Clunking sound from front end.

[chi-chi]

I went over 5 speed bumps and took 2 of them evenly and three of them where only one side hit the speed bump and the other side was flat on the road.

I noticed a big difference from before and no longer hear any clunk, tock / ting from the front end.

I also noticed when getting out of the alleyway into the main street when there is a dip, I previously use to get a clunk. Now that noise is gone and the sound is just silent. Pure bliss.

I hope this lasts for a while.

Thanks I will send your work order details to my service center and see what they say.

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[MidnightRivian]

Thanks I will send your work order details to my service center and see what they say.

Sounds good. Make sure they also do the knuckle fastener campaign. That helped with side to side clunk when doing low to medium speed turning maneuvers.

 

[bael]

I’ve got mine going in soon for this - will reference as well and hopefully not have to fight the “within spec”

 

[harkco]

This did help really quiet down the front end especially on potholes, manhole covers and rough roads.

I will test later today on speed bumps and report back and even take speed bump unevenly to see if that improved as well.




I'm glad they're getting you squared away. The 2022 - 2023 R1T definitely felt like a noisier suspension when compared to R1S but overall R1T has better handling and driving dynamics when compared to R1S which tends to have porpoising / very easy to toss around.

The new dampener / jounce lines will help make a huge difference for clunking noise especially on R1T and also to a certain extent the halfshafts and hubs from a noise perspective when driving slow or making low speed maneuvers. I think you'll be happy with the service they will do for you.

I do hope this last more than 28,000 miles.

Picked it up today. Feels like a whole new truck. New subframe, jounce lines, lower arms and bushings, and two new front tires all under warranty. Drive home was spooky... kept waiting for something to feel or not sound right, but all is great. Their service is getting better and better. Not sure how long I will keep this outside of warranty, however.

 

[MidnightRivian]

Picked it up today. Feels like a whole new truck. New subframe, jounce lines, lower arms and bushings, and two new front tires all under warranty. Drive home was spooky... kept waiting for something to feel or not sound right, but all is great. Their service is getting better and better. Not sure how long I will keep this outside of warranty, however.

Excellent, that's great news. I am the same way. I am looking for dips, speed bumps and potholes to see if it will make a clunk sound but its super smooth and silent after the repair / updates / upgraded parts.

New tires, software updates and new suspension parts makes it feel like a whole new ride.

I got a Fidelity extended warranty that covers most everything for 10 years / 100,000 miles. There was a lot of good discussion about extended warranties in the thread below.

What are your thoughts on a 10 yr or 11 yr / 100,000 miles - 150,000 miles bumper to bumper extended warranty by Fidelity Warranty Services

Another option is to get the XCare warranty which might be a little cheaper.

I plan to also keep the car as long as possible and will use the warranty to make it feasible to keep it that long.

I know Rivian probably just dropped $6,000 - $8,000 in parts / labor to get my suspension all squared away.

No way I want to pay that out of pocket after the stock warranty is expired.

 

[llacii]

Thanks for updates, mine just came out of service a few weeks ago, and like previous 3 service appointments, they said these clunks are normal - gotta say all loaners I've had were clunking too.

Question for you both with recent updates: in all R1 vehicles I've driven, including mine, I've noticed that the clunks are significantly more audible over speed bumps when in "Firm" versus "Soft" (All purpose and standard height)...
Can you please check to see if you still hear/feel nothing over speed bumps when in Firm? ..vs soft
(and in all purpose / standard height).

After some damper and other replacements last fall, mine improved and is not bad in Soft, but in Firm it is still eyebrow raising over speed bumps... CLUNK, as the wheels touch the speed bump. Service center acknowledged it in a test drive and said "yeah, just don't use firm if that clunking bothers you... " So I ride in soft since then, gotten used to the bounciness

 

[MidnightRivian]

Thanks for updates, mine just came out of service a few weeks ago, and like previous 3 service appointments, they said these clunks are normal - gotta say all loaners I've had were clunking too.

Question for you both with recent updates: in all R1 vehicles I've driven, including mine, I've noticed that the clunks are significantly more audible over speed bumps when in "Firm" versus "Soft" (All purpose and standard height)...
Can you please check to see if you still hear/feel nothing over speed bumps when in Firm? ..vs soft
(and in all purpose / standard height).

After some damper and other replacements last fall, mine improved and is not bad in Soft, but in Firm it is still eyebrow raising over speed bumps... CLUNK, as the wheels touch the speed bump. Service center acknowledged it in a test drive and said "yeah, just don't use firm if that clunking bothers you... " So I ride in soft since then, gotten used to the bounciness

I pretty much only use firm like 98% of the time.

I have no clunks on firm now. I use to have all sorts of clunks, tick / tock, squeak and ting when using firm the last ~15,000 miles. The first 10,000 miles were fine.

As mentioned, I use firm all the time in all purpose and even in sport low. The only time I switch is moderate and high on really rough street roads or I might change to sport low and not use firm but I prefer to use firm everywhere when possible.

Now I am happy with the suspension the way I have always used it in firm mode.

I never babied it and I still don't baby it or ever plan to. I am constantly changing ride height / ride mode based on the road / driving and using up all the available power on tap.

 

[llacii]

I pretty much only use firm like 98% of the time.

I have no clunks on firm now. I use to have all sorts of clunks, tick / tock, squeak and ting when using firm the last ~15,000 miles. The first 10,000 miles were fine.

As mentioned, I use firm all the time in all purpose and even in sport low. The only time I switch is moderate and high on really rough street roads or I might change to sport low and not use firm but I prefer to use firm everywhere when possible.

Now I am happy with the suspension the way I have always used it in firm mode.

I never babied it and I still don't baby it or ever plan to. I am constantly changing ride height / ride mode based on the road / driving and using up all the available power on tap.

Thanks, yeah I prefer firm too, but alas each time my service center (Gaithersburg MD) says things like "were your previous cars luxury vehicles? this is a highly capable adventure vehicle that won't have completely silent ride", or "this is normal", or "drive in soft for less clunk if clunks in Firm bother you"... It's been at least a year of this dance over 3 appointments ultimately ending in dismissal of my concerns each time. Sigh, in any case very helpful that you posted your service details, thank you, and I'll set yet another appointment and whenever that is I'll attempt to show your ticket and see how it goes.

 

[MidnightRivian]

Thanks, yeah I prefer firm too, but alas each time my service center (Gaithersburg MD) says things like "were your previous cars luxury vehicles? this is a highly capable adventure vehicle that won't have completely silent ride", or "this is normal", or "drive in soft for less clunk if clunks in Firm bother you"... It's been at least a year of this dance over 3 appointments ultimately ending in dismissal of my concerns each time. Sigh, in any case very helpful that you posted your service details, thank you, and I'll set yet another appointment and whenever that is I'll attempt to show your ticket and see how it goes.

You’re welcome. I would try to speak to your local service center manager so you can have your issues addressed instead of wasting time all around for everyone and money too.

I know some folks will go to a different service center where they have had better luck resolving their concerns easier / sooner.

you might check your local forums or Facebook to see if others have run into similar situation with suspension and which service center has been best to address it or aware of the proper fix for your issues.

 

[MidnightRivian]

Powertrain and dampeners

 

[Splitime]

I went over 5 speed bumps and took 2 of them evenly and three of them where only one side hit the speed bump and the other side was flat on the road.

I noticed a big difference from before and no longer hear any clunk, tock / ting from the front end.

I also noticed when getting out of the alleyway into the main street when there is a dip, I previously use to get a clunk. Now that noise is gone and the sound is just silent. Pure bliss.

I hope this lasts for a while.

Interesting. My really polite and helpful tech chalked this type of unload/loading clunks as normal with our air suspension.

I might need to revisit it as it is obvious on potholes/manholes/speed bumps or any other quick dip surface.

They have been really great and helpful at my service center (Melrose Park), so I almost feel bad but it is hard to ignore. Which is something I also express at the handful of visits so far, where they are always so polite in mentioning they are there to help.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Interesting. My really polite and helpful tech chalked this type of unload/loading clunks as normal with our air suspension.

I might need to revisit it as it is obvious on potholes/manholes/speed bumps or any other quick dip surface.

They have been really great and helpful at my service center (Melrose Park), so I almost feel bad but it is hard to ignore. Which is something I also express at the handful of visits so far, where they are always so polite in mentioning they are there to help.

Yes, there can be noise associated with suspension travel and it’s normal. However, what is discussed is clunking when rolling on level ground with no suspension compression or decompression. And that's from the half shafts, having play/slop and shifting end-to-end between drive unit and wheel hub. The Ting Washer fix adds spring tension at one end to keep them from sliding freely. I don't think there is any long- or short-term risk of damage associated with the play. The noise is just being perceived as a defect and associated with impression of low quality (not fitting of a vehicle at this high price point). And folks who aren't familiar with trucks (with long travel suspension) are especially alarmed by it. Plus, with ICE trucks you would rarely notice because it's masked by din of engine and exhaust note. I recall reading somewhere that Rivian calls it a "customer satisfaction" campaign, instead of a mechanical one (i.e. actual problem).

On the other hand, if you hear persistent clicking while turning, and the wheel well, inner barrel of wheel and suspension is coated with grease, that could indeed be an issue—a torn or dislodged CV joint boot. That could eventually lead to CV joint failure.

 

[Splitime]

Yes, there can be noise associated with suspension travel and it’s normal. However, what is discussed is clunking when rolling on level ground with no suspension compression or decompression. And that's from the half shafts, having play/slop and shifting end-to-end between drive unit and wheel hub. The Ting Washer fix adds spring tension at one end to keep them from sliding freely. I don't think there is any long- or short-term risk of damage associated with the play. The noise is just being perceived as a defect and associated with impression of low quality (not fitting of a vehicle at this high price point). And folks who aren't familiar with trucks (with long travel suspension) are especially alarmed by it. Plus, with ICE trucks you would rarely notice because it's masked by din of engine and exhaust note. I recall reading somewhere that Rivian calls it a "customer satisfaction" campaign, instead of a mechanical one (i.e. actual problem).

On the other hand, if you hear persistent clicking while turning, and the wheel well, inner barrel of wheel and suspension is coated with grease, that could indeed be an issue—a torn or dislodged CV joint boot. That could eventually lead to CV joint failure.

So maybe I'm hallucinating it, but the sound/issue the 'retests' MidnightRivian mentioned in my quoted post are bumps and the replacement work mentioned was air suspension system, not just ting washers.

Also mentioned was the axles and the axle engagement noise, but it's an Also not an Only.

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