- #460 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [gmck9]
by jlflemmons
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May 06, 2008 (6:33 am)
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Replying to: gmck9 (May 06, 2008 3:24 am)
Well, generally a tie rod end that is loose enough to be heard will really affect the steering. There are a couple of bushings in the center link that could do this, but here again, when that loose you can get a lot of play in the steering.
On the full size trucks, there has been a problem with the intermediate shaft in the steering column. The S series has a different design, but they can get noisy. Try grabbing the the steering shaft in the area of the center spark plug and give it a good yank back and forth and see if you hear the noise. You mentioned that the noise seems to be from the floorboards, and this is usually felt in the steering wheel, but don't want to overlook anything.
Next, I would put the vehicle up on ramps, or with safe support under the front wheels and get underneath with a rubber mallet and start whacking. Sometimes a noise/looseness will disappear if the wheels are suspended, such as using jack stands on the frame.
Okay, and this is a stretch, check the frame to body mounts. If the rubber of the mount is loose, or the bolt has backed out just a bit, loud clunk occurs.
Does this vehicle have step bars? Notorious noise makers.
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- #461 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [jlflemmons]
by gmck9
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May 07, 2008 (3:39 am)
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Replying to: jlflemmons (May 06, 2008 6:33 am)
How about this description, maybe this will help pinpoint......When the "clunk" happens, it is not just one "clunk" it sounds like something is slapping together with repedative "clunking". And it is really weird....if you hit a pothole or a speed bump....no noise. If you hit a row of ripples in the pavement resembling a washboard....better turn the radio up!!!!  There was a post somewhere about the hood hinges rattleing, not that either. I hope the new description will help steer you in the right direction. All the mechanics at GMC and misc. other places all are scratching their heads and WANT the work badly since there is a warranty on the vehicle, but we need to find the problem before we can send in warranty info. Someone needs to invent an allignment rack that you can attach tires to and it will shake them like a paint mixer.. 
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- #462 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [gmck9]
by jlflemmons
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May 07, 2008 (4:18 am)
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Replying to: gmck9 (May 07, 2008 3:39 am)
Okay, just went back and read the whole thread again and never saw where you replaced the shocks? I understand if you checked the mounts, but did you check to see if the "bell" (which is the shield that covers the shaft of the shock) has come loose on the shock? Doesn't hurt anything, but noisy as heck. And will cause the sound you are describing, and can occur on old and new shocks both. I had a brand new Monroe Gas Magnum do this.
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- #463 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [jlflemmons]
by jlflemmons
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May 07, 2008 (4:21 am)
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Replying to: jlflemmons (May 07, 2008 4:18 am)
Other thing, and I just went through this with a warranty on my '02, if you have a warranty, then it is the responsibility of the warranty to pay the repair shop to find and fix the problem.
Sad part about these things is that in my case, after charging off over $1300 to warranty, the problem was what I told them in the first place, a $200 repair that I just didn't want to mess with.
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- #464 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [jlflemmons]
by gmck9
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May 08, 2008 (3:44 am)
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Replying to: jlflemmons (May 07, 2008 4:21 am)
I have checked the shocks, and the tightness of the bolts......not the shocks. O.K. now don't laugh at this, but the warranty is carried buy a company called Wynn's. I don't believe diagnostics is covered under warranty....they are all saying that we need to know what is broke.... so they can get an approval. I did do this......I compared my '94 control arm bushings to my '01 bushings....yes they are a different design, but the condition of the bushings on the '01 are horrible. I've been saying thats what it is the whole time, but no one wants to do it. Only because the control arm doesn't move when they pry it. Im gona push them to fix the contriol arm bushings, since I had this before and when changed the whole front end with the bushings......noise went away.....and all thats left on the '01 to be all new is the tie rod ends, and pitman arm. NO play in steering so its not the pitman arm, or tie rod ends. I changed the sway bar bushings yesterday, and I had to beat them off with a hammer.....the bolts were so coroded, the bushings and spacers were welded together!!!! Wish me luck with this warranty stuff.. 
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- #465 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [jlflemmons]
by gmck9
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May 14, 2008 (3:38 am)
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Replying to: jlflemmons (May 07, 2008 4:21 am)
well, I have a great story that happened to me with the warranty work......I took the Jimmy to a "Napa auto care" facility, which I thought were on the same level as the dealership. Well, this one I went to in Eden, N.C. takes the cake for scam artists!!!!!! After the Jimmy was approved for the warranty work on the upper control arm bushings, they started the work on 5/12/08. To make a long story short....they got the approval for (4) bushings 2 per side at $13.00 each bushing. The Napa bushings that they were supposed to be using(because they are a Napa auto care facility) were $23.00 each bushing. Advanced auto bushings were $9.00 each, and the Autozone bushings were $6.00 each. So I asked him what ones did he put in, and after stuttering for 5 minuits, he spit out.....uuuuh.....Autozone.
I fell out!!!!!!!! Here the guy was surely aware that I only wanted top end parts on the car (I told him this 10 times) I told him I'd pay the difference, and he still went behind my back and installed the cheap jap crap parts just to make $30.00 off the parts. The first thing I did was report him to Napa auto care (the regional manager is going there today...5/14/08 to remove the Napa name. This guy was using the Napa name to draw customers in, then he puts the cheapest parts on the car he could find.....making people think hes using Napa parts!!!!!!! Holy cow right?  And the regional manager is paying for the repairs on my vehicle out of his expense account for what happened(he doesnt weant me to go national with this probablly) BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!! 
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- #466 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [gmck9]
by jlflemmons
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May 14, 2008 (4:41 am)
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Replying to: gmck9 (May 14, 2008 3:38 am)
I have to ask, did it fix the problem???
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- #467 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [jlflemmons]
by gmck9
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May 14, 2008 (9:49 am)
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Replying to: jlflemmons (May 14, 2008 4:41 am)
well, havent picked up the car yet....today is 5/14/08. Ill let ya know this weekend....I'm dropping the car off to another facility which is doing the repairs over putting in the moog brand parts at no cost to me. can you believe that mess....Autozone junk!!!!! 
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- #468 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [jlflemmons]
by gmck9
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May 15, 2008 (3:56 am)
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Replying to: jlflemmons (May 14, 2008 4:41 am)
MAn bad news.....noise still there.....I think Im gona put this piece of junk up for sale.....Im not gona mess with this junk any more.....not 1 mechanic on this earth can figure out what it is.....and the noise is bad enough where Im not gona wait around to find out what is gona be a huge repair down the road.........something is slapping the frame or something solid as the frame or engine or tranny.....I though gmc's were good? But i guess I got the only
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- #469 of 508
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Re: HELP!!!! clunk in front end HELP!!!!!!! [gmck9]
by jlflemmons
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May 15, 2008 (5:22 am)
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Replying to: gmck9 (May 15, 2008 3:56 am)
Well, I wish I could hear the noise and give you a hand. These little beasts are just not that complicated, so I cannot imagine why the mechanics cannot locate the noise.
Don't let this issue sour you on the S series vehicles. I have had five and all have been very dependable vehicles. I have to believe that these guys are missing something obvious like a motor or tranny mount loose, spring pad missing, something like that. There just aren't that many things under there to go clunk.
Jim
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