Clunk in Steering Revisited???

36384 Views 85 Replies 29 Participants Last post by Thisguyhasadd42, Feb 17, 2014

moone_e1

Discussion Starter · Jul 17, 2008

I'm still getting a clunk in the steering column after many trips to the dealer!!! go figure!! Anyway, I have greased the column going into the firewall as described somewhere on this forum. Well today, I was changing my oil and hit my head on one of the stabilizer bars!

issed: well it moved it enough that I heard a clunk (no not my head) :laughing:

:laughing:

My ? is... when the stabilizer bars are manually moved I can hear a clunk, where I believe is coming from the balljoint. Anyone know of a fix? or suggesion??? Dealer has replaced clock spring sensor so far...This is driving me nuts........

1 - 20 of 86 Posts

ColinW

· #2 · Jul 17, 2008

moone_e1 said:
I'm still getting a clunk in the steering column after many trips to the dealer!!! go figure!! Anyway, I have greased the column going into the firewall as described somewhere on this forum. Well today, I was changing my oil and hit my head on one of the stabilizer bars!issed: well it moved it enough that I heard a clunk (no not my head) My ? is... when the stabilizer bars are manually moved I can hear a clunk, where I believe is coming from the balljoint. Anyone know of a fix? or suggesion??? Dealer has replaced clock spring sensor so far...This is driving me nuts........

I have had the clunk for several thousand miles now...have greased it, and it still came back. I have just gotten used to it, and only notice it once in a while. It doesn't harm anything though, so I would just try to live with it...it doesn't harm anything.

As for the stabilizer bar...do you have aftermarket links? If so, you could just take a grease needle to it if they don't have zerks. That would most likely be a temporary solution to it. Did you check to make sure the bolts at the axle and swaybar are tight? There really shouldn't be much play (if any) in the ball joints. If so, you may need to replace the links/link ends.

G

· #3 · Jul 17, 2008

I have the RE 3.5" lift on my Jeep. It came with longer links for the front sway bar and they are "loose" in that you can hear them click if you bounce the Jeep. I don't actually hear them much at all when driving but the noise is quite noticeable if you bounce or rock the Jeep in the garage.

I had the steering column clunk for quite awhile and it drove me nuts. I lubed the joint and it was a miracle cure. You mentioned that you greased the column at the firewall. It's the slip joint covered by the rubber boot near the front of the column that needs lubed. I think PhilD was the one that described this. I bought one of the needle point style fittings for my grease gun, used it to puncture the rubber boot, squirted several pumps of the handle into it and then sort of "mushed" it all around and particularly toward the back. The noise was completely gone, along with the knocking that I felt in the steering wheel, and has not returned.

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PhilD

· #4 · Jul 17, 2008

moone_e1 said:
Anyway, I have greased the column going into the firewall as described somewhere on this forum.

That is not the place to grease it, you should grease it at the slip joint on the shafts, the boot down towards the steering box.

I've greased mine twice in 34k miles and it keeps the "clunk" away. I fill the boot with a lot of grease, then spend a minute or two squishing it around by hand to make sure it gets everywhere.

Ipe

· #5 · Jul 17, 2008

Hmmm... I've been having this clunk in my steering wheel lately. Its more a "feeling" than a sound or anything else though (could be that I've got the radio playing too loud though :laughing:

:laughing:

).

Okay... Lets assume for a brief moment that I'm a dunce :rasta:.
Whats this needle fitting look like? I've got a zirk connection on the grease gun hose. Is this an additional attachment? I'm assuming "yes". Does anyone have a picture of where they made this cut and added the grease?

Thanks in advance!

PhilD

· #6 · Jul 17, 2008

Ipe said:
Hmmm... I've been having this clunk in my steering wheel lately. Its more a "feeling" than a sound or anything else though (could be that I've got the radio playing too loud though ).

That's it, more of "click" feel than a sound of clunk.

Whats this needle fitting look like? I've got a zirk connection on the grease gun hose. Is this an additional attachment? I'm assuming "yes". Does anyone have a picture of where they made this cut and added the grease?

No need to make any cuts, just use a needle adapter (pic to follow) and push it through the boot.

I put a lot of grease in the boot, not full, but still plenty of grease. Then gave it a good squishing to make sure it got everywhere. Lasted 30k miles before I needed to do it again just recently.

PhilD

· #7 · Jul 17, 2008

Excuse the crappy photo, but here it is. You can get them as part of grease adapter kits, which are cheap and have plenty of useful adapters.

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Ipe

· #8 · Jul 17, 2008

Cool. Thanks Phil!

Ipe

· #9 · Jul 18, 2008

Injector bought. Grease injected. Clunk gone.

At least for now...

Gear

· #10 · Jul 18, 2008

Hello Phil,
While you have the camera out can you take a picture of the boot that we should be greasing. I was also under the impression that it was at the firewall also.:stirthepot:

Thanks

PhilD

· #11 · Jul 18, 2008

Will go take a pic in a minute or two...

PhilD

· #12 · Jul 18, 2008

Here ya go:

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Grover

· #13 · Jul 18, 2008

the dealer is installing a new intermideate shaft for me monday. maybe I should just show them this.

venom

· #14 · Jul 18, 2008

I think I'm getting the same thing- just a slight "tap" in the wheel while driving, esp over smallish bumps like a dirt road
guess it's time to go try to find a grease needle :mr-t:

Gear

· #15 · Jul 18, 2008

Sweat, Thanks Phil. I was trying to grease the wrong spot.

dougnpj

· #16 · Jul 18, 2008

Gear said:
Sweat, Thanks Phil. I was trying to grease the wrong spot.

yeah thats what she said :shaking:

:shaking:

:thefinger:

jkdrone

· #17 · Jul 21, 2008

Yeah, I was having the same problem -- tried Phil's suggestion; at first, it didn't seem to do anything, but after putting about 500 miles on it, the 'thunk' has reduced dramatically. Not entirely, but I don't think about it every 3 seconds now. It seems to have taken a while to get all of that grease worked in (and, boy, did I add plenty of it =)

!c

07_Rubi

· #18 · Jul 25, 2008

PhilD said:
That is not the place to grease it, you should grease it at the slip joint on the shafts, the boot down towards the steering box.

I've greased mine twice in 34k miles and it keeps the "clunk" away. I fill the boot with a lot of grease, then spend a minute or two squishing it around by hand to make sure it gets everywhere.

Did that yesterday and seems it cured my steering noises.

G

· #19 · Jul 25, 2008

I have the same “feeling”, it’s not a clunk but I notice something. I’ll have to try this.

G

· #20 · Jul 25, 2008

dougnpj said:
yeah thats what she said

Mine gets all mad when I try that :laughing:

:laughing:

:laughing:

:laughing:

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