Noise from front end

Beating my head against the wall..

have 236K on the truck so I am sure some parts are getting worn out. . Just did lift in front with bilstein 5100's , new UCA's with uniballs.

Have probably about 2K on the lift and all seemed fine except i just started hearing/feeling a noise from somewhere in the front. I think I can feel it though the steering wheel when turning at slower speeds.


hard to explain, but it feels like a Consistent popping or something loose. Really noticeable at slow speeds in parking lot, while wheel is slightly turned

any ideas? I jacked up front end and couldnt find any movement in tires/balljoints. everything seemed tight?

seeing some info on steering shafts and maybe that being a possibility

 

Check the sway bar. Just did sort of the same kinda work. Sway bar links weren’t tight and was making popping and clanking noise.

 

Ok. Will look at again. Seems fine. I know bolts connecting end links are torqued. Someone mentioned disconnecting end links and driving to see if noise goes away.

a few time it has made a really bad/loud pop close to full lock pulling out of a parking spot.

I have also noticed the noise is pretty much gone first thing in am when it’s cold. But as I drive truck and warms up the noise starts.

Not sure if this helps by to me, steering does feel a little sloppy at higher speeds

 

It’s the drivers side front axle, it’s a washer that has teeth (the passenger side is a smooth washer) I don’t know why toyota did this? and now it grinds because it’s angled due to the lift. You can get an aftermarket smooth washer online, and the dealership won’t know what you’re talking about.

 

thanks
do you have any more info on this? Will definitely look into it. WHat is involved in swapping washer and where it it located?

I did install a front diff drop also

 

I’m intrigued,can you go into more detail about said washer and it’s exact location on the axle,thanks!

 

It’s the same on the tundra, I found this happened to me just by my putting 1” bigger tires on.

 

It took me a min to find this. Here ya go It’s the same for the tundra, I found mine after putting 1” bigger tires on.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=clamshell+cv+needle+bearing&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari

 

Ok yeah,I was a little thrown off when you said washer i stead of bushing,I have the eggs bushing and new axles sitting in my garage just waiting on my coachbuilder steering to tear it all apart!

 

Sorry I’m old and my brain is uhm...old lol ya good luck it’s kind of a pain to do.

 

I feel you there bud lol,I’ve done it once already and have all the right tools so should go pretty smooth

 

Thanks for info. trying to get a little more insight on this.

I looked at the 4runner thread and seemed the noise caused by this is different than noise I am experiencing.

I am not getting any roaring or vibration sound at all. More of a constant popping noise with any kind of movement in suspension at lower speeds. especially if wheel is turned at all (turning into parking spots, driveway, going down side street, etc)

Was really bad when it was hot out-

seems to be almost gone now that its cold, or first thing in am

I did confirm my LCAs are torqued to spec

 

So I would start by checking for any components that may be binding and make sure you have no wear spots on your coil springs where they might be in contact with steering linkage,also check your cv axles thoroughly!

 

Check those sway bar endlinks. They could look good, torqued right, and be bad. Same for tie rod ends.

I separate them and check for play in the socket. If it moves easily and freely in the booted socket, it’s bad. I believe on most cars, they should at least support their weight without moving when you hold them by only the threaded end and stay at a 90 degree angle.

I don’t know much about tundras yet, but I know on 4runners, something as much as 2” of life will destroy the cv axle boots, almost immediately after lifting. As with mine, I lifted it and took it to get inspected and would have swore the inspector ripped my boots had I not read it in a thread later that day. If I had not inspected it, I probably would have drove it until it failed. I’m sure you already checked out your boots and you would have seen grease everywhere so not sure why I brought that up lol

 

Ok thanks for helpLike

will be checking in the next day or so. . Could definitely be a sway bar end by the sounds of it. I assumed they were good because i cant feel any movement.

I will take loose and see. Someone else mentioned disconnecting sway bar link and seeing if noise goes away

 

I wouldn’t disconnect the end link and drive unless you fully remove one on each side at a time or tie your sway bar in place. I’ve seen some rotate down with the links removed.

 

ok, I will pull them loose and check for movement at joints. Was also thinking of replacing sway bar frame mount bushings while I am at it.

At this point i really don't care what it is, would just be happy to find it and fix it.

2/3 times i have heard a really bad/loud pop while pulling out of a parking space (almost at full lock). like something bound up and popped.

I pulled skid plate off and looked for anything loose. I have pryed and pulled on everything i can find.. Have jacked truck up and tried to find any movement in tires/suspension. Even swapped out my uniball hardware.

I also watched steering rack while someone steered back and forth also. Only slight movement in rack when changing directions

 

There is an old trick I remember seeing an old man do in which he zip tied a handheld recorder to different parts of the suspension, tracked on paper where hit put it, drove it several times, and played back the audio to listen for the sound. Might work at a last resort.

 

Mine was worn out could feel a vibration through the gas pedal . Went with the ecgs bronze bushing wasnt too bad probably 2 ish hours that's what I did it in.

 

pulled loose the sway bar end links, they felt pretty good. I ziptied them up to sway bar and drove down street and the noise is still there so I can safely eliminate the sway bar

Really wondering about the steering shaft? Anyone have experience with it and it symptoms? this is really driving me crazy!

thinking of ordering the lower intermediate shaft and swapping it out. To me steering just doesn't feel good. Like a a little sloppy on the return at higher speeds


while I have skid plate off I did look at steering rack. It seems solid although I had my wife turn it back and forth while I watched for movement.

I did see the rack move when she reversed directions. is that normal? Other than that no movement at all

 

Have you tried checking out your lower control arm bushings? I’m not too sure on the tundra, but at 200k they are usually shot on a 4runner. You can probably get in there with a pry bar where they hinge and check for excessive play, but removing that side of the control arm for visual inspection would require an alignment.

You can also try removing your outer tie rod end from the knuckle and check for excessive play in the inner and out similar to what you did for the end link. are there any vibrations in the wheel at 60-70mph?

 

II Haven't really checked them I just made sure bolts were torqued correctly. WIll see if I can find any movement there

 

100% it's the CV axles. High mileage + lift = popping axles. Be ready for one to have a come apart

 

Hope I am describing it correctly Maybe even more of a thumping/knocking noise at lower speeds .

I can go down my road at 5-10 mph and rock steering wheel back and forth and it knocks/thumps/pops

Seems to happen with any movement in suspension if steering wheel is turned at all

 

I’m going to agree with Stewartac!

 

Im really not trying to sound pretentious but I guarantee it's the CV axles. The receive the most wear and the most movement of all the suspension components in the front end.

 

Is everybody assuming that Jeffro22 has a 4x4? Seems that way, with all the CV axle talk. Yet I see no indication, one way or the other. How 'bout it @Jeffro22 ?

 

And this doesn't sound right to me. Rack should not move.

I also have a very slight knock in the front somewhere on slow speed turns into drives, etc. Happens on the slightest bump. Can feel it in the steering wheel. At speed, all seems tight. But I've also looked for the source. Find nothing. Mine's 4x2.

 

Do you have the TRD skid plate?