Torsion bar worn on lower control arm

RiPPeN

RiPPeN

New member
Oct 14, 2009
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Calgary AB Canada
Has anyone ever experienced a worn lower control arm where the torsion bar slides in?
I have been chasing a clunk for the last couple of weeks and think I have narrowed it down to this. The clunk always seems to be beneath my feet.

I've been over the front end 3 times now and everything is tight. Been over the complete lift kit, body mounts, drive shafts, EVERYTHING!

Today I seen that the drivers side lower control arm hex is quite worn when compared to the passenger side. I can actually see light through every side of the torsion key hex.
I have worked on these trucks for years and have never heard of anyone replacing this item.
 
Chevy1925

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
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RiPPeN said:
Has anyone ever experienced a worn lower control arm where the torsion bar slides in?
I have been chasing a clunk for the last couple of weeks and think I have narrowed it down to this. The clunk always seems to be beneath my feet.

I've been over the front end 3 times now and everything is tight. Been over the complete lift kit, body mounts, drive shafts, EVERYTHING!

Today I seen that the drivers side lower control arm hex is quite worn when compared to the passenger side. I can actually see light through every side of the torsion key hex.
I have worked on these trucks for years and have never heard of anyone replacing this item.
Click to expand...

Thats common. Both of mine are that way and wouldnt cause your clunk
 
messejme

messejme

Jazzy, Me and Max
Mar 7, 2008
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Quite often the clunk in suspension systems occurs only under very high stress (like 3,000lbs dropping into a pothole). It is not possible to recreate those forces with a prybar in a static scenario. Unless you are jumping your truck I would not think it is the "socket" for the torsion bar.
 
ryan415

ryan415

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Oct 24, 2012
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May want to check your lower steering column bearing, but thats more of a rattle then clunk. Also check the torsion bar crossmember mount bushings at the frame rails, replaced a few of those before for clunk noises
 
D

Darius6t9

I'm the Floater. Lurking.
Aug 23, 2008
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Rusk, Tx. Again
ryan415 said:
May want to check your lower steering column bearing, but thats more of a rattle then clunk. Also check the torsion bar crossmember mount bushings at the frame rails, replaced a few of those before for clunk noises
Click to expand...

What he just said. I just replaced the torsion bar mount bushings the other day on a chevy.
 
RiPPeN

RiPPeN

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Oct 14, 2009
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Calgary AB Canada
Truck has a lift so factory torsion bar bushings are no longer used. Aftermarket polyurethane ones, and they are tight.
No it is not my steering shaft bearings. Already replaced my intermediate shaft.
Should also not the clinking is worse when colder outside ( well below freezing temperature).

Checked engine mounts, control arm bushings, sway bars..
 
jmaz268

jmaz268

Lead from the Front
May 20, 2010
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When is it clunking? There can be a clunk associated with a worn slip yoke. Usually fixed with greasing the yoke splines. But the fix doesn't seem to last very long.
 
RiPPeN

RiPPeN

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Oct 14, 2009
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Calgary AB Canada
The clunk is coming from under my feet. Off the frame or suspension. Their isn't any play in my slip yoke. Seems to clunk more when turning. Although their is a hollow sound as well driving straight over bumps but not a hard "clunk". And no it is definitely not my steering shaft. Tightened up my axle shaft tonight. Who has experienced a broken CV shaft? I might try swapping sides tomorrow..
 
RiPPeN

RiPPeN

New member
Oct 14, 2009
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Calgary AB Canada
By a broken CV shaft I mean a ball out of place or broken..

Truck as 1 piece aluminum drive shaft and an extended front drive shaft. No it is not to long. Had it on for a long time before this clunk started to appear.
 
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H

Hot COCOAL

May the farce be with you
Jun 9, 2012
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I had a clunk once...
Really.

It turned out to be the sway bar endlink, i did not compress the poly enough when i installed, is what i think happened, it was the bushing supplied by hellwig when i installed their frontswaybar, when i finally re-torqued them, i torqued them down alot, quite a bit more than i had assumed from the directions, the clunk went away, chased that bastard for about 3-4 months before i figured it out. Only happened at certain times when i was turning and the suspension cycled, usually at a lower speed, around 15-20mph, and it sounded like it was in front of or at my feet, it sounded like a clunk, and i could feel it too.

Good luck

Jason
 
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