Broken shock??

[karl]

the front driverside suspension on my 77 half is making a loud metallic ticking noise when i hit bumps or push up and down on the one side. this truck has new drop spindles new ball joints new rubber bushings new 1 inch lower springs new shocks ect. the ball joints were greased before using them the bushings are not overtightened the spring is seated properly everything looks good. what the hell could be making this loud noise? broken shock? can a shock make a noise like this? its hard to pinpoint where the noise is coming from since its so loud.thanks, karl

[magnethead]

try the automotive tech's stethoscope (radiator/other spare hose)?

Did you check your bumpstops?

[piecesparts]

Check the frame where your shock bolts on. The older Chevy's had a bproblem with the hole getting wallowed out and then you have to weld a new piece into the spot to bolt the shock onto. Did you by chance get a shorter shock when you dropped the truck? That could have caused the problem.

[C10-Driver]

I might be grasping at straws here but I have heard that new polyurethane bushings will dry up and start to cease. Apparently it takes a while for them to become saturated with grease??? A car guy I know said he had to loosen his off and re-grease them 2 or 3 times.

I had a similar thing happen on my truck... try some spray lubricant on the bushings making sure you flex the suspension to let the lubricant penetrate. This is not a permanent fix of course but will help you pinpoint the source of the noise.

Good luck.

[craig@ridetech.com]

As easy as it is to get to, I would just pull the shock off and see if it is the problem or not. Remember if it is a gas charged shock it should extend itself on its own. If it is sticking or when you shake it there is a rattling sound then it is definitely gone bad.