Need help hunting down a rattle/clunk

[bluecheese]

2017 Ram 1500 5.7 Hemi

It’s kind of hard to describe, but I can feel it more than I can hear it.

When hitting a bump, I can feel a rattle through the steering wheel and gas pedal and brake pedal.

Also, when stopped, if I move the steering wheel back and forth a couple of inches, I can feel the same kind of clunky rattle in the steering wheel and pedals.

Any ideas?

 

[GJWest]

Did you get an answer to this? I have the same issue with my 2018 ram 3500. Had it back to dealer multiple times. They tightened a nut once. Itsworse with a trailer on.

 

[GTyankee]

video of Chassis Ears on a Ford

The Electronic Chassis Ear Finds an Issue!

Using a neat bit of kit, the Wireless Electronic Chassis Ear finds a something going wrong!

www.youtube.com

there are several videos that also pop up

one mechanic advised that you don't use the Steelman Bluetooth kit, but other Steelman kit are widely used by shops that look for chassis & body noises.

In one video, they mention that you can listen to the fuel injectors ??

 

[Gregdad]

I had a bad rattle in my 22 Rebel for the longest time. Crawled underneath to check as it kinda sounded like the step boards and could feel it through the steering wheel also although I could never find anything.
Then one day I took my hitch out of the receiver and BAM, no more rattle. It was my hitch all along.

 

[rzr6-4]

Did you get an answer to this? I have the same issue with my 2018 ram 3500. Had it back to dealer multiple times. They tightened a nut once. Itsworse with a trailer on.

There is a nut on your steering box to adjust the worm gear.

They tightened a nut once.

This very much sounds like what you are referring to. I've had to adjust it on my 2500 (same system).

 

[bluecheese]

Did you get an answer to this? I have the same issue with my 2018 ram 3500. Had it back to dealer multiple times. They tightened a nut once. Itsworse with a trailer on.

Yes. Its kind of a long story. But the short version is that I bought the truck certified preowned from a Ram dealership. The previous owner put a bunch of aftermarket parts on the truck, which included a new exhaust and shorty headers.

The headers developed a leak, and it was a huge battle with the dealership to repair. We finally settled on them replacing the headers with stock exhaust manifolds.

Apparently they have to take apart parts of the suspension to get to the manifolds, and they did not do their due diligence in tightening everything back up afterwards.

According to the work order, they "found sway bar bushing, sway bar links, upper control arms, steering drive shaft loose."

They tightened all that up, and I didn't have a problem afterwards.

I know this probably isn't the same as the problem you're having though.