Suspension Tech General discussion of suspension for the Ford Ranger.

Superlift = Clunking noise

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Old Jun 28, 2008
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08XLT4x4's Avatar
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From: bomba shack
Superlift = Clunking noise

Well, Ive got a strange noise coming from my front end. Sounds like a clunking noise when I drive over small bumps, such as a dirt road or railroad tracks. If I drive over something like a speedbump, there is no noise.

I had the lift installed for about a month now, and up to this point, there has been no problems. i havent done anything to break anything. I installed the lift kit myself, so Ive inspected everything. Nothing is loose, nothing is missing. This is driving me crazy! Im about to take the damn lift off and just do a body lift to fit my tires..

Anyone have any idea wht this could be? Has anyone else had this noise with the superlift kit?
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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Mind you I know nothing about the superlift and your 4WD where as I am 2WD but with that said... I was having a clunking noise coming from my front suspension too (see my thread here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=58466). I took it to the dealership and they replaced the tie rods under warranty.... so maybe its your tie rods?
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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From: bomba shack
Originally Posted by TommyC
Mind you I know nothing about the superlift and your 4WD where as I am 2WD but with that said... I was having a clunking noise coming from my front suspension too (see my thread here: https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...ad.php?t=58466). I took it to the dealership and they replaced the tie rods under warranty.... so maybe its your tie rods?
I read your thread, but my problem sounds different. It doesnt happen when turning, it clunks when I hit small bumps such as driving down a dirt road. It doesnt happen when starting or stopping or rolling over larger bumps.

I hate to take it back to ford since its lifted...
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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sway bar end links
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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shocks arnt tightened down
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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it is probably the endlinks though. mine have went bad twice and that is exactly how it sounded. i know it is one of the main flaws to the superlift, the other being that it destroys the stock front driveshaft.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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From: bomba shack
OK, the shocks are tightened down (that was my first guess).

If the swaybar endlinks are bad, what is the fix? They are secure, so what can I do to fix them?
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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If It The Sway Bar Links Get New Ones They Are Cheap.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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From: bomba shack
Originally Posted by BLAZED96
If It The Sway Bar Links Get New Ones They Are Cheap.
This lift has less than 1000 miles on it (mostly street and mall crawling lol). I hate to replace them with the same part will fail in another 1000 miles.

Is there something else I could use? Better links maybe? What if i just disconnect the sway bar? Ive heard of this being done, will get rid of the problem?
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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From: 352 Florida
Originally Posted by 08XLT4x4
This lift has less than 1000 miles on it (mostly street and mall crawling lol). I hate to replace them with the same part will fail in another 1000 miles.

Is there something else I could use? Better links maybe? What if i just disconnect the sway bar? Ive heard of this being done, will get rid of the problem?
disconnecting it will get rid of the noise, but it will drive a lot different. i took my endlinks out yesterday because i got tired of the noise, and i needed a bit more flex up front.
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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Im not running end links on my front and i didnt know much difference!! Try disconnecting them and see if the noise goes away!
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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Originally Posted by MudSlanger
Im not running end links on my front and i didnt know much difference!! Try disconnecting them and see if the noise goes away!

that will at least tell you if thats your problem
 
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Old Jun 28, 2008
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its definitly your links. 2 months after i had my kit on, i had one of those cheap "ball jointed" links go bad.makes a clunking whenever you hit a bump.
Call superlift, they will send you ones for free.


As a test, just have a friend wiggle your truck side to side (when parked) and get underneath and grab on the ball joint. you will be able to tell which one is bad because you will feel it popping in and out.
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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I'm running sway bar-less. I love it. And with those new shocks i got from Chris(integra lol), it runs GREAT!

I was thinking about making my own sway bar links using grade8 all thread and hardware. I couldn't find a 15" long 1/2" bolt!

Have you retightened/retorque all your bolts?? You're supposed to do that after the install...just like wheels.
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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Originally Posted by elementsenjoi
it is probably the endlinks though. mine have went bad twice and that is exactly how it sounded. i know it is one of the main flaws to the superlift, the other being that it destroys the stock front driveshaft.
That's it. Find a way to fix the end links. Mine rattled the whole time I had the lift and it drove me nuts.
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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How do you know when the tie rods are gone? I do have a sometimes clunk while turning.
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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How are ya'll tying up the sway bar when you take off the links? Im about over this poppin too lol
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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just take the sway bar off its 4 13mm bolts.

and those links are not cheap, dont toss them out even if they are worn. its about 150 to replace.
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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You just take out 1 of the end links and it's like you don't have any in.

I'm going to do it tommorow, I don't even have a superlift and mine is driving me nuts...
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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Originally Posted by vansnxtweek
How are ya'll tying up the sway bar when you take off the links? Im about over this poppin too lol
I just have mine flipped up. lol. I'm gonna take it completely off though. It's just held in place with the frame mounted bushings.
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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fx4wannabe01: to check your tie rod ends you need to pry down on the outers and if you have up and down play then they are bad. the inners: geab the wheel at 3 and 9 and move it back and forth
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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we have inner tie rods? what?
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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call superlift they will send you new sway bar links. i had the same problem. just tell them that you just installed it and they are defective..
 
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Old Jun 29, 2008
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a few weeks after I had my super lift put on my sway bar links went bad too. I had the lift put on at the local shop so I just took it back and they replaced it under waranty. they put a different style link in the second time and I havent had any problems with them for the last year and a half.
 
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