I get the bolt removed that was sheared off. But for now it is laying in my garage...

Clunking after lifting?

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