2003 Dodge Ram Clunking noise in the front end

Tiny
UNDERTAKER
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 DODGE RAM
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 86,000 MILES
I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 and ever since I bought it last year it has had a clunking noise in the front end. I replaced the sway arm main bushings and end links with polyureathn ones. I am wondering if the links are bad themself. It looks like these links have some sort of swivel on them with a rubber boot around it like a ball joint has? I am kinda lost here. Please help me !
Friday, December 14th, 2007 AT 6:56 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
If your truck has cv-axles instead of u-joints, it's either the motor mount tranny mount or one of the inboard tripod joints are no good, probably the joint.
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Friday, December 14th, 2007 AT 7:28 PM
Tiny
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It's not a 4 wheel drive. Doesn't have cv axles. I checked the front sway bar and the driver side sway bar mount was bad so I replaced all the bushings. But the noise is alittle worse now. Thinking maybe because I used the polyureathn bushings?
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Friday, December 14th, 2007 AT 8:05 PM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Have you looked at the motor and tranny mounts?
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Saturday, December 15th, 2007 AT 1:28 PM
Tiny
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No I never have checked them. Is the motor and tranny mounts a common thing to go bad too? This noise is more up front than the tranny or motor.
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Sunday, December 16th, 2007 AT 6:12 AM
Tiny
MERLIN2021
  • MECHANIC
  • 17,250 POSTS
Not too comon, but it is in the dodge manual. For clunks!
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Sunday, December 16th, 2007 AT 6:30 AM
Tiny
FINALLYFIXIT
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Undertaker, Here is the problem with the 03 Dodge Ram 1500 and possibly other years.
My truck had the same problem rat-a-tat-tat going 30 to 40 mph down segmented asphalt in town. It got on my nerves. I went to a service center and they said I needed new ball joints. I had that done expecting the noise to be gone.
No deal, it was still there! I looked under my front end and all of the bushings were good. I looked at a front end on a Chevy too. The difference is the stabilizer links on a Chevy are a one piece stud. The Dodge has a swivel ball to allow flexibility. The ball is swaged to keep it from coming out of its socket and it is packed with grease and covered with a rubber boot. Mine were worn out! At least 1/4” to 3/8” slop which allows hammering when encountering bumps in the road. My truck had 200,000 miles on it. You would have thought the service shop would replace them too, not! I replaced the links myself, the new one have grease fittings too. Sometimes the problem has the simplest solution. Links $84.00, Previous front end work $860.00
I just happened to mention the issue to a sales person at the parts store who had had the same problem with his dodge.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:29 AM
Tiny
FINALLYFIXIT
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
Additional note: Do the final tightening of the top nut and bushing cover with weight on the tires. The replacement Chinese rubber bushings are smaller than the OEM bushings. You can do this by turning the wheels left or right and reaching the top link. This will keep the bushings in the right position while they are tightened. Use one wrench for the flats on the top link rod To keep it from turning and a wrench for the top nut.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 8:53 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
That is great information and can second the fact that this will make the noise described. The original post was from over 10 years ago so I am not sure this info helped them but I am sure it will help others that visit the site with this issue.

Please let us know if there is anything we can assist you with and we will get right on it.

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/new

Thanks again for visiting 2CarPros.
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Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 AT 1:47 PM
Tiny
FINALLYFIXIT
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KASEKENNY1,

Thanks for your reply. I realized it was several years ago after straining my eyes that are 65 years old. I don’t know why web page designers use gray text. They must all be less than 30 years old. Wait until they get may age they won’t be able to read their own texts. What ever happened to black type? Thanks, finally fixed it.
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2020 AT 11:13 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
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Haha. This is very true. Maybe the black letters cost more :)

I will pass on the suggestion. Thanks for using 2CarPros.
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Sunday, August 23rd, 2020 AT 6:58 PM

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