Help me identify mild steering clunk

[DHW]

Anyone remember that app Shazam that could identify songs by listening to them? One of you make something like that to identify odd Jeep noises and you'll be rich.

I'm getting a mild clunk sound at the instant the wheels change direction, basically the first movement left or right from dead straight. You can't feel any hitch or increased looseness in the steering, its just the noise. In fact, no change in steering feel at all. And you can only hear it when the Jeep isn't moving. I haven't had a chance to get under the Jeep and have someone turn the wheel, but it seems to be coming from the driver's side. Also haven't had a chance to check torque specs on everything with a wrench, but everything is at least finger-tight. I suspect it's something in the drag link. Any ideas on what to check? Or could this just be normal? Everything is stock except the stabilizer and track bar.

I did have the steering box replaced bout a year ago. I drove around for about a week with the pitman nut not even finger tight due to the idiot service dept. at my prior dealer. Could that have damaged something? IIRC my new dealer who discovered the pitman nut did put a new drag link in.

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[redracer]

If you have a jack, lift up one front tire at a time then shove it in each direction, watching for play.

But, it could be a long laundry list of things that our jeeps have been notorious for. go search for the death wobble threads for ideas as that is a characteristic of looseness in the front axle / steering system.

 

[Renegade]

Track bar?

 

[DHW]

Track bar?

I do have the Teraflex track bar that has some rotational movement, by design I'm told, but I don't believe turning the wheels slightly would cause the track bar to rotate like that. Am I wrong?

 

[Renegade]

I do have the Teraflex track bar that has some rotational movement, by design I'm told, but I don't believe turning the wheels slightly would cause the track bar to rotate like that. Am I wrong?

It really shouldn't flop around unless it has heims or Johnny joint-style flex joint at both ends, which I don't believe the Teraflex does. Is one of the joints loose maybe? My Rock Krawler track bar has a flex joint at the frame end, and it does have some play in it, which causes a minor "clunk", as described. I need to rebuild it...

 

[DHW]

It really shouldn't flop around unless it has heims or Johnny joint-style flex joint at both ends, which I don't believe the Teraflex does. Is one of the joints loose maybe? My Rock Krawler track bar has a flex joint at the frame end, and it does have some play in it, which causes a minor "clunk", as described. I need to rebuild it...

I'm gonna try to get under it with a torque wrench tonight and check specs, but I don't think its the track bar. The reason I having some trouble identifying is because there is no noticeable change in steering or steering feel at all. No vibrations, hitches, anything. I figured with a clunk something is loose, maybe something just needs some grease. It is a very minor clunk, to the point that when I first noticed it I though it was just the friction of the tires on the concrete.

 

[DHW]

I just had a co-worker turn my wheel for me while I looked under the Jeep. I'm in work clothes so I couldn't get too deep in, but the clunk/click is definitely driver's side and isn't coming from the drag link or track bar, but seemingly from somewhere right at the steering box. Doesn't appear to be the ishaft bolt either as it seems to be coming from somewhere lower than that area. Maybe the box bolts? Any other possibilities I should check?

 

[mwilk012]

I just had a co-worker turn my wheel for me while I looked under the Jeep. I'm in work clothes so I couldn't get too deep in, but the clunk/click is definitely driver's side and isn't coming from the drag link or track bar, but seemingly from somewhere right at the steering box. Doesn't appear to be the ishaft bolt either as it seems to be coming from somewhere lower than that area. Maybe the box bolts? Any other possibilities I should check?

its just going to be slack in the gears which is normal.

 

[DHW]

its just going to be slack in the gears which is normal.

Yea I just crawled out from under it and couldn’t find anything loose or anything that looked out of place. Maybe I just noticed it now that it’s in the 30s here.

 

[h41g]

I started hearing/feeling this same noise recently. Only happens the first time I turn the wheel. No other "symptoms"...

Did you ever figure it out?

 

[DHW]

I started hearing/feeling this same noise recently. Only happens the first time I turn the wheel. No other "symptoms"...

Did you ever figure it out?

No, never did. It still does it, but only on the first turn of the wheel each morning. It has never gotten worse so I tend to think the above comment is correct that it's just slack in the gears.

 

[Schahn]

I have a 2020 JLU, I just started hearing this exact same thing, I have all new hd aftermarket steering components, and everything there is spot on! I’m pretty sure that the sound is actually coming from my steering column. I was hoping that one of you guys could have confirmed that, but I’m going to investigate my suspicions and will give an update if I figure it out!

 

[Camaroboi13]

I have a 2020 JLU, I just started hearing this exact same thing, I have all new hd aftermarket steering components, and everything there is spot on! I’m pretty sure that the sound is actually coming from my steering column. I was hoping that one of you guys could have confirmed that, but I’m going to investigate my suspicions and will give an update if I figure it out!

Mine goes to the dealer on Tuesday, but mine seems to be 100% steering box related. Started with a small clunk, turned into a binding feel, and now it’s 10 degrees of dead spot from anything off center of steering wheel. I can reproduce the noise/clunk 10 out of 10 times.

 

[Schahn]

Thank you, I’ll look into that possibility also!

 

[AlgUSF]

I was getting loud popping noise from my front end and it turned out to be this.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...-for-the-jl-suspension-steering-issues.77013/

I torqued my ball joints to spec and popping noise went away, my JLU is under warranty but it was easier to do the fix myself than take it to the stealership dealership.

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