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4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/clicking from front right wheel

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Expert: - 6/10/2010


Question
Hi and thank you in advance. I have a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4 with a Pro Comp lift (done at a reputable shop). I noticed a clicking sound and shimmy from front end. After talking to several people I replaced all tie rods, tr ends, sway bar links,  and dampner and of course had alignment. The shaking stopped but the clicking has continued to bug me and is now getting worse. What will cause this besides Brakes as I have replaced them three times to make sure they were not the problem.

Answer
David,

Whenever you install a lift, you can have bad driveline angles.  The taller the lift, the more critical this becomes.  Check your front u-joints as these angles put a lot of strain on them.  Also, check out the driveline angles.  With a standard axle (single cardon joint) the angle out of the front differential should be the same as the angle at the transfer case.  If you have a double cardon joint at the transfer case, then the angle at the differential should be as close to zero degrees as possible.

Other items that can cause this type of noise is a bad u-joint, bad cv joint or front wheel bearings going bad.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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