I'm also in your boat. I tracked it down to a pitman arm to drag link end. I haven't replaced it yet as my 60 is even running yet, water pump took a dump. I have some lateral slop in the that drag link end. Have someone bump the steering against the steering stop while your looking at the drag link ends.
From what I've read on the boards, the clunk is really common in solid axle front ends. Like lowtide said, leafs will shift, etc...
How long has it been since you've done a full on lube job? Might try hitting those grease nipples under the truck with a grease gun...something you're supposed to do every 6 months or so anyway...I'd do that before I went through an replaced everything else at this point.
And dogboy is right - if you've put a few hundred miles on the truck, you need to get under there and retighten all of your bolts and make sure they're torqued right.
I had one other problem causing this I'll mention. When I last repacked wheelbearings in the 60, the right side was sketchy looking, showing all of it's 190k miles. I reassembled anyway since I didn't have a spare ready to go. About 3 months later, I have this clunk steadily getting worse with slow speed turns, especially in the driveway, or parkinglots. I had very slight play in the wheel bearing. After tearing it back apart and this time replacing both wheel bearings with new, the "clunk" was gone. So I have to believe a worn out bearing can cause the same symptom. Prior to that I had tried re-tightening u-bolts and replacing the TRE's with no luck. Good luck, I hate non-stock noises.
I had the same problem, rather disconcerting. turned out it was the u joint in the steering column. I had it replaced when the gear box and pump were rebuilt.
I got new tires for the new lift, went with the 33x9.5's, there's a pic under "lift pics" rides great, no tracking or wandering, perfectly straight. Thanks for your input in the matter.
I have a clunk in the steering, felt more than heard, that I can't exactly pin down.
Mine has the same thing. I believe it's the u-joint in the steering column. Not really necessary to fix, IMO, until/unless the slop becomes more pronounced.
On my wagon, I've been suspicous of the "through firewall" bushing/bearing on the steering column (if there is one). It's not really a clunk, more of a slight knock. I'm kinda of used to it now.
Wow, lots of great suggestions, some of which I've done...
1.All bolts for shocks/swaybar/shackles checked for correct torque
2.Wheel bearings and knuckle bearings replaced when ft axle rebuilt (3 mos ago)
3.Greasable shackle pins re-greased
Based on suggestions, things I can try include:
1. Bump against steering stop and observe pitman arm TRE (easy to do!)
2. Grab and twist on steering shaft u-joints to see if theres some slop.
3. Check the u-joint up just below the steering wheel (buried in the dash).
4. Install a used/rebuilt steering gear box and see if this helps
5. Live with it...
Actually, number 1 is a really useful suggestion (forgot which of you made it - sorry) but by bumping against the steering stop, and carefully observing relative movement at each potential wear spot (TRE, steering gear box, u-joints) I should be able to narrow it down a bit.
I had some time this weekend to work on my 60. I jacked up the front, removed the wheels, and had my son turn the steering wheel while the engine was running. I watched and listend carefully and found the source of the clunk in my steering. It is shifting of the leaves in the spring pack. Specifically, it's the top two leaves - both of which are full length. The shifting is notable near the ends of the leaves. With the truck up on jacks, it only happends when the knuckle hits the steering stops, but it is quite notable both by sight and sound.
I tried an experiment to see if I could make the noise go away. I jacked the truck up by the frame, and left the axle hanging. This way the leaves were spread open. I used a pry-bar to open them up a bit more, and squirted grease in between the longest two leaves. I used a thin stick to smear the grease around between the last 6 inches of these two leaves (that's where the noise seems to come from). No question, the noise is mostly gone - not completely, but 95% gone.
[quote author=lovetoski link=board=29;threadid=16979;start=msg170477#msg170477 date=1086587643]Specifically, it's the top two leaves - both of which are full length.
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I've got an 80, but, I've got a slight clunk in the front end too. New rods and TRE's and all bearings. The bearings have all been rechecked and I was under it this weekend trying to source it out, and, when I would hit my palm on the relay rod I could get a clunk. I traced it back to the p/s box. It's not enough that I could even see any movement. but there is some play in it. After 250K on it I don't find it surprising.
Just curious....my older OME front springs are doing exactly the same thing and driving me f#%$in' crazy! Turn, clunk, turn, clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk....
Replacing the P/S gear box, TRE's, and rebuilding the front axle including knuckles all helped and now I'm just down to that damn leaf spring CLUNK.....
Hey dogboy - seems we're following the same path, though I've not popped for the powersteering box (serious $$$). Greasing between the top two leaves was cheap and easy, only did the last 6 inches. 10 minutes, and you can give 'er a test drive...my clunk isn't 100% gone, I just barely can hear it now. But at least I know what it's from, and that it's not anything to worry about.
I didn't pop for the new OEM part either - talk about cardiac failure! Instead, went with a rebuilt unit from www.cruiserparts.net. At their prices, I figured I could replace the box about 5 times for the price of a new one
As an added bonus, there was no core charge and I still have my original box that I can still rebuild at will. So far so good with the rebuild and talk about a world of difference from a driving perspective - like new Also took care of most of the noise coming from my steering system.
oh yeah, the OME springs are greasable, and I agree, a little grease definitely helps immediately, but after a month or two of driving or driving in very wet conditions, the dreaded clunk returns......
All along the problem I've been working on is the combination of noise and play in my steering. My worry to start of course was that the noise was an indication of impending disaster. Since it's now clear that the noise is just an artifact of the springs, I've been thinking a bit more about the problem of play. Most everything, except the steering box, has been replaced.
But, it occured to me that the drag-link ends are easily adjustable. I checked the FSM and it says to back off 1.5 turns from tight. Both were at 1.75. A posting on the LC home page (tech section) said to back off 1/2 turn. I split the difference, and set them at 1 full turn back off of tight. The steering is noticably better. It's not "tight" but rather has a stronger "on-center" feel, with perhaps a bit less play.
It still drives like a truck, but no so much like an old one.
Any thoughts on the FSM spec of 1.5 turns vs the LC tech section recommendation of 1/2 turn? Given the improvement I got by going to 1 full turn, I'm tempted to crank it to 1/2 turn. My hesitation is that I'm really not sure what function the spring in the drag link serves. I don't want to compromise the function of the truck.
Also took care of most of the noise coming from my steering system.
