Help Troubleshooting a clank-rattle

[Blckshdw]

For the past couple of weeks, I've noticed this clanking noise whenever my windows are down, and I go over even the smallest disturbances in the road. I jacked the truck up and started checking out the undercarriage, shaking and banging on things to see if anything was loose. No problems around the muffler or heat shield, cat, gas tank, or drive shaft. I suspected the skid plate covering the oil pan, as banging on the drain access door sounded quite similar, but after removing it, and going for a spin, no luck.

I tried to check my front wheels for any play, but there was none. Also checked lug nuts, and brake hardware bolts for any looseness, but there was none of that either.

Truck has about 85K on the odometer. Recent work done consists of the following in February this year.

Replaced both UCAs
Replaced upper ball joints
Replaced end links
New tires

Here's a quick video shot while driving around the block. Sorry for the wind noise, you can still hear the clank and rattle at some points near stopping points. Could it be my struts? If anyone has any recommendations of what else to check/troubleshoot, I'm all ears.

[video=youtube_share;-I9HM4wFoMA]http://youtu.be/-I9HM4wFoMA[/video]

 

[The_Roadie]

I would suspect anti-sway bar end links, strut upper mounts and possibly lowers. Debris in the bumper or frame rails. Hub caps.

 

[Wooluf1952]

Check the sway-bar mounting brackets and rubber bushings.
Also, if you don't jack up the truck evenly, you put more stress on the sway bar and that will stop the noise.
You have to push, pull and jiggle the parts while the truck has equal pressure on both wheels.

 

[Blckshdw]

Someone else mentioned replacing LCA bushings, since they are relatively cheap. I'll try to check the items you guys mentioned. Thanks for the input.

 

[C-ya]

I had my front sway bar end links replaced in Dec. of last year. When I started hearing that same noise again, I started to think of other things that it could be like you are doing. When my muffler blew out last week, I crawled underneath to look around and found the left front end link broken. Going back to the dealer today for replacement. It was done under (aftermarket) warranty, and will be done under warranty again.

The sounds in your video are pretty close to what mine sounds like. Well, sounded like - the end link shifted and is no longer making contact, so as of now, I have no noise.

 

[Blckshdw]

Oddly enough, there was no clanking this morning during the commute. Now I'm really It wasn't any cooler this morning than any other morning, so I wouldn't think it's temperature related, but who knows at this point. Guess we'll see how the drive home this afternoon goes.

 

[WarGawd]

Oddly enough, there was no clanking this morning during the commute. Now I'm really It wasn't any cooler this morning than any other morning, so I wouldn't think it's temperature related, but who knows at this point. Guess we'll see how the drive home this afternoon goes.

I was able to make out that noise over the wind in a few spots. The sound of the heat shield hitting the muffler is a heavier sound, more like exhaust pipe banging on frame, so that's not it. And from experience this week, the rattle of an improperly torqued caliper that comes loose has a different quality to it as well.

Until I replaced them both a couple months ago, my broken front right end link never made any noise - I was completely unaware of it until I spotted it visually - but the sound in your video kind of matches the "weight" and pitch of what I'd expect to hear.

 

[Blckshdw]

I had my end links replaced earlier this year, so I didn't really mess with them. Oddly enough, after having the truck up in the air a few times that weekend, the noise has been gone ever since.