Noisy Track Bar

[n33k0]

Here is an issue that had me scratching my head for a while. Maybe someone else has a similar problem and this can help them out. My truck makes a loud and very noticeable CLUNK when the rear wheels go over a bump. I checked the bed bolts, tailgate, under-bed gas tank, no luck...

Turns out the source of the noise is the adjustable track bar on the truck. Instead of having rigid rubber or urethane bushings, the track bar has two heim joints that allow the bar to rotate freely. The noise comes from the side of the track bar that is bolted to the frame. When the rear axle moves the track bar rotates and the casing around the ball swivel hits the frame, which makes the loud CLUNK noise. I can also recreate the noise when the truck is parked by shaking the back of the truck left to right (up and down makes no noise).

I've spent the last few days reading about track bar bushings, the pros and cons of rubber/urethane/heim joints, and the negative consequences of solid bushings causing the suspension to bind. I'm still clueless on whether a street truck needs all the articulation of the heim joints, considering that all the aftermarket track bars I see for our trucks use the rigid rubber/urethane bushings. Changing to rubber/urethane bushings on my truck would mean I have to replace the whole track bar, or at the very least replace the two rod-ends, since the ball swivels cannot be pressed out of their casing.

I had an idea that if I could put a spacer between the frame and the track bar end, I could eliminate the noise. It doesn't need to be big, just enough to separate the casing of the heim joint from the frame. What do you guys think?

[cdowns]

my thought was to install a spacer to allow heim joint to move right

[basketcase]

If you have enough room to space it out and get the clearance you need and still get the nut back on with threads all the way through the nut, you will be ok.

Tom