strange clunk sound

wanderer

Member
I just started hearing this strange clunk sound , it happens when I back out of the garage and cut to the right and hit the brakes . then agin when I pull to the end of the driveway and hit the brakes,. Now I am hearing it when I hit the brakes hard it sounds like something is loose but he jeep drives fine there are no other noises and when i crawl under and look I don'tsee anything and everything seems tight,.
any ideas?

Is it possible for an axel to get loose ?
 

SFNick

New member
I would check and make sure everything is torqued to specs. Sounds like something isnt properly torqed down..Control Arms, Track Bar , ect......
 

scull20

New member
It may sound silly, but check under your seats or in the cubby in the back for something rolling around. I was hearing a clunk under similar scenarios a month or so ago...it ended up being a frozen seltzer bottle rolling around, heh.
 

Rideski

New member
A couple months ago I had a similar clunking sound. The dealer replaced the ball joints. I have another appointment with the dealer tomorrow as the clunk is back again...
 
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wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
I just started hearing this strange clunk sound , it happens when I back out of the garage and cut to the right and hit the brakes . then agin when I pull to the end of the driveway and hit the brakes,. Now I am hearing it when I hit the brakes hard it sounds like something is loose but he jeep drives fine there are no other noises and when i crawl under and look I don'tsee anything and everything seems tight,.
any ideas?

Is it possible for an axel to get loose ?

Can you tell us a bit more about your Jeep like, is it lifted or is it still stock?
 

OverlanderJK

Resident Smartass
A couple months ago I had a similar clucking sound. The dealer replaced the ball joints. I have another appointment with the dealer tomorrow as the council is back again...

Front or rear?

Any other handling issues?

Have you torqued track bar? Sway bar links? Checked the tie rod? Control arms bolts?

Give us some more info.
 

jbaskin28

New member
x2 what Eddie and Overland JK said. Get a buddy to spin the wheel right and left to full lock and watch for any unusual movement.

I had a clunk in the steering.. my tracbar was a bit loose and moving around. tightened it down, and the clunk is gone.

I'd also look for anything in the jeep solid and moveable.
 

wanderer

Member
08 rubicon auto jku

lifted with ome springs bilsteins , terra flex monster control bars been that way for 4 years have 115,000k new brakes 2 months ago new rotors I am beginning to think it is the steering . nothing left inside to roll around. but it is inconsistent.
When I back out and cut the wheels right I hear it as i come to a stop. but is not not brakes feels more like steering the only reason I hear it because of the is momentum shift. then as i turn the wheels left no sound but when I drive down the driveway and hit the brakes I can sometimes get it to do it again but it i s a lot less pronounced . but only some times and the harder I brake the more successful i am at getting it to make the sound I have to get a pretty good momentum shift change to make it make the clunk sound.

So my thoughts are could it be in the differentials? steering box ?( doesn't do it all the time) it is pretty random really
I have wheel spacers could that do it?
I would think I would feel something like all the time.
I have crawled under there and tried to moved a things to see if there is anything loose can find anything? had new ball joints at 39 k slight play in the front driveshaft but its new too, I twist it about 3/8 Inch I think that is normal?
running 285 falken tires so no vibration there .

thought s now?
 

David1tontj

New member
lifted with ome springs bilsteins , terra flex monster control bars been that way for 4 years have 115,000k new brakes 2 months ago new rotors I am beginning to think it is the steering . nothing left inside to roll around. but it is inconsistent.
When I back out and cut the wheels right I hear it as i come to a stop. but is not not brakes feels more like steering the only reason I hear it because of the is momentum shift. then as i turn the wheels left no sound but when I drive down the driveway and hit the brakes I can sometimes get it to do it again but it i s a lot less pronounced . but only some times and the harder I brake the more successful i am at getting it to make the sound I have to get a pretty good momentum shift change to make it make the clunk sound.

So my thoughts are could it be in the differentials? steering box ?( doesn't do it all the time) it is pretty random really
I have wheel spacers could that do it?
I would think I would feel something like all the time.
I have crawled under there and tried to moved a things to see if there is anything loose can find anything? had new ball joints at 39 k slight play in the front driveshaft but its new too, I twist it about 3/8 Inch I think that is normal?
running 285 falken tires so no vibration there .

thought s now?

I had almost the exact problem. A clunk developed first under hard stopping, then starting, and as it progressed, it happened at almost every stop. I knew what it was, just was being lazy about fixing it.

The control arm bushings were SHOT! Completely ovaled out- the axle was actually moving forward and backward every time I stopped hard.
 

wanderer

Member
seems like everything is torqued right

and now there seems to be anew problem I have a drip coming from under the radiator. it look like trines fluid but seems a little to thin almost like there is water in it, but well mixed. the drip and the clunk sound are coming from the same general area. Was thinking my power steering fluid? but I can only trace the drip to the bottom of the radiator where the condenser is. which I ironically was the last thing replaced on the jeep. The clunk is getting louder but still occurs when I back out and cu the wheels hard right so the tail swings right also ( backing out of the garage
. then again when I go down the driveway and stop.. sometimes I can get it to make the sound under moderately heavy braking. there is nothing loose in the jeep and for a while suspected the sway bar disconnect. in fact the bolts look pretty good but I can twist disconnect motor with my hands and the sway bar moves a little seems like this is normal ? so I am totally stumped.
 

JayKay

Caught the Bug
and now there seems to be anew problem I have a drip coming from under the radiator. it look like trines fluid but seems a little to thin almost like there is water in it, but well mixed. the drip and the clunk sound are coming from the same general area. Was thinking my power steering fluid? but I can only trace the drip to the bottom of the radiator where the condenser is. which I ironically was the last thing replaced on the jeep. The clunk is getting louder but still occurs when I back out and cu the wheels hard right so the tail swings right also ( backing out of the garage
. then again when I go down the driveway and stop.. sometimes I can get it to make the sound under moderately heavy braking. there is nothing loose in the jeep and for a while suspected the sway bar disconnect. in fact the bolts look pretty good but I can twist disconnect motor with my hands and the sway bar moves a little seems like this is normal ? so I am totally stumped.

I'd check the control arm bushings, take both ends loose on all of them and inspect. As for the fluid leak, probably coolant leaking from your radiator. Chrysler coolant is pink in color, not green. At that kind of mileage, I doubt your power steering fluid is that clean, it probably looks more like clean engine oil with a hint of red.
 
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