HD Front End Top Out?

[hello_im_justin]

Hey everyone! Just picked up a 26 ZR2 HD and just wanted to ask a question here to see if anyone else has the same experience or if I should be scheduling a service appt. I did try searching for this and I found threads of clunks in the rear, but didn't see anything about this. When going over speed bumps at anything quicker than a snail's pace, the suspension unloads and I get a pretty good deep sounding clunk out of the front driver's side. Sounds like the shock is topping out. Only on the driver's side. I have not done any torsion bar adjustments or anything like that, all stock. I did a bunch of reading on these shocks and I thought I read that they have internal valving to act as a top out control so when I heard this clunk I was a little concerned. My previous truck was a 2022 AT4 HD that I kept at stock height and just installed some cheap-o Bilstein 5100s and I did not experience this type of clunk. Is this typical behavior on the ZR2 since it is lifted or should I be looking to schedule this thing in to the dealer? Really not looking forward to that since I always seem to either get "couldn't hear nothin" or "yeah, that's normal" treatment. TIA!

 

[AXE]

Jack it up on that corner and see if you can move the steering and suspension around and see if anything is loose. Check the sway bar, tie rods, ball joints, and shock, even the brake caliper. An easy way to test the shoock is to take ii off and see if there is resistance through the stroke.

That clunk was common on my previous lifted Duramax trucks, but doesn't happen on the ZR2. I maybe get a hint of it going over steep speed bumps when you drop off the top.

 

[hello_im_justin]

Will do, thank you. Not looking forward to taking that shock off as it seems they attached some sturdier clips to the tops of the mounting bolts

 

[AXE]

Will do, thank you. Not looking forward to taking that shock off as it seems they attached some sturdier clips to the tops of the mounting bolts

I pulled the rears on my 1500 to install some skids and they are stout. Had to use a small jack to push them in to get the bolt back in place. Might be easier if you have a lift. Maybe it's easier to talk with the dealer first.

 

[hello_im_justin]

Yeah I'm thinking that's the move. I jacked it up and everything seems tight. Sliiiiight play in the steering, like only enough to get a click sound, but I am attributing that to normal movement. I really don't want to take that shock out for fear the dealer will see wrench marks and blame the noise on me. Guess I'll get to know my new service advisor... Truck only has 300 miles on it so I should go use that warranty. Dealers are just such a pain for me since I spent my teens and twenties working at one. Including being a service advisor... Joy.