First things first - I DID A SEARCH! I just can't find any pictures.

I am trying to figure out what happens when the front end clunk occurs. I have a pretty good idea, but would like a picture of the wear on someone's truck. Mine is new and is making the noise, but there's no wear, yet. I want to stop it before it gets bad but want to be sure and weld the right critter. If someone has a pic, please post it. THANKS!

I promise, this is the first, last, and only time I will ever start a front end clunk topic.

DUCK

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Build the Hell outta Bonfire 2000!

 

How loud is the clunk and when does it happen? I've got 1300mi on my 2000 and havn't heard any clunking yet.

The only "wierd" thing I've had is sometimes when I start the truck after its been idle for a while (overnight sometimes) it sounds a little wierd...not the normal clean hum it has, but it disappears in about 30s-60s.

 

Take it to the dealership and have them fix it.

Mine was doing the famous "clunk" around 1200 miles. Took it back to dealership with a couple other problems and all were fixed.

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John Armstrong

2000 Red Lightning

 

Pawn-
The only time I hear the clunk is when I am at full turn (hard on one lock) and moving...like when trying to squeeze into a parking space. It is just a pop and can easily be heard with the windows down. As for the noise, I think I know what you are talking about. Sometimes, when I start it up for the first time in the morning, it soudns like it is holding at high(er) rpms. I think it is just b/c the truck is cold...it goes away after a minute or two.

Jarmstro-
I guess that would be the best thing. Just sucks because my dealer is about 2 hours away (in downtown Houston). How long did the fix take? Did you have to leave it overnight?

DUCK

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Build the Hell outta Bonfire 2000!

 

Thats what I figure it is as well. It does hold at highter RPMs at that point, at about 1000-1100RPMs rather then at the 700-900 that it normally holds at.

Daniel

 

Duck

Many clunks have been fixed by just lubricating the tie rod stop. I looked under my truck to see if I could do it myself but since I didnt have anyone to help with turning the wheel, I couldnt find the spot.

Maybe you can beg one ofthe techs on the board to give you details of what to lube where.... and skip a 2 hour trip

Doug

 

Yes, a pic would be nice. some of us aren't front end literate as others. it's little tight under there too!, or is that me?

 

CONFUSION, CONFUSION, CONFUSION.
First there are 2 different clunks each of which has a different fix.

CLUNK 1--Occurs when turning wheel. Steering part hits metal stop and clumks. Lub stops with water resistant grease. Clunk will go away or at least subside, but lub will have to be periodlcly redone as long as you own truck. My cure--Turn up radio and live with it.

CLUNK 2-- Going straight ahead and hitting say a speed bump at 10 or 20 and one side or the other clunks like the shock is disconnected on one end. This is the lower aframe arm bolt shifting in the slotted hole and the aframe is slamming against bolt as it moves. One cure is said to spot weld a washer onto aframe to stop bolt moving. I don't know that this is a good idea because I think maybe the adjustment cams that are not installed at the factory may go in this hole and the welded washer will interfere with them. The best cure that I have seen here is to put two star washers on both ends and tighten the hell out of it. Mine is doing this now on the drivers side but they can fix it when they do the intercooler.
Cigar

 

Thanks Noel! It looks like I am suffering from a severe case of the Type One Clunks. I'll lube the stops and she how she does.

DUCK

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Build the Hell outta Bonfire 2000!

 

I had the same problem. I had a friend turn the steering wheel while I watched underneath the truck. When the wheels got to full turn and go against the stop it would cause the lower control arm to move in it's slot and you would hear it. Then turn the steering wheel all the way the other direction and it would slide the otherway and again another clunk. I installed the star washers and tightned it clunk gone and 600 miles and no movement.Hope it helps.

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99 red lightning, bassani complete system
2-2000 arctic cat zr440 snopro's
2000 super duty v10
Arctic cat 400 4x4
99 chev c1500 pickup
2000 red Lightning on order 2-14-00, Build date 5-8-00

 

Duck,

Mine took about 2 weeks to get everything done including the "clunk". But on the other hand I had to wait for parts, drive shaft and tailhousing for my transmission.

Gotta be a Ford dealership in College Station. Whether they are an SVT Dealership shouldn't matter. They can call SVT too.

Others may have a better answer for length of time if that is all that needs to be fixed.
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John Armstrong

2000 Red Lightning

[This message has been edited by jarmstro (edited 04-17-2000).]

[This message has been edited by jarmstro (edited 04-17-2000).]

 

Noelvm, to increase the confusion, there is a third type of "clunk" noise. This is the clunk (and an occasional "bang" noise) caused by having the WRONG lower control arms. Apparently my truck came with the stock F150 control arms.

The Lightning requires specific control arms. They are part numbers XL3Z-3078-BA and XL3Z-3079-BA. If you do not have these parts, including the necessary four wheel alignment, then any other fix might be a wasted effort.

By the way, the Dealer lubed the wheel stops before even pursuing any other steering or suspension problem search prior to replacing the control arms at the direction of SVT.

According to the Dealer, the SVT control arms are a heavier duty control arm than stock. Maybe that is why some people are seeing bolt movement. Too much play?

The Dealer tech said the original (wrong) control arms I had where not a safety issue.

 

Hey REDLITE,
How can you tell which arms you have. Is the part number stamped into the metal somewhere or what?
noelvm

 

Noelvm, I do not know about the part number being stamped on the control arms. I never really looked. I did see a white sticker stuck to one of them that might identify the replacement part. I have to believe there has to be a way for Ford and SVT to identify their hundreds of thousands of parts and part numbers.