Question for the track guys regarding suspension

[Roland L-Ocala FL]

I start getting a clunking sound from under the back of the car every so often. I take it to the dealer, and they re-torque the suspension bolts, ladder bar bolts, etc, per a TSB, and it goes away. However, I had it done about three weeks ago, and then took the car to the Gingerman for a day of track time, and now the clunk is back. Now every time I shift gears, I get a clunk, especially after the car is what I want to call "heat soaked", and the drive train gets heated up to running temperature. Is the only remedy re-torquing the bolts again, or have they become stretched now, and no amount of re-torquing will help? What do you guys do to stop this, it is getting very annoying. Help!

 

[GTS Dean]

Ever consider Loctite and/or urethane bushings? How many fasteners are loosening up and which ones are they? Stretched bolts usually end up failing after repeated cyclic stress, so if you are just retightening them, the thread adhesive may take care of it.

 

[SoCal Rebell]

Roland, I had this EXACT same thing happen to me. The clunk was minor on the street, worse on the track and downright awful when hot, it got to the point where I was scared to continue driving it on that track day I was under the car torquing the suspension components but it continued. The problem turned out to be the rear differential mount on the "TOP" of the diff. mounted to the body. Dodge fixed it and I have not had a problem since. Keep me apprised!

 

[GTS Dean]

Ron,

Your problem is slightly different than Roland's. His Gen 1 controls pinion wind-up by means of a ladder bar bolted to the side of the diff, which is also connected to the lower frame rail in the transmission tunnel thru a rubber bushing.

Gen 2s have a beam on top of the pinion that bolts to the rear subframe - no ladder bar.