Thumping Knocking noise over bumps

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MarkKJ Cherokee

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Hi All

Well installed my new JBA upper balljoints and replaced the bushings love those balljoints made a big difference.
Bought some MOOG swaybar links and bushings also and was lazy so got a mechanic to install while at work. Now i get this thumping noise when going over bumps. From reading the forum these are suppose to be tightened up while the jeep is on the ground with full weight? If so what is the process, do you loosen the swaybar bushes first then do you loosen both nuts on the sway bar links, bounce the front end around then re-tighten.
Your input is important thanks
Mark
 

HoosierJeeper

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Doesn't matter which order you tighten or loosen, just as long as it's done with the wheels on the ground.
 

MarkKJ Cherokee

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Thanks for your help I loosened the swaybar mounts and removed them as the Mech put grease on the inside so i cleaned them up. The drivers side swaybar link was loose thus the thumping noise. Went for a test drive and no more thumps. Is there anything you use to keep them tight or just keep an eye on them
(PS should have done myself)

cheers and thanks for your help from good old USA
Mark
Australia
 
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Not for highway use

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Hi guys,
Just got a OME shock and spring 2inch lift kit done but now the front end thumps like you would not believe. Took it back to the fitter and he said I need to do all the bushs in the front end. I'm a little sus about this, however I have had the car up on a jack and can't replicate the sound or feel.
Any ideas??
(Also from Australia. Could be a Downunder thing!)
 

HoosierJeeper

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I would loosen all the bushing bolts (Clevis to LCA, anything sway bar related) and retorque them with the full weight of the Jeep on the ground. See what that gets you, I'm guessing that'll fix it.
 

Aceofspades

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Yup. And really really tighten the both nuts on each end link. Use a cheater bar if you have to.
 

HoosierJeeper

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IIRC the top nut is 100 ftlbs and the bottom is 80 ftlbs.
 

Aceofspades

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lmao what someone else thought was "tight as I can get it" I was able to make 3 more turns by hand and eliminate my clunks that I had since august.
Even bought another set because hey the first set must've been defective right?
It's been a good laugh between my friends and I who regularly wrench on stuff around here
 

Not for highway use

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So Guys just I've got it right.
Tighten everything in sight suspension/sway bar wise while the car is on the ground? Car has done 100klms (just did the timing belt $$$$) mainly soccer mum stuff so I was a little surprised when the mechanic said it was the bushes.
i'll let you know how I go
 

tommudd

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lmao what someone else thought was "tight as I can get it" I was able to make 3 more turns by hand and eliminate my clunks that I had since august.
Even bought another set because hey the first set must've been defective right?
It's been a good laugh between my friends and I who regularly wrench on stuff around here

Yes I am as well "LMAO "
You don't tell someone to use a cheater bar to tighten suspension bolts
They may just believe that and try it resulting in broken bolts
I have had to drill out bolts from where people had the same mindset, then brought it to me to repair their screw up. :blah:
 

JasonJ

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So Guys just I've got it right.
Tighten everything in sight suspension/sway bar wise while the car is on the ground? Car has done 100klms (just did the timing belt $$$$) mainly soccer mum stuff so I was a little surprised when the mechanic said it was the bushes.
i'll let you know how I go

Your mech was just in there and didn't notice the entire front end worth of bushings was worn out then?! I highly doubt that. He's just guessing.
 

Aceofspades

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well what im saying is if you cant get get to the proper torque on your own... not literally snap your bolts off

I'm still thinking my buddy use the wrong ft/lbs but that's another story


And yes. To OP replace sway bar bushings and endlinks. Makes a huge difference.
Check the bushing where the lower control arm connects to the fork.
Upper control arm bushings and ball joint.
Basically have them do a shake down / pry bar test
 

Not for highway use

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Had a play with it all last night. Disconnected the sway bar, went for a quick drive through a paddock and still have the same thumping noise and feel. :(
Just to put it out there..would the top of the shocks be loose? If so are they easy to tighten or do I have to pull everything out of the engine bay to get to them?
Thanks
 

tommudd

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Had a play with it all last night. Disconnected the sway bar, went for a quick drive through a paddock and still have the same thumping noise and feel. :(
Just to put it out there..would the top of the shocks be loose? If so are they easy to tighten or do I have to pull everything out of the engine bay to get to them?
Thanks

They could very well be loose , if they did not tighten them clear down or they forgot to install bushings or washer
But you have to pull back apart to check
 

HoosierJeeper

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Other thing it could be up there is the shock mount itself. Any creaking noises?
 

Geof3

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I did the same with mine at about 04- 125k. My clunk was lower control arms. Both the clevis mount bushings and arm bushings were toasty. I went cheapish and did Crown from JBA. Its a pretty straight forward job, torque wrench REQUIRED. I did mine in about 2.5hrs or so... Not too many sentence enhancers either. Keep in mind though, all of my bolts had been gone through, so I didn't have to deal with any corrosion or other fun. Could be MUCH more a pain if you have nasty bolts. PB Blaster is your friend.
 

Docnoisewater

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I have more of a rattle than a clunk issue. Here is what is new, jba uca and coilovers, lca and ball joint, sway bar links and bushings, rack and pinion and bushings. I thought it was sway bar bushings, I cannot recreate the noise by pushing/pulling/jumping on the bumper. I thought it was the sway bar bushings, they are old and doesn't seem hard to change so I am going to do that anyway. My mechanic that does everything for me and I trust said he thinks I could have a ball joint issue, 1 because he and another guy were trying to push down on the passenger side over the coilover and thought he heard the noise and 2 there is some steering memory too when going over bigger bumps like speed bumps and pulling in and out of his driveway.
Going down the road or highway that is smooth I don't really hear it unless there little bumps in the road.

The upper and lower ball joint may only have 12-18k on them, one came with the uca and the lower is a moog one.

Thoughts?
 

tommudd

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Sway bar bushings will cause a rattle
Also did you tighten everything with full weight on the ground?
Even the sway bar links
 

Docnoisewater

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Yes sir, I read through this thread and made myself a little check list, made sure everything was tightened with full weight on ground.
 

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