clunking when parking

[span0201]

i just purchased a 98 jimmy, sometimes, not all the time there is a series of clunks that come from the passenger side, sometimes even after i have gotten out. also, on a side note, any ideas where to get new weatherstripping for my doors? they leak water really bad and it sucks going thru a car wash. I dont really want to go to a dealer cuz i have a feeling they will be really expensive.

[Chia08]

I have that same noise with my 98 Jimmy. It sometimes takes a couple minutes after I turn off the car. Like it is cooling down or something. No idea what it is but it doesn't seem to be causing any other issues so I just let it go.

[span0201]

i figured it was something with the suspension, but i dunno. It also seems that sometimes my alignment changes when i'm driving. It drives straight down the road sometimes, and then it seems to drift to the right. I'm thinking they are connected somehow, but i dunno. You have the same problem at all?

[muddog321]

Door bushings are first thing to look at for the leaks - they always are bad on Blazers and there are several Tech How To on fixing with pics. If 4wd lower ball joints would be a good place to look (grease all zerks up front (about 10) and take the skid plate off to reach the idle arm one up front. Then therer the hood washer that needs to be added, sway bar mounts, shocks, etc to look at. Steering wander check tire pressures, all steering components, and then look at the tires for uneven wear pointing to alignment. Exhaust system cooling may produce some noise also after shutoff so check the system out with a rubber hammer and see if cat and muffler not internally rattling and see if O2 sensor housings not rattling also.

[span0201]

thanks man, i'll give it a shot!

[1996LTOwner]

[ It drives straight down the road sometimes, and then it seems to drift to the right.

I've replaced everything in the front end of my '96 including bushings. Since then I've paid close attention to it's reactions on road condition. If the road is crowned (which most are for water runoff) the truck will tend to veer toward the downhill side. Unless you are having to constantly correct the steering, it may be just fine. Also, if you are not used to driving an SUV, a stiff breeze from the side can take you by surprize.

[BlazerLT]

1.) Door pins and bushings will solve the leak.

2.) For the pull to the right, it is normal, all roads should have a crown on them so water can run off. Some roads have more crown than others and this is why sometimes it pulls and sometimes it doesn't.

[span0201]

ok well i've never noticed the pulling in my other truck, which was a ranger, but who knows it doesn't really bug me that much, just wanted to make sure it wasn't anything major. also, my driverside door sags when open, would replacing the bushings and pins fix that too?

[car_guy_88]

wow, funny you should mention the pulling from side to side. I have this exact same problem and to this day have not figured out what is causing it. I had the tires balanced, and a complete alignment, and it STILL pulls both directions, but occasionally runs straight. Anybody else figure out what the cause of this is? and as for the clunking you are all talking about, i have the opposite....once in a while when i turn the car on and leave it in park for a moment, it makes a very loud clunk when the car is running, i cannot figure out what is causing this, because it is such an intermittent problem and so sudden it is impossible to trace it back. If anyone else has had this problem or knows of a possibility, i'd like to know, thanks

[muddog321]

Original poster - Span - yes the bushings and pins should correct the sag but if the bushing in the top was bad for along time the actual metal in the hinge hole may be oval shaped now and bushings help but the only full fix is to weld the hole and redrill. I have one that has a slight sag when opened after new bushings/pins due to this but not too bad and the the door striker handles a wide range of alignments so just left it.

[1996LTOwner]

Regarding the clunking, the original reason I started replacing everything in the front end of my Blazer was due to an intermittant clunk from the front. Always seemed to notice it when parking, sometimes after pulling in and sometimes just prior to pulling out with the wheels turned. Other than the normal components, ie: tie rod ends, idler arm, ball joints and drive axles, I finally replaced the bushings on the upper and lower control arms and that is what finally stopped the clunking. On the front and back side of the lower control arm there is a piece of round stock welded to it. I found wear marks on the front and back of both lower control arms on the piece of round stock. The bushings are what finally cured it.
Also found the sway bar bracket broken off of the driver's side lower control arm once. That was causing a different type of cluck and at different times. Never hurts to check.
As for bleeding your brakes, I don't know what year your Blazer is, but the '96 HAS to be bench bled. I tried and tried on mine to get by without doing it but never got them right until I gave in and bench bled it.
One last thing, while rotating my tires, I noticed the ABS sensor wires on the driver's side front sensor were rubbing on the inside of the wheel rim. It had worn enough to have bare wires. I repositioned, cut, spliced and sealed the wiring and haven't had any problems from it.
Good luck.

[span0201]

ok i looked at the bushings and they are wore out, but i dont see any additional wear. It doesn't look like to much of a job to pull the doors off, but any pointers as to make it easier?

[DINO55]

Span0201
This LINK should awnser all of your door pin questions, and then some...

[1996LTOwner]

[quote=span0201]ok i looked at the bushings and they are wore out, but i dont see any additional wear.

I re-read your first post and saw that you have a '98 Jimmy. Assuming that the lower control arms are the same, the wear would show up as shiny metal on the round stock that is welded to the front and rear of the lower control arm. The round stock is only about 1-1/2 inches long on the front and back. I'll see if I can post a picture of them tomorrow.

[span0201]

thanks man i apreciate it. i have another question now tho.... is it standard for the jimmy's to have (what i assume is) a fule pump that has a whinning sound?