Clunking in rear when turning HELP?? (SOLVED)!!!

[Heartbrake_JL]

Long time reader, first time poster.

So I've been hearing a slight clunk under my rig for about 2 weeks now prior to me parking it for almost a week.

This only happens when I'm turning left or right, driving forward or backward.

I've pulled my rear diff and looked at my spider ears when changing out my diff fluid, no pitting, chips or gouges.

I have not had a chance to recheck stock ball joints, but I do have a set of TerraFlex rebuildable HD ball joints, for when they need arises.

Some quick details:

2018 Wrangler JLU Sport S

- STOCK Dana 30 front / Dana 35 rear with LSD.
- 3.5 Teraflex lift
- Anti-Rock sway bars front/rear
- Teraflex HD Track bar front/rear
- Teraflex HD Tie Rod/Drag Link
- 17x9 Mammoth wheels with 35/12.5/17 TerraHunter R/T tires

I still have my stock ball joints, control arms, steering box and front / rear drive shafts.

I've been looking at the forms and talking to others, but I'm almost at a complete loss.

I'm the first owner and put 85,000 mi on her in the past 4 years (almost).

Any ideas that I haven't thought of yet?

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[Maverick909]

have you checked the torque on your wheels? ive heard of this problem many times. most people do not retorque there wheels after the first 500 miles from a rotation or fresh install of new tires etc. also if you have bead locks check the ring bolts. Next would be quick ball joint test with a pair of channel locks try and squeeze all the ball joints. and do a quick inspection on your upper and lower control arms

note 130 ft-lbs and the spare is 50 ft-lbs

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

Thanks for responding so quickly Maverick. I have not rechecked the torque after my last rotation. I'm running a spare tire delete on the back, but I still rotate all five out and just keep the spare tire in the garage, unless I'm hitting the trails.

No beadlocks at this time.

What is the ball joint test with channel locks? I have slightly jacked up the front previously and lifted up and down with a pry bar to see if there's movement. There wasn't any last time I did that a few weeks ago.

I've looked at and verified torque on all of my upper and lower control arms, so that appears to be good there and no movement on the bushings.

I appreciate the torque spec for the lugs. Will the torque still be the same if I'm running six-spline locking lug nuts?

 

[BDinTX]

Is it a single clunk or ongoing? I was getting a single clunk that I couldn't localize. Thought it was a loose control arm or trackbar bolt. Turned out to be the passenger side upper spring perch welds had broken.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-rear-spring-perch-failure.96988/post-2402606

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

Is it a single clunk or ongoing? I was getting a single clunk that I couldn't localize. Thought it was a loose control arm or trackbar bolt. Turned out to be the passenger side upper spring perch welds had broken.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-rear-spring-perch-failure.96988/post-2402606

It is a single clunk. It normally happens when I turn my wheel to the left, but it won't happen again until I turn it far right then back to the left again.

I'm definitely going to check the spring perch as well.

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

Is it a single clunk or ongoing? I was getting a single clunk that I couldn't localize. Thought it was a loose control arm or trackbar bolt. Turned out to be the passenger side upper spring perch welds had broken.
https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-rear-spring-perch-failure.96988/post-2402606

So low and behold, I have a broken passenger side rear upper spring perch...

The driver side rear looks like it can definitely be taken care of. I followed that link and seen how LiteBrite did theirs, so I think I'm going to follow suit on that and do the same thing!!

The first two pictures are from the passenger rear and the third picture is from the driver rear.

 

[BDinTX]

Sorry to hear that. I think it's a bad design and we're going to see it popping up more frequently though. Maybe a good aftermarket reinforcement will come out.

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

Sorry to hear that. I think it's a bad design and we're going to see it popping up more frequently though. Maybe a good aftermarket reinforcement will come out.

I think we've all come to realize that the Jeep brand is more about making profit than making a functional vehicle to have returning customers, at least in the past five or six years or so.

It would be awesome if someone came out with an aftermarket reinforcement for not only the front, but the rear as well. Only time will tell, but now I know what I have to do to get her back on the road, hopefully in time for the Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Invasion in 11 days...

 

[Maverick909]

Thanks for responding so quickly Maverick. I have not rechecked the torque after my last rotation. I'm running a spare tire delete on the back, but I still rotate all five out and just keep the spare tire in the garage, unless I'm hitting the trails.

No beadlocks at this time.

What is the ball joint test with channel locks? I have slightly jacked up the front previously and lifted up and down with a pry bar to see if there's movement. There wasn't any last time I did that a few weeks ago.

I've looked at and verified torque on all of my upper and lower control arms, so that appears to be good there and no movement on the bushings.

I appreciate the torque spec for the lugs. Will the torque still be the same if I'm running six-spline locking lug nuts?

yes same factory stud allows the 130ft lbs

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

Thank you for your help!! This is one of those reasons I love this forum.​

 

[Maverick909]

glad you figured it out. guess what i will be looking at when i get home LOl.

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

glad you figured it out. guess what i will be looking at when i get home LOl.

Definitely would not be a bad thing to look at. The more research I'm doing it seems that these might be geared more specifically to the 2018 year JL/JLU, especially if you hear clunking when turning.

It kept throwing me off, because I could feel it in the axle, drive shaft, tires, seats, etc.

Any contact with the frame and you will feel it everywhere ?.

 

[Maverick909]

Definitely would not be a bad thing to look at. The more research I'm doing it seems that these might be geared more specifically to the 2018 year JL/JLU, especially if you hear clunking when turning.

It kept throwing me off, because I could feel it in the axle, drive shaft, tires, seats, etc.

Any contact with the frame and you will feel it everywhere ?.

ack that stinks. I may go ahead with running a 1.5"x 1.5" or the 2"x2" angle to help sturdy things up in the rear. dang more stuff to weld :D glad i know a guy to do it. hahah.

 

[Heartbrake_JL]

ack that stinks. I may go ahead with running a 1.5"x 1.5" or the 2"x2" angle to help sturdy things up in the rear. dang more stuff to weld :D glad i know a guy to do it. hahah.

I may have a guy to do some welding for me. I'm eventually going to wind up getting a welder, Lord knows I need it... ?

 

[Maverick909]

I may have a guy to do some welding for me. I'm eventually going to wind up getting a welder, Lord knows I need it... ?

LOL, yea my shop guys are pretty darn good welders. we manufacture aerospace furances that run upwards of 1100-3500 degrees

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