What the heck is going on here? Clunk when braking (video).

[Danno1985]

For the last few hundred miles, I've noticed a distinct metallic "clunk" sound from the front passenger wheel well anytime I go over a pothole or bump. The last week, it became noticeable even on highway expansion gaps - sort of a knocking sound. I booked an appointment with my mechanic but wasn't able to get in until next Wednesday. Truck has had all four shocks replaced with Motorcraft ones in the last year, and both upper ball joints replaced this spring as well no red flags the last time I had the truck aligned, but this just felt like something up there was not really fully attached anymore, and I'd rather play it safe.

Tonight, I was driving around town and I'm not sure exactly when, but something changed - the sound went from being something I heard only when going over bumps to this loud "THUMP" whenever I touch the brake pedal, followed by a rhythmic, rotational grinding noise. Now I'm thinking this has got to be brake related, but I don't have my jack and tools here at the moment, so I can't take the wheel off and try to see what's going on. What do you guys think is going on here?

PS, uploading video to YouTube, will post once finished.

 

[Danno1985]

It's hard to get a sense of how loud the "clunk" is on phone speakers, but on my laptop it comes through. In the truck it sounds/feels like something metal is lacking the floor. Obviously that's not what's happening, but it feels like it. Definitely coming from front right, and before anyone says "u-joints", it's not doing it when loading/unloading the drivetrain, only when the brake is pressed. Almost feels like the caliper shifts every time I press the pedal, no matter how lightly, and it's clunking into something, maybe the inside of the wheel.

Also notice something seems to be dragging when I reverse. That's new as of tonight as well.

Perfect timing with the holidays.

 

[4.0blue98]

Can you get under and see if the brake caliper is tight? Did you break a shock?
Do you feel the thump in the steering wheel?

 

[Danno1985]

Can you get under and see if the brake caliper is tight? Did you break a shock?
Do you feel the thump in the steering wheel?

Well, I’m honestly feeling like the truck has been way floatier lately than it should be considering these are oem shocks with only about 15k, but with our horrific streets anything is possible. I was even thinking a broken coil at first, but the truck doesn’t seem to be sagging.

There could very well be multiple issues, but the noise under braking makes me feel like it’s a caliper issue. And no, not feeling a thump in the wheel, at least not any more than in the rest of the cab. Like I said, when i first hit the brakes, it’s almost like as soon as the system activates, no matter how lightly, that first “THUMP” you can hear in the video comes through the floor, followed be the rhythmic clunking if I keep my foot on the pedal.

 

[Danno1985]

I think I at least figured out the main problem. Bottom caliper bolt on the right front is completely backed out. I’m going to have a word with the shop. Hopefully it’s not stripped.

 

[4.0blue98]

Yeah I know others have had that happen. Gotta be like Santa and check it twice at least.

 

[Jazzer]

Good catch.

 

[Danno1985]

Anyone know what the bolt size is, or what the interchange is for a generic Dorman/whatever they'd have at Autozone?

I called up an O'Reilly's that's around the corner, the guy told me they had the part in stock, got there and to my disbelief he tells me "Aww bummer dude, someone must've snagged it online." Right after he told me over the phone that "they don't hold parts". Guess he wasn't kidding. faQuite the emotional roller coaster, but at this point it looks like my odds of getting this fixed so it's safe to drive before Christmas are zero. I tried a couple different generic M12 bolts and neither were right.

Thought about just buying a whole friggin caliper just to avoid dragging the truck to a shop, but none of the kits had the actual caliper mounting bolts in them.

The top bolt is super loose too. What the heck. Maybe I'll find a different shop next time. This is why I use an actually f-ing torque wrench when I do jobs myself and not just an impact wrench for everything.

 

[4.0blue98]

I'm not sure what year you have but assuming not an 85? Can't really tell from your picture. This is a bracket bolt right? My 98 4x4 takes an M12x1.75 with a 15mm head. Pretty short if I remember correctly.

I'm a torque wrench fanatic and like I touch of blue locktite on those.

 

[pjtoledo]

my local Do It Best hardware carries those bolts. get 10.9 grade

 

[Danno1985]

My 98 4x4 takes an M12x1.75 with a 15mm head. Pretty short if I remember correctly.

I'm a torque wrench fanatic and like I touch of blue locktite on those.

This is an '11. Yes, it's the bracket bolt. Seems like it's gotta be the same, I was just kind of surprised that not one Auto Parts store in the greater Milwaukee area has some kind of Dorman equivalent in stock, especially since they all use Rangers for shop trucks, and knowing Ford, they most likely used the same bolt from 1983 all the way up until my truck was made. Ford-parts has a set of 4 at the cool price of $68. Looks like I'm without a car until after the holidays.

 

[Uncle Gump]

That bolt is likely the same from 98 til the end of production on SLA vehicles. The problem is that standard metric hardware will have a larger head then the factory hardware and may not fit in the space the old fastener was. I'm kinda surprised you can't find one at a hardware store to at least try though.

 

[Danno1985]

That bolt is likely the same from 98 til the end of production on SLA vehicles. The problem is that standard metric hardware will have a larger head then the factory hardware and may not fit in the space the old fastener was. I'm kinda surprised you can't find one at a hardware store to at least try though.

By the time I got back from the ill-fated run to O'Reilly's, everything was closed. The Do-it-Best store that's walkable from my house is closed until Tuesday.

I entered 1998 as my model year on the Advance Auto site, and bingo.

This look right to you guys? Not sure why all of the sites would show it not fitting a 2011.

 

[Uncle Gump]

That looks about right to me...

It is however the "caliper bracket bolt" you need.

 

[Danno1985]

That looks about right to me...

It is however the "caliper bracket bolt" you need.

Right. I think they just have it mislabeled. There's another generic one with the same specs but no reviews, while this one has reviews specifically mentioning the caliper bracket, so I'm going to give it a shot. I ordered one from Tasca just to be safe as well, but hopefully this'll allow me to get the truck on the road maybe even today.

Some of the reviews mention losing these on the freeway and having a tire blowout. Yikes. I'm really grateful I caught this thing when I did. I haven't decided what I'm going to say to the shop that worked on my brakes earlier this year, but I'm definitely going to say something. Mistakes happen, but man, this is one place where cutting corners skipping thread lock and/or a torque wrench is really not great.