Small knock noise

[Mgaylord]

I finally did my OME lift. When I go over bumps I have a small knock in the front end on both sides. The Knock seems to be after I go over the bump when the tire drops if that makes sense. Question is, could the clevis bushings cause this? After doing my lift I took the measurements I am dead on 23" from the center to the fender flare on the front on both sides. And on the rear I am dead on 22 1/2" on both sides. Are those safe measurements? I am at about three conduit nuts on the passenger side and a little over three conduit nuts on the driver side to level the front end from left to right. And just so the measurements make sense to you I have two extra isolators on the top in the rear and I do also have Rusty's spacer on top of my coilovers.

 

[Mgaylord]

I finally did my OME lift. When I go over bumps I have a small knock in the front end on both sides. The Knock seems to be after I go over the bump when the tire drops if that makes sense. Question is, could the clevis bushings cause this? After doing my lift I took the measurements I am dead on 23" from the center to the fender flare on the front on both sides. And on the rear I am dead on 22 1/2" on both sides. Are those safe measurements? I am at about three conduit nuts on the passenger side and a little over three conduit nuts on the driver side to level the front end from left to right. And just so the measurements make sense to you I have two extra isolators on the top in the rear and I do also have Rusty's spacer on top of my coilovers.

I will be putting moab wheels on as soon as I decide the tire size. This is 265/75r16. I would have to trim some in front of tire, it's just touching but not bad. Already bent the pinch weld and back clears. Probably gonna go with 265/70r16.

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[duderz7]

Not familiar with a rustys spacer. I have a 1/4 in spacer on top of mine, otherwise I think we are running the same setup. During topout (full extension) my upper control arm taps the spring. Sounds like a little gong. I ziptied a small section of rubber hose on the coil in question. It helped a little bit with the noise but more importantly protects the springs.

 

[Mgaylord]

Not familiar with a rustys spacer. I have a 1/4 in spacer on top of mine, otherwise I think we are running the same setup. During topout (full extension) my upper control arm taps the spring. Sounds like a little gong. I ziptied a small section of rubber hose on the coil in question. It helped a little bit with the noise but more importantly protects the springs.

Yeah I haven't been full drop yet mine is only on like a 3 in speed bump or going over a little bumps in the road. Do you have the jba upper a-arm also? Also I think my spacer is either 8th-in or quarter inch it looked awful small so maybe an eighth.

 

[Mgaylord]

Yeah I haven't been full drop yet mine is only on like a 3 in speed bump or going over a little bumps in the road. Do you have the jba upper a-arm also? Also I think my spacer is either 8th-in or quarter inch it looked awful small so maybe an eighth.

I just checked my coil over spacers are a quarter inch

 

[duderz7]

Ya i got jba's, a speed bump can do it depending on the aggressiveness of the bump and the way you drive over it. Think of it as a mini jump bouncing your front end up just as your wheels drop off the back. We don't have a lot of down travel at our height. Also did you tighten things up after putting jeep back on its own weight? A little bushing preload can be noisy.

 

[Mgaylord]

Ya i got jba's, a speed bump can do it depending on the aggressiveness of the bump and the way you drive over it. Think of it as a mini jump bouncing your front end up just as your wheels drop off the back. We don't have a lot of down travel at our height. Also did you tighten things up after putting jeep back on its own weight? A little bushing preload can be noisy.

Yes I'm rolling over bumps pretty slow. Haven't bounced the front end yet. Also when I put the Jeep back on jack stands at full drop I can still almost squeeze a small finger between the jba and spring. I'm going to loosen bolts and try re tightening them on full weight again. The only one that was t tightened at full weight is the lower coil over bushing bolt.

 

[Mgaylord]

Yes I'm rolling over bumps pretty slow. Haven't bounced the front end yet. Also when I put the Jeep back on jack stands at full drop I can still almost squeeze a small finger between the jba and spring. I'm going to loosen bolts and try re tightening them on full weight again. The only one that was t tightened at full weight is the lower coil over bushing bolt.

One other set of bolts I did not pre load before I tighten was the four bolts on the top of the coilover I did not load the Jeep before tightening those four bolts I did not think those four would matter

 

[duderz7]

Back off any bolts that the suspension would pivot on bounce or rock the jeep a bit then retorque. The ones that seem to get people most are the swaybar end links they're torque is pretty high too iirc.

 

[Mgaylord]

Back off any bolts that the suspension would pivot on bounce or rock the jeep a bit then retorque. The ones that seem to get people most are the swaybar end links they're torque is pretty high too iirc.

I have no sway bar

 

[duderz7]

Well, that's probably not it then.

 

[Mgaylord]

Well, that's probably not it then.

Well I think you are correct about hitting the spring. I can see a spot on my spring where the paint has been knocked off. I did not realize it was traveling that much.

 

[tommudd]

Yes that is what it is , spring hitting UCA, plus your clevis bushings are shot
Running without front sway bar is very bad , emergency situation and you have to **** wheel one way or the other, good luck and hold on

 

[tommudd]

265-70-16 are just tolerable, 265-75-16s and stock gearing makes you hate to drive the KJ. I run 4.10s and 265-70-16s on the 03 , and its like stock mileage, power and drivability.

 

[Mgaylord]

Yes that is what it is , spring hitting UCA, plus your clevis bushings are shot
Running without front sway bar is very bad , emergency situation and you have to **** wheel one way or the other, good luck and hold on

We just removed the sway bar to help diagnose what is hitting. I will be putting it back on. An I will also replace the clevis bushings. Thank y'all for helping

 

[Mgaylord]

265-70-16 are just tolerable, 265-75-16s and stock gearing makes you hate to drive the KJ. I run 4.10s and 265-70-16s on the 03 , and its like stock mileage, power and drivability.

Yes I had read a lot about the gearing problems you have posted. We have been looking at broke down liberty's trying to find some 4.10s. 4.56 would be nice if I do go larger.

 

[duderz7]

Have fun with the clevis bushings, that was not a lot of fun when I did mine. Maybe I didn’t have the best tool at the time though. Wonder if there's a better bushing or flex joint could be put in there ?

 

[Mgaylord]

Have fun with the clevis bushings, that was not a lot of fun when I did mine. Maybe I didn’t have the best tool at the time though. Wonder if there's a better bushing or flex joint could be put in there ?

I don't know, I have heard horror stories about changing them

 

[duderz7]

Yerp, not fun, but doable. Id try a ball joint press, didn't have one when i did mine.

 

[Squamish_Steffen]

@Mgaylord I had some similar issues you are describing, but a substantial clunk when the wheel drops on the other side of a bump. I was especially getting it when driving off a flat surface with ~2" sudden drop. Since the (then stock) UCA could not reach the spring when jacked up, and saw no rubbing of the spring paint in that area, I figure that was not it. I became convinced it was the shock topping out due to almost no remaining downtravel and a massive amount of preload from the long/stiff coil. I still think that was the case but one can never be 100% certain. Another thing to consider is your CV joints. Your photo looks like mine did with the inner CV at an extreme angle. One concern is consistently running at that angle, another is over-angling it, and another is wearing out the boot with those rubber ribs stacked. Now, that said, I've been without swaybar for over a year and not actually had any problem with CVs. Just a caution. Your KJ is very high at 23". When you jack up the front, what does it drop to - 24"?