Bad Front Rancho Shocks

[Gthompson]

9 minutes ago, BenThere said:

Man, my truck didn't/doesn't do any of that stuff in the rear dif.  And definitely nothing I can hear in the cab.  Mine all came from the front, and, at least so far, the noise that was driving me absolutely bat-poop crazy is gone.  I was just like you, driving w/o the music, listening to/for the klunking, trying to identify the source of the noise, unable to just enjoy my new truck.  What a delight to have my truck no longer possessed by some evil incubus and Joe Bonamassa back on the Bose.  As for the guy in the Tundra, he was staring at your truck out of pure envy despite possibly hearing the noise .

 

Seriously, though, I'm like you, the way you describe the noise ain't right.  It just ain't.  Our trucks are essentially the same underneath and I don't have that noise (differential).  I wouldn't replace the shocks until you can isolate the noise to the shocks, or you'll still have the same noise driving you nutzoid.  I'd make sure your service writer takes a ride with you and hears the exact same noise you're hearing in your truck, and then drive a new one on the lot and make it perfectly duplicate your truck's demon.  If they can't....... 

 

For your issue as for others' in this thread:  as I mentioned in the OP, the service department, as stated on the invoice, "Install Chassis Ears and isolate noise to front shock assemblies".  Can your dealer perform a similar test, do they have Chassis Ears  https://www.realtoolreviews.com/steelman-wireless-chassis-ears/ , install 'em, and seriously locate the noise?  

 

The service manager did ride around with me and hear the noise. We then took another new AT4 around the lot and it did the same thing. I say around the lot because obviously it takes the smallest of bumps or uneven pavement to cause this. He then called a friend who has the 2019 AT4 and he mentioned that his does the same thing (obviously just taking his word on this). 

 

I have to find a dealer in my area that can install the chassis ears. That's the next step for sure. 

[BenThere]

14 minutes ago, Gthompson said:

 

The service manager did ride around with me and hear the noise. We then took another new AT4 around the lot and it did the same thing. I say around the lot because obviously it takes the smallest of bumps or uneven pavement to cause this. He then called a friend who has the 2019 AT4 and he mentioned that his does the same thing (obviously just taking his word on this). 

 

I have to find a dealer in my area that can install the chassis ears. That's the next step for sure. 

Wow, weird.  Now you got me wondering again about my truck......  You say the noise comes from somewhere in the center of the truck, just going over smaller parking lot bumps, but it's just the bumps that make the noise?  Any torque/throttle changes that would "play with the play" in the driveline/differential, or is it just the bumps that cause the noise?  I'm gonna try it on my truck later today.  

[Gthompson]

3 minutes ago, BenThere said:

Wow, weird.  Now you got me wondering again about my truck......  You say the noise comes from somewhere in the center of the truck, just going over smaller parking lot bumps, but it's just the bumps that make the noise?  Any torque/throttle changes that would "play with the play" in the driveline/differential, or is it just the bumps that cause the noise?  I'm gonna try it on my truck later today.  

Don't do it! I don't want you keying in on some sound like I did. Enjoy your truck!

 

When you pull into a parking lot and whip it forward to back into a parking spot, is your truck making a clunking sound during the transition? Or if go to pull into a any gas station or restaurant at slow speed, the small bump and angle you're taking it, does that make a clunking sound? Final example would be simply driving slow through a dirt lot (because there will always be some sorts of bumps). 

[BenThere]

4 minutes ago, Gthompson said:

Don't do it! I don't want you keying in on some sound like I did. Enjoy your truck!

 

When you pull into a parking lot and whip it forward to back into a parking spot, is your truck making a clunking sound during the transition? Or if go to pull into a any gas station or restaurant at slow speed, the small bump and angle you're taking it, does that make a clunking sound? Final example would be simply driving slow through a dirt lot (because there will always be some sorts of bumps). 

Yeah, those last two examples for sure were actions that manifested the klunking I had traced to the shocks thanks to the Chassis Ears.  Don't remember hearing it in the parking spot transition, but those little bumps like where the road pavement ends and the gas station pavement begins, in the parking lot, and rough/dirt roads especially.  Big bumps not so much, but those irregular smaller bumps in damaged pavement, pavement patches or transitions, parking lot speed bumps, dirt roads and lots, that kind of stuff really brought it out.  

[APPFIRE1]

New 2019 with the factory lift.  Noticed the klunk, bump the first week.  Took it in to the dealer and they said left front shock.  Took a week to get the new shock in and they replaced and all is well for now.  May replace all of the shocks to a different brand.  Anybody replaced theirs yet?  What is everyones opinion on replacement brand and product number?

 

Chris

[cNate]

I’m waiting for a 2-3” kit from BDS and will replace with their fox shocks. Put some 35s or 37s on the truck too.

My last truck had fox shocks that were much better than factory. That had a 6” lift. Don’t want to go that big because I’m planning to go from a bumper tow to a 5th wheel. Will see if that takes care of the sound.


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[BenThere]

FWIW..... Specific to the "Replace the Ranchos" with some other manufacturers' shock question, there's at least one good thread on Billsteins (sp) I lurked in for a while.  Can't look it up now, but I'm sure there are a few on the subject.  

[2017 Mule]

On 3/21/2020 at 4:21 PM, BenThere said:

I have the dealer installed factory 2" lift with Rancho shocks.  For the last several months, I have been hearing a bumping, kinda clunking sound coming from the right front, most noticeable on bad/rough pavement, speed bumps, washboard, those low storm water troughs in rural pavement, that sort of thing.  Was like something loose underneath, loose exhaust, bad bushing, something large not tied down right, something like that.  Drove me crazy! I spent time on rough roads trying to pin-point the source of the noise, holding onto various panels in the truck, the ORV mirrors, etc.  Jacked it up a couple times and spent time banging on everything with my hands and a rubber mallet. Looked at all the suspension, connection points, bushings. Nothing, everything was tight.  Banged on everything else I could imagine making the noise, the bumpers, body panels, the dash, grille, under the hood, in the bed, the camper shell; nothing.  

 

Finally took it into the dealer and took a ride with the service writer until I was sure she heard the same thing I was hearing.  The dealer had some kind of a "chassis ears" device and finally located the noise coming from the left front shock.  Found that the shock had something loose in it; called Rancho and they wanted the shock shipped back to them for "forensic" examination.  They checked the right shock and noticed it was starting to do the same thing. The dealer replaced both front shock assemblies, checked the alignment and road tested; shipped both shocks back to Rancho.   Got the truck back and the noise is gone.   Haven't heard back on what Rancho found.

 

Thought y'all might be interested if you have a Trail Boss, AT4, or the factory lift.  I've used the truck off road quite a bit, here in AZ, Utah canyon country, Nevada, some tough and challenging (close to the trucks capability) roads and trails, but nothing extraordinary, nothing hairier than what I've done with my other trucks over the years with no problems.   Anybody else had a similar issue?  

I didn't have that issue but i did notice after my 2017 GMC sierra ltz after 45K miles I switched my "Rancho" shocks to "Bilstiens" (5100) and improved my ride 100% . I do alot of gravel off road driving with about 75 % hwy. combined and realized i needed shocks. My rear pas. side had oil on the body of the shock (tell tale sign) so I went with the higher quality shock which i was able to give the truck its true even up front taking out the rake . Teh rear sits approx. an inch higher but its good for hooking up the travel trailer . i usually ride with 3-4 sand bags in winter for tracion. 

[Patrick Barberet]

On 3/25/2020 at 11:41 AM, Gthompson said:

Don't do it! I don't want you keying in on some sound like I did. Enjoy your truck!

 

When you pull into a parking lot and whip it forward to back into a parking spot, is your truck making a clunking sound during the transition? Or if go to pull into a any gas station or restaurant at slow speed, the small bump and angle you're taking it, does that make a clunking sound? Final example would be simply driving slow through a dirt lot (because there will always be some sorts of bumps). 

 

 

 

I have a 2020 Trail Boss LT and I recently started experiencing the creaking/clunking noise on my truck.  From what I can tell it is coming from the front end.  I did have the dealer install a Readylift 1.5" leveling kit and not sure if that has anything to do with it.  The truck has 27k miles on it and have probably driven around 1000-1500 miles since the leveling kit was installed.  The noise is most noticeable at slow speeds when parking or turning at slow speeds.  I can also hear it when I start from a dead stop which would make me think it could be the shocks.  I do not hear it at well when driving normally.  Any help or advice is appreciated.  I am bringing to the dealer next week to hopefully have resolved.

 

Thank you.

[Gangly]

My front shocks were shot before I ever hit 20k miles and I didn't drive mine hard at all.  Once I removed them I couldn't believe how bad they were, I could compress them by hand with near zero effort and they wouldn't rebound on their own.  That, combined with the oil on the shaft, made their poor condition easily identifiable.  I swapped to Eibachs and I'm now sitting at 45k+ miles with no deterioration of performance present in the Eibach shocks.  Swap the factory shocks out with a quality aftermarket brand (Eibach, Bilstein, etc.) and never look back.

[Dunn]

I took mine off the 1500 x31 almost right away

 

I compressed shock by hand and blew a seal, oil spewed out everywhere.......ac delcos prolly better

 

Ranchos are bottom of barrel in offroad market......they gave GM best price to outfit their lineup

 

Would never pay and put those on a truck......