[Clancy]

Leaving work last night, going down the ramps in the garage (off-camber stuff) I heard a pretty good 'clunck' sound coming from the back of the truck. I stopped and just looked around for obvious stuff, but couldn't find anything so I drove home like an old lady. I rolled underneith this morning and found the culprit right off the bat thanks to other posts on these forums (you guys seriously rock!)

Mine hadn't progressed as far as ostaF's - but it was close. I snapped some pictures while it was still on the truck so those who suspect they might have this problem know what they're looking for.

This is (drivers side) from the axle, looking back at the shackle:

And this is the passengers side - this one is NOT broke (yet):

Side view (once storage box from utlibed was removed):

Total job took about 2 hours. Figuring out how to get the storage box off took a while, and my custom exhaust was all kind of in the way on the passengers side.

Dealer dinged me $91 for two new shackles (pn 55220-ZR00B). The new shackles are the new style with the extra gusset plate, but the welds look like a lot of chicken crap. If I'd have had the luxury of time, I would have ordered PRG's shackes - though looking now I'm not sure how I would have gotten top bolt back in (my guess is he has you reverse them so nut side is toward the frame).

If you have an older truck (before 08.5 when they changed these shackles) - you might wanna take a peek under the truck and order up some shackles as a spring-time (haha - pun intended) project to keep from blowing a hole thru your bed..

A couple of other pics attached below too.

 

[bestatchess]

Good catch.

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[sudden urge]

It's a good thing you heard the noise and caught it early. 2008 and up have the newer shackle design. The new shackle uses a solid tube instead of a rolled piece of metal that can unravel at the seam. As you noted, they added an inside back gusset plate that is also welded to the tube. The newer shackle design will not unroll and should holdup for the life of the vehicle.

 

[superhero99]

"I've got the clunk...gotta have that clunk." (how does that 70's song go?)
Did replacing the shackles solve the rear-end clunk? I'm hoping that solves my clunk since I found BOTH my shackles are almost blown wide open. I've got an '04 w/ BIg Tow and Off Road, and am currently replacing both Rancho shocks (to Bilstein 5100's) and new shackles, and there are a lot of rear-clunk/shackle/leafspring threads, but noone's admittely stated that the new shackles fixed the clunk issue.

Can anyone confirm?

 

[bestatchess]

If you still have the clunk after new shackles & shocks, it is probably axle wrap.

 

[bcini]

You got lucky! Whew!

 

[superhero99]

That's not the same clunk. His clunk was the leaf pack smacking against the bottom of the bed when the shackle pulled apart.

Not sure what you mean as to how it's not the same. You mean not the same as either OstaF's or Clancy? Mine currently looks like Clancy's. They're pulled open, but unlike OstaF's, one hasn't pulled free and blown through the bed.

I'd imagine OstaF's clunk was a severe one-timer!!

Mine occurs frequently, but not always predictably...(you'd think it'd happen over every speed bump...doesn't...but sometimes happens when I pull into my driveway (slight incline to road edge).

What's the actual clunk from? Is it play in the no-longer-tightly-wrapped shackle, letting the frame move separate from the leaf/shackle? (Although I don't think it's possible without tearing free) could it be there's less distance between the top of the leaf/shackle and frame due to the shackle being lengthened by failure and when the shock is compressed the shackle hits the frame (wouldn't this happen every speed bump)?

Beats the hell out of me. I just want someone to tell me shackles are the reason for/solution to the clunk issue.

 

[BobNYC]

This shackles thing is getting out of hand. I can't believe Nissan isn't picking up the cost of repairing these! Cheap b*astards!

 

[bestatchess]

This shackles thing is getting out of hand. I can't believe Nissan isn't picking up the cost of repairing these! Cheap b*astards!

They may be picking up the cost of any accident caused by failure of the shackles. Potential expert witness:

http://www.metalconsult.com/articles/Evaluation of A Leaf Spring Failure.pdf

 

[sudden urge]

Not sure what you mean as to how it's not the same. You mean not the same as either OstaF's or Clancy? Mine currently looks like Clancy's. They're pulled open, but unlike OstaF's, one hasn't pulled free and blown through the bed.

I'd imagine OstaF's clunk was a severe one-timer!!

Mine occurs frequently, but not always predictably...(you'd think it'd happen over every speed bump...doesn't...but sometimes happens when I pull into my driveway (slight incline to road edge).

What's the actual clunk from? Is it play in the no-longer-tightly-wrapped shackle, letting the frame move separate from the leaf/shackle? (Although I don't think it's possible without tearing free) could it be there's less distance between the top of the leaf/shackle and frame due to the shackle being lengthened by failure and when the shock is compressed the shackle hits the frame (wouldn't this happen every speed bump)?

Beats the hell out of me. I just want someone to tell me shackles are the reason for/solution to the clunk issue.

I thought your clunk was the clunk that others had from the drive-train play when you shift from drive to reverse or vice versa. I guess a failing shackle that was partially unwound would probably produce a clunk.

 

[zooksta56]

At least it didn't rip through your bed. I just ordered my 08+ shackles the other day after hearing about all these shackle failures.

 

[Clancy]

I never figured out what the 'clunk' was - there were no marks around the shackle/bed area that I noticed. But the clunk is gone with the new shackles.

I wouldn't wait. Not only was it unrolled, but almost ripped in 2. Even this picture doesn't show it all - there is less than 20% of the width still intact..

 

[SpindlyJim]

I'll add to this.
2006 Crew Cab,about 140K Kilometers...not too many miles, no real offroading.
Cleaning the truck and opened the canopy and tailgate. WTF:

From underneath:

I'll replace all four shackles and bolts. The passenger side plate for the u-bolts is also misaligned, I might have the u-bolts swapped out too.
The truck's been pretty much bullet-proof, so I'm not really complaining. Sh** happens, umm, Stuff happens. Hopefully the box can get bashed back into place, a plate welding in and some line-x to hide the mess.

 

[TA CC TX]

Damn,,, you didn't notice till you opened the cover? Beat that metal back in place and bedline it. Thanks for the reminder on that upgrade. PRG PRG, calling prg !

 

[mcchesneykyle]

man that same thing happened to mine about a month ago still havent relined the bed though

 

[SpindlyJim]

I don't normally drive the Titan. "Other" people are less conscientious of handling. "I heard a bang TWO weeks ago..."

I do an "around the vehicle" before I get in. If a tire's flat I don't drive 1/2 a mile before noticing. And everyone laughs as inspect before I drive...
[/rant]


Should be a relatively easy fix.