1995-2003 S10 & Blazer Front End Clunk Pop Fix!!! Read!!

[BlazerLT]

Guys,

I thought I found that the sway bar bushings were causing my front end passenger clunk and popping but guess what, they weren't.

Before I drop the bomb and show what I learned through scouring the internet, I have replaced the following:

Lower Ball Joints
Passenger Upper Ball Joint
Sway Bar End Links (Had to be replaced Anyways)
Sway Bar Bushings
Front and Rear Shocks

Total bill: ~US$600

After all of that, it wasn't even the problem. There is a service bulletin that talk about this in this upcoming video.

Want to know what the clunk is? Here you go!



Remove this 7mm screw holding the small outer cowl inserts over the hinges. Close the hood.

Remove the covers carefully and don't break the clips.

The hingles will be attached and they are a 13mm nut and bolt.

That's right, a $2 dollar part fixes this problem that has pissed so many Blazer owners off.

This is the service bulletin that came out in 2001 I believe. Covers all S10 and Blazers.

Hood hinge clunk fix
TSB 01-08-63-001A
GM part # 12383460
This bulletin is being revised to add model years. Please discard Corporate
Bulletin Number 01-08-63-001A (Section 08 -- Body and Accessories).
Condition:
Some customers may comment on a rattle coming from either or both front
corners of the instrument panel near the hood hinge areas. This noise may
often be mistaken for a loose shock absorber. The rattle may be heard when
driving over rough roads and is most noticeable when the road surface
creates a side-to-side vehicle motion.

Cause:
Excessive clearance at the hood hinge attaching bolt may cause this
condition. The excessive clearance allows the hood hinge to make metal
contact with the hood hinge bracket, which produces a rattling noise.

Correction:
Important: For additional information, see the Body Front End subsection of
the Body and Accessories Section of the appropriate Service Manual.

1.. Remove the hood hinge attaching bolt (1).
2.. Install a spring washer (2) on the bolt as shown in above
illustration.
3.. Install the bolt.
Tighten
Tighten the bolt to 25 N·m (18 lb ft).

Parts Information
Part Number: 12383460

Description: Washer - Hood Hinge

© Copyright General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

There you have it, I temporarily laid a couple bunched up shop towels under the flat part in the video and went for a drive on the roughest washboard road within 50 miles and never heard a thing.

Hope you don't go through what I went through.

Originally Posted by laxman21

[powering]

Nice post, with pictures. Its unbeliveable isn't it how easy of a fix this is, especially when you think no way it could be the hood hinge and then after when you do that first test drive. Why don't dealers just send this info out. It gets you back to loving your drive instead of dreading those clunking and rattling sounds. All for $2 .
I encourage all to try this before investing money in shocks and replacing other parts that MAY not need replacing.
Thanks BlazerLT for lending proof of this fix.

[BlazerLT]

Wow, this is ridiculous that it took me this long to find it.

It is crazy the amount of research and money and testing I have put into this for it to be something not even related.

BTW, I put the shop towels in the prop up the hinge and took it for a drive and not a peep came out of it.

Was one of the most satisfying drives in many recent years.

[Alexxn 00 Si]

I'm gona definately do this myself ASAP....now if we can only quiet up the noisy / rattled filled interior of our trucks.......

[BlazerLT]

This has been mistaken for interior rattle too.

[Alexxn 00 Si]

Does this apply to other years besides 1995 that the bulletin mentions ?

[BlazerLT]

Please reread the first post again.

[cobra1]

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

Please reread the first post again.

if your gonna post, why not just tell him? must you always be a prick?

[BlazerLT]

Yea, I am a prick that created this thread to help everyone.

kthxbye moron

[cobra1]

Originally Posted by BlazerLT

Yea, I am a prick that created this thread to help everyone.

kthxbye moron

oooppss, forgot i had to switch to 5 year old mode. let me see if i can get this so you'll understand.


if you were gonna post that he should re-read the first post, then why not just post the answer he wanted, instead of being a prick.

[BlazerLT]

Enjoy the thread guys, this fix worked awesome for my clunk.

[chcknugget]

Yeah I just bought the washers... What side of the hinge did you put them on?

[BlazerLT]

Ok,

You put them on the head portion of the bolt.

You remove the bolt from the hinge, slip the washer over the bolt so that the wider portion of the cone washer is towards the head of the bolt and and the narrower portion is towards the threads.

Reinsert the bolts, tighten it up and you can check and see that the clunk and knocking noise is now gone.

Enjoy, I am so happy about mine. It is almost like a new truck feel when you don't have that clunk to worry about.

[powering]

I love my ride now also. It makes ya wonder how many people spent a bunch of money on shocks and front end parts when the cluncking is due to a couple dollar fix and so easy to do.
I was so happy with this fix. But what really pisses me off is that when I took it to the dealer and had an alignment they didn't even offer this fix to me. I had to find it on my own. You figure after they test drive it they could have said something like "did you ever have your hood hinge retainer bolts checked? For $25 we think we can fix that clunk and get you loving your Blazer/Jimmy again." I think it would ensure a bit of customer loyalty. It would help me forget the problems with bad front bearings, wiper module problems, bad batteries, seat handles, etc,
By the way I would encourage any READERS who do this fix to POST if it works so others will know, ya know pass it on.

[Alexxn 00 Si]

Just got mine...I'll let everyone know when they are installed....