$50 Bounty: Front end clanking post lift (2 Viewers)

[DanMedeiros]

I don't see any evidence of rubbing. I have new bushings on the axle. If i take a corner hard and the truck rolls i get a clank. Also happens when I drop a tire into a hole and articulate axle. Super weird. Everything looks normal under the truck

 

[surfpig]

I have had situations where the snubber (?) inside the coils rubs against the inside of the spring. Is there a pad or spacer on top of the springs in the fender?

My other common cause is usually the panhard nut loosening up.

 

[Funner]

I don't see any evidence of rubbing. I have new bushings on the axle. If i take a corner hard and the truck rolls i get a clank. Also happens when I drop a tire into a hole and articulate axle. Super weird. Everything looks normal under the truck

Both directions or cornering hard left or right only?

 

[DanMedeiros]

@Funner , It's in both directions

 

[DanMedeiros]

I have had situations where the snubber (?) inside the coils rubs against the inside of the spring. Is there a pad or spacer on top of the springs in the fender?

My other common cause is usually the panhard nut loosening up.

I'll check that the rubber spacer is still there. Not sure I understand regarding "inside of coil against the inside of the spring"

 

[surfpig]

I'll check that the rubber spacer is still there. Not sure I understand regarding "inside of coil against the inside of the spring"

This guy. Excuse my amateur paint skillz.

 

[Funner]

There are two sets of bushings on the sway bar. If you replaced the ones in the first picture, then I would suspect its the ones in the second picture. Mine had all these same sounds, driving off curb from driveway, clunk. Tire drops in little hole, clunk, hard cornering would frequently provide a clunk. They looked okay which is what threw me for 6-8 months. It was more of a wear hole in the 2nd busking than a cut. When I pulled them to look is was obvious, both meal surfaces were polished clean metal all shiny from the friction without proper bushing material to separate them.

 

[DanMedeiros]

Thanks @Funner ! I replaced the bushings in the first picture and torqued to spec. I got new bushings in the 2nd photo but wonder if I screwed them up somehow installing them. Not knowing what else to do I ordered new OEM ones as well as the hangers that attach to the frame. I am planning on replacing both this weekend. I am a bit worried about replacing the hangers though. They are original and I don't want to break something. I already snapped a few bolt in the frame with this suspension project that i had to pay big $$ to get fixed

 

[BILT4ME]

If it does it when dropping a wheel or cornering, I'm also thinking a shock mount.

Did you check the exhaust hitting the frame or anything else? What about the catalytic converter heat shields?

 

[DanMedeiros]

@BILT4ME Exhaust should be OK. Had this issue in Baja too. When I cam home the exhaust got all new hangers. I should look and see if Shock mount is broken? The clank only happens if the wheels are turned when dropping a tire in a hole. no problem dropping into something going straight ahead

 

[Broski]

I am having the same issue, after hard wheeling I was thinking the pan hard bar but have not confirmed it.

 

[izzymonkey]

Is it a click or bang? I gonna throw a wild card in here. Is it possible that your front drive shaft is not sliding on the pinion shaft smoothly? Ex: hit a bump and cycling the suspension forcing the energy to push upward on your tcase banging the body? Loose motor or tcase mount?

 

[DanMedeiros]

It's more of a click/clang. Doesn't sound like something is slamming

 

[Shoredreamer]

Still doing the same thing Dan? Like no change from before? We'all have to figure it out before the trip. It does have a sound like the coil spring hitting the inner bucket like @surfpig stated.

 

[DanMedeiros]

So I just got my alignment checked and my caster is only 1.2 on the left side and 1.5 on the right. The specified range is 2.0 to 4.0. I had taken it to a local 4x4 shop to get the OME bushings installed. Does this mean they where installed incorrectly? Could this be the source of my clank?

 

[richardlillard1]

Your truck is lifted, why would it be within the specified range?

I would climb under there with a torque wrench and look to see if something is loose.

Examples are:

Radius arm bolts, 130ft lbs, check all six and be sure you're checking on whichever side has the washer and not the flange.

Sway bar bolts, no idea on torque as I have abandoned my front sway bar on the floor in my buddy's shop a few years ago. You could consider doing the same to see if it cures your sound.

While you're under there, but I doubt it's the issue; knuckle studs should be 71 ft lbs--check them while you're there because that can cause way more adventure than you're in for at some point.

Panhard, don't remember the torque, but worth checking also.

If The sound has a ringing to it, I would bet it's some sort of thin, not solid metal rubbing against something else, like the bump stop cups. But you should have enough to test it and come to a conclusion with those few things.

 

[DanMedeiros]

@richardlillard1 Good suggestions. I'll check that the arms are tourqued correctly. I called cruiser outfitters. With my lift and castor correction bushings I should be within the correct range according to them. I was wondering if the shop installed the bushings wrong. Sounds like they might have. One of the theory's was that the springs where clanking off the jump stop ups/spring baskets. Would a caster issue cause this?

 

[GeoRoss]

After I did my lift I had a similar noise. I finally tracked it down to the rear sway bar. Once I extended them the noise went away.

 

[richardlillard1]

@richardlillard1 Good suggestions. I'll check that the arms are tourqued correctly. I called cruiser outfitters. With my lift and castor correction bushings I should be within the correct range according to them. I was wondering if the shop installed the bushings wrong. Sounds like they might have. One of the theory's was that the springs where clanking off the jump stop ups/spring baskets. Would a caster issue cause this?

If your springs are unseating in any way, sure. Are they unseating when you turn in a parking lot or drop the right front tire into a hole? Definitely not

 

[DanMedeiros]

Well I challenge all the Mud universe to figure this out. I'll send a gift certificate worth $50 (or just PayPal) to the person who can correctly diagnose this issue! I have posted a video below with audio of the noise.

I was on a trip this past weekend at Bald Mountain OHV near Shaver Lake. Super fun! Probably the hardest wheeling I have done to date in the LX. I removed the sway bar completely prior to hitting the trail. Suspension still clanked like crazy. There was a guy there who was a cruiser mechanic. He road on my bumper as I recreated the issue and couldn't figure it out. Neither could anyone else. We also ran a bunch of trails with @gwnugget who also owns an LX450 and has the exact same noise in his front suspension. Everyone thought it sounded like the springs hitting the spring basket.