I think I have it narrowed down, but am not completely convinced. I am experiencing a knocking sound (front and rear) whenever making a left or right turn and while going over or down a bump/dip in the road. As the truck rocks back and forth and that's when the knocking sound can be heard.

I'm thinking either front and rear sway bar bushings or front and rear sway bar links. Or both, f&r sway bar bushes and f&r links. I crawled under the truck to inspect the sway bar bushes and they look okay, visually. I see that they may be a little out of spec - meaning that they're not completely wrapped around the bar, there is an infinitesimal amount of wiggle room. Should they be snug and biting securely around the bar?

Thoughts, as too what is causing my knocking?

 

Its real hard for me to make a assumption but the truck is 12 years old and would not be uncommon for you to have some worn out bushings only going threw with a fine tooth comb will provide you with the answer. I think i would possibly try to get it completely off the ground and do some investigation work. Good luck buddy!

 

Thanks, Drew. I got on the sway bar (bushings & links) assumption because it could be heard from the front and back. I'll just have to wait for the weather to warm up a it before I can get it off the ground - my dad's shop is full, no access to a lift. I was hoping someone would say, Hey, I had the same problem, here what I did to fix it...

 

I laid on my back under the rear of our truck and had my wife push near the top side rear window, ya know , to rock the truck back and forth. The noise was very obviosly coming from the watts linkage on the rear diff.

 

Sounds like time to rebuild, by the way, how many miles on your truck? Also, when was the last time you went under the truck with a breaker bar and torqued down each bolt and nut?

 

Hi Mike. Rebuild what? The front end? Took the truck for a nice long drive last night to get skiing and noticed I'm getting knicks when go over bumps in a straight line. I'm putting my money on sway bar links and ordering a set front and rear along w/ new sway bar bushes. I figure. why not - they are factoy parts and I plan on keeping the truck forever.

Mileage is at 174 and change. I havent had an opportunity to get under the truck w/ a breaker bar and "pry" around. Its been pretty cold here in the Northeast for quite some time. It's on the list though.

 

he's saying rebuild the Watts linkage.

 

You are guessing and may waste a lot of money doing so.
Have you dried tightening all your bold and nuts? Might want to use some spray silicone on 1 bushing at a time till the noise goes away then you will have a better idea.

 

I'm still having trouble narrowing down the knock. I had a buddy rock the truck while I was under it. We could replicate the noise down to the exact note. I first checked the watts linkage for play, it looked fine. Further, it did not sound like that's where the noise was coming from. He kept rocking and I keep looking, trying to track down the sound. I would move to the front because that's where I thought it was coming from. I would get up tot he front of truck and it would now sound like it was coming from the back.

I'm lost here. How many body bushings are there? Maybe it's one of them? The noise sounds like it's coming from above the axle line. But, again the sound could be traveling and throwing me off. Suggestions on what to look at?

 

do you have an ACE truck?