Been chasing an intermittent clunk for a little while now. May remember I posted a video of the rotational movement in the tie rod that you all agreed was normal.
Just not been able to recreate the clunk when not driving. A couple weeks ago we were driving and the clunk was really really bad.
Check it again and could not find it. We were driving somewhere after that and there was a hell of a clunk then like a crack and the clunk was gone for awhile. I knew something had to have broken checked again and still could not recreate the noise.
A few days later the clunking started again but it had a higher pitch to it now. I figured end links are cheap so I’d start there.
So I needed to change the oil so figured I would do it first since the oil was nice and hot from mama driving home. Put her up on the ramps and see that immediately. I know it did not look like that last time I checked.
I figure the bushings were causing the initial clunk for awhile, then big crack was the link actually breaking, but went away for awhile because the bushings were now a bit looser and the whole thing still being held by the bushing and plastic center section but not binding so no clunk. Then eventually the bottom portion and plastic made its way off, causing my higher pitched clunk as the top of the endlink was now hitting the aluminum upper and lower control arm which is aluminum so it was higher pitched than the clunk of the steel sway bar movement.
Of course the opposite side was seized as a mother. Heat, penetrant, big impact, nothing would budge it. I should have just used the reciprocating saw the first time.



Did I mention I despise this damn thing more and more very single day!!! It’s always freaking broken. Hands down the worst vehicle I have ever owned! Complete and utter garbage! Looks great though! Drove a Sequoia the other day and they are just too small. Not enough cargo room. I really am not in the mood to spend another $35k+ on another one of these. Might get an Expedition Max or Navigator L. But really don’t feel like spending the money.
I guess I’ll just keep fixing this since it’s paid off.
It is a damn good looking truck but that is all it has going for it!
And my wife loves it!

Yep, that'll do it! Be happy it was just swaybar links. I just had the 4th set of motor mounts put in my work Durango this week. It was so bad that every time you'd start it you could feel and hear the motor slam into the mount. Any time I took off from a stop sign it felt like the motor was going to fall out.

That car has 105k on it. Very glad I don't own that thing or have to pay to maintain it. My Suburban has been a dream in comparison, even though it's 21 years old and has more than 4x the miles.

I have a 2010 Tahoe and had the same issue last Summer. No idea how or why it broke.

Mine has been very reliable. Just turned 150,000 miles. I bought it in 2017 with 97k.

Had to replace the same end links on our garbage Yukon when we had it. I was so happy to get rid of that vehicle even after I had to replace the transmission when it crapped the bed while on vacation…the trans was one of the dozens of issues that truck had in its short 120,000 mile life.

Why on earth are they using plastic in suspension components?

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Originally posted by 1967Goat:
I have a 2010 Tahoe and had the same issue last Summer. No idea how or why it broke.

Mine has been very reliable. Just turned 150,000 miles. I bought it in 2017 with 97k.

My guess as to why these fail/break in the fashion that they do is that plastic sleeve just holds moisture and all the road grit and it just eats away at the shaft and the grit acts like sandpaper in there.

You had the prior generation which was not nearly as prone to problems as this generation I have.

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Originally posted by JohnV:
Had to replace the same end links on our garbage Yukon when we had it. I was so happy to get rid of that vehicle even after I had to replace the transmission when it crapped the bed while on vacation…the trans was one of the dozens of issues that truck had in its short 120,000 mile life.

We have 110k and I have been replacing stuff on it left and right since we got it at 55k.
I am working on the best way to keep the transmission going.
All my reading say the torque converter is the problem and not the transmission.
So will likely replace the converter with a beefed up one and cross my fingers. I’d really like to get another 2 years out of this if we can.

quote:

Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
Why on earth are they using plastic in suspension components?

My wife asked the exact same thing as I was showing her pics of why she had the clunk.

I know GM has been doing it on these trucks for a long time.

My only guess and it is nothing more than that is the plastic paired with the bushings has just a little bit of give and that possibly makes the ride a bit softer than a completely rigid full metal endlink.

What year is that? It looks very newish/late model.

quote:

My guess as to why these fail/break in the fashion that they do is that plastic sleeve just holds moisture and all the road grit and it just eats away at the shaft and the grit acts like sandpaper in there.

I think you're absolutely correct about that. Stupid design by a stupid engineer. It's bad enough when that crap gets between the metal link and the rubber bushings, but they just created a way for it to affect the entire length of the shaft. Especially up here where they put salt on the roads, stuff like this is just murder on metal.

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Originally posted by r0gue:
What year is that? It looks very newish/late model.

2015
Need to do plugs and wires as well. Have them just was loosing light last night. A little overdue on them.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Black92LX:

Been chasing an intermittent clunk for a little while now. May remember I posted a video of the rotational movement in the tie rod that you all agreed was normal.
Just not been able to recreate the clunk when not driving. A couple weeks ago we were driving and the clunk was really really bad.
Check it again and could not find it. We were driving somewhere after that and there was a hell of a clunk then like a crack and the clunk was gone for awhile. I knew something had to have broken checked again and still could not recreate the noise.
A few days later the clunking started again but it had a higher pitch to it now. I figured end links are cheap so I’d start

Did I mention I despise this damn thing more and more very single day!!! It’s always freaking broken. Hands down the worst vehicle I have ever owned! Complete and utter garbage! Looks great though! Drove a Sequoia the other day and they are just too small. Not enough cargo room. I really am not in the mood to spend another $35k+ on another one of these. Might get an Expedition Max or Navigator L. But really don’t feel like spending the money.
I guess I’ll just keep fixing this since it’s paid off.
It is a damn good looking truck but that is all it has going for it!
And my wife loves it!
[QUOTE]
That a shame. I have the exact same car and it’s been really good. 176k mostly trouble free miles. The front differential locked up and cost me 4k to fix but other than its been great. Got some intermittent fuel sensing on the fuel gauge but still going strong. I’ve been following your troubles, you must have gotten a friday car or something. My wife refuses to give up her suburban.

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Need to do plugs and wires as well.

When I do did those in my work former work, I put them up on the lift, removed the front wheels and inner fenders (this generation has a bunch of Torx-head screws and a couple of 10mm-head bolts) so I could work through the wheel well while standing comfortably. Several other components like exhaust manifolds, engine mounts and the diesel fuel filter are wide open through there as well.

I bought a used 2009 GMC Sierra Z71 in 2018 and had to replace my front sway bar links within a couple of months, after hearing a clunking form the front suspension. The bushings themselves had rotted, although the bolts appeared to be fine. The repair kit was bushings and bolts, so I replaced it all. The old bolts are now in my coffee can of miscellaneous nuts and bolts.

GM Engineering has been an oxymoron for years.

We had a 2003 Aztek (don’t laugh) that by 66k had the bottoms of the doors rusting. The GM OEM replacement hood due to a crash started rusting through, had one on order for eight months and still couldn’t get a replacement. Three sets of intake gaskets, on its second head gasket set and those started leaking, the engineers (and I use that term loosely) should be reassigned to nameplate design, at least they couldn’t screw those up a lot.

My 04 Sierra 2wd P/U with a 4.3 V6. By 100k it had three I.P. Clusters, one camshaft and distributor replacement, steering rack, transmission, fuel pump module, two seat belt retractors, three or four heater blower resistors, starter, alternator, both front hub bearings and a driveshaft replaced under warranty. From 100k to 150k when I got rid of it there were no more problems, figure that out.

Those two were the end of GM for me despite working in dealership parts forty seven years. Last five I was in the business we bought Chrysler products.

quote:

Originally posted by SIG4EVA:
Why on earth are they using plastic in suspension components?

The answer is always "cost".

quote:

We had a 2003 Aztek (don’t laugh) that by 66k had the bottoms of the doors rusting. The GM OEM replacement hood due to a crash started rusting through, had one on order for eight months and still couldn’t get a replacement. Three sets of intake gaskets, on its second head gasket set and those started leaking, the engineers (and I use that term loosely) should be reassigned to nameplate design, at least they couldn’t screw those up a lot.

Beyond being essentially the ugliest vehicle ever produced, the Aztek had the 3.4L V6 in it, which was a derivative of the 3.1L V6. Both of those engines had issues with lower intake gaskets and head gaskets. I've had the misfortune/poor decision making of owning several vehicles with those motors, and as a result got pretty darn good at changing gaskets. I got to where I could do a lower intake in my home garage in about 4 hours. There's no place in hell hot enough for the people responsible for that engine design.

I finally decided to prioritize reliability over fuel economy, and started buying trucks (4.3L, 5.7L, 5.3L, 6.0L). I've had zero engine problems since doing that. I still have to deal with accessories, suspension, and electrical stuff occasionally, but I'll take that over having to tear the top off the motor every 12-18 months.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:

quote:

We had a 2003 Aztek (don’t laugh) that by 66k had the bottoms of the doors rusting. The GM OEM replacement hood due to a crash started rusting through, had one on order for eight months and still couldn’t get a replacement. Three sets of intake gaskets, on its second head gasket set and those started leaking, the engineers (and I use that term loosely) should be reassigned to nameplate design, at least they couldn’t screw those up a lot.

Beyond being essentially the ugliest vehicle ever produced, the Aztek had the 3.4L V6 in it, which was a derivative of the 3.1L V6. Both of those engines had issues with lower intake gaskets and head gaskets. I've had the misfortune/poor decision making of owning several vehicles with those motors, and as a result got pretty darn good at changing gaskets. I got to where I could do a lower intake in my home garage in about 4 hours. There's no place in hell hot enough for the people responsible for that engine design.

By GM standards the Aztec was a success because it was designed on time and under budget. The fact that it was butt ugly and aimed at a non-existent market niche escaped the wizards in senior management. My father worked at GM 41 years and retired when the financial people started to run the asylum. His last car was a Chrysler.

OP if you could spend only $35K ish that would be a steal! My guess is an new Suburban starts at $65K today.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HK Ag,

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:

quote:

Need to do plugs and wires as well.

When I do did those in my work former work, I put them up on the lift, removed the front wheels and inner fenders (this generation has a bunch of Torx-head screws and a couple of 10mm-head bolts) so I could work through the wheel well while standing comfortably. Several other components like exhaust manifolds, engine mounts and the diesel fuel filter are wide open through there as well.

That is my plan. Just had the passenger side out to do the starter.

quote:

Originally posted by HK Ag:
OP is you could spend only $35K ish that would be a steal! My guess is an new Suburban starts at $65 today.

Would not be getting new. Can afford a 2020 with around 50-60k miles.
Same generation that we have now just less miles. Keep this thing alive for a couple more years and get in a newer generation Suburban/Yukon or Expedition Max.
Wife does not like the interior of the 2020 Expeditions we drove.

Plus, Trump will be President and interest rates will be back down to earth (fingers crossed).

I'm sorry you don't like your Suburban. I have a '17 premier in the same color as yours. It's my third Suburban and I hope to have a 4th someday.

Yeah, none of this sounds like our experience with a '93 Suburban or '03 Yukon XL. Glad we are out of the big SUV game apparently at the right time!