"Clunk " after new Trac bar?

J-Pipes

J-Pipes

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Jan 20, 2012
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Recently installed a new Trac bar from autozone, while it did improve steering due to the old one being worn, I now have a "clunk" when I turn the wheel. It did it for a couple hundred miles, then stopped for about a hundred or so, then started doing it again when I drove it yesterday. I have checked and greased everything I can think of on the front end, and cannot get anything to move. Thought maybe ball joint, but don't have any play there. Only thing I'm left at is maybe it's just a junk Trac bar? Any hints or tips on something to check are appreciated.
 
Jack it up and have a friend turn the wheel with the truck off. If it isn't obvious get a pry bar out and start checking for play.
 
That's just it, it has to have a "load" on it to do it, it won't do it on the smooth concrete floor of the shop. The pry bar and double checking all nuts/bolts is the next step I can think of
 
In my experience if the bolts are not tight enough your description of a clunk can occur, otherwise the bolts and or bolt holes for the trac bar can be worn causing the same issue even after installing new trac bar bushings and a new trac bar.
 
I'll double check that it's all tight, the holes all looked good, no oblong wearing or anything. One thing I wondered was if the sleeve in the bushing end was too big, and getting movement?
 
I'm not sure about the 2nd gen dodges, but I know on the 3rd gen trucks they quit making the stock trac bar bolts and upgraded to a 2mm bigger bolt which requires some drilling and a different bushing sleeve diameter. It may be worth taking the trac bar out and measuring both the bushing sleeve and bolts. Just and idea, I could be completely wrong.
 
I'll check it, I know about the autozone thing, but it's all stock suspension, and a lifetime warranty, figured it was worth a shot.
 
Yup, that'll happen when one of the bolts isn't tight. You can probably get it to happen if you put it in 4WD and brake torque in drive, then reverse. My old bar was adjustable, milled up some pieces to make it not, then never heard it again.

Also, the trac bar is the one area on the front suspension that you should spend some money on. Getting a double shear setup at the frame is a must. Then you can run the newer dodge stuff if you want (it's good stuff).
 
I got it turn to the next notch in the castle nut - barely, and haven't heard anything else yet. Still have my old bar, was thinking about cutting the ball joint end off and putting a bushing type end of some sort on it, and modifying the frame end of the truck to accept the double shear attachment.
 
Mine had loose bolts as well and had a similar clunk. Ball joints can also do it.. Mine need replacing and are clunking again.
 
It hasn't made anymore noise after the adjustment. I wouldn't have thought that would have been it, but hopefully it was.
 
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