Anyone know what this popping noise is from the drivers front?

[JunkCrzr89]

It’s looking like the upper control arm. I took the wheel off today and I managed to capture a video that shows the UPC moving slightly at the exact moment of that sound. I have to upload still but I figure I’d share that. So I’m tightening that piece as much as I can but I’m assuming that bushing is shot.

Cam bolt nuts Probably not torqued to spec (72 ft-lbs).

 

[Red Beard]

Cam bolt nuts Probably not torqued to spec (72 ft-lbs).

Im hoping it’s that. They were pretty tight with just a wrench, couldn’t get them to really budge. But I’m going to try to get a good breaker bar on there and see what I can do.

But it’s weird. This sound was happening before and after my front end work. Which included an alignment. But it has gotten louder recently, which would lend itself to being loosened up somehow.

 

[Red Beard]

Here's the latest video. Right around 5 seconds you can see the upper control arm shift to the left.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Here's the latest video. Right around 5 seconds you can see the upper control arm shift to the left.

That’s normal bushing movement/flex in the UCA. Nothing to be concerned about, IMO. The pop seemed to coincide with the steering rack extending out to the drivers side. How old are the inner tie rod ends, steering rack, and rack bushings?

 

[Red Beard]

That’s normal bushing movement/flex in the UCA. Nothing to be concerned about, IMO. The pop seemed to coincide with the steering rack extending out to the drivers side. How old are the inner tie rod ends, steering rack, and rack bushings?

All new. Replaced with Toyota rack in June 2021.

 

[Red Beard]

Howdy all!

when I put the truck in gear (drive or reverse) and turn while braking, I get a popping noise from the drivers front. Any ideas?

Did you ever solve your pop?

 

[Biga27110]

I have something similar with pop only at full lock on driver side. Since I had the rack replaced years ago I can turn tighter to the driverside and less to the passenger side.

New SPC upper control arms, new lower ball joint, new inner and outter tie rod ends. I'm hoping its just the stopper and not the wheel over extending its turning spec because the rack is slightly off center, if thats possible. I have an extra half turn to the driver side. If i dont goto full lock it makes no noise and mine is more of a bang like load is being released.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I have an extra half turn to the driver side.

Center the rack/wheels, remove steering wheel, reinstall steering wheel at center, problem solved.

 

[Mike NXP]

One thing that I don’t think anyone has mentioned are the steering stoppers. If these things don’t have grease on them or the plastic cover, they will make a popping noise at full lock when going over bumps.

I'm switching over my recent rants to this thread since it seems very relevant to the video posted and this comment by @JunkCrzr89


Problem

• At full wheel lock with a slight tap of brake or any suspension dip the steering stopper is popping.
• Even under normal conditions like pulling into parking spot

Background

• Toyota just had their hands on it
• We replaced rack with new OEM rack after the remanned rack they installed last year failed (boot torn and leaking ) within 20k miles.
• Get the vehicle back and it's now popping. It seems to only happen when turning fully left and I don't see any wear marks on the right side.
  
  
• Toyota tells me, don't worry it's normal slap some grease on it

I unfortunately can't possibly justify that as being a fix to a problem that never existed before toyota touched it. I got them to bring it to a specialty alignment shop. To my utter surprise they said, it's all good slap some grease on it.



Come on, it's a stock tire size 100 series, it shouldn't be doing this. Am I crazy? Imagine bring your vehicle in for a new rack and now having to live with popping and greasing your stoppers, I'm a sad sad man today.

 

[Patassa]

I'm switching over my recent rants to this thread since it seems very relevant to the video posted and this comment by @JunkCrzr89


Problem

• At full wheel lock with a slight tap of brake or any suspension dip the steering stopper is popping.
• Even under normal conditions like pulling into parking spot

Background

• Toyota just had their hands on it
• We replaced rack with new OEM rack after the remanned rack they installed last year failed (boot torn and leaking ) within 20k miles.
• Get the vehicle back and it's now popping. It seems to only happen when turning fully left and I don't see any wear marks on the right side.
  
  
• Toyota tells me, don't worry it's normal slap some grease on it

I unfortunately can't possibly justify that as being a fix to a problem that never existed before toyota touched it. I got them to bring it to a specialty alignment shop. To my utter surprise they said, it's all good slap some grease on it.



Come on, it's a stock tire size 100 series, it shouldn't be doing this. Am I crazy? Imagine bring your vehicle in for a new rack and now having to live with popping and greasing your stoppers, I'm a sad sad man today.



View attachment 3231101

Have someone turn the wheel to full lock while you look under there and see when the contact is being made, what surfaces are touching when the pop happens. You can adjust the length of that bolt if it would help, but yeah those should be greased anyways.

It's possible when they put it back together they were off a spline somewhere or the tie rods are slightly different lengths one side or the other than they were before. Shouldn't be a big deal .

 

[Mike NXP]

Have someone turn the wheel to full lock while you look under there and see when the contact is being made, what surfaces are touching when the pop happens. You can adjust the length of that bolt if it would help, but yeah those should be greased anyways.

The noise is coming from those stoppers, you can see the metal wear marks in the picture. But the question is why and how to make it stop doing that, without a band-aid fix like grease.


The reality is , this noise was never present until this recent steering rack replacement. Wouldn't that translate to something not being right?

 

[Patassa]

The noise is coming from those stoppers, you can see the metal wear marks in the picture. But the question is why and how to make it stop doing that, without a band-aid fix like grease.


The reality is , this noise was never present until this recent steering rack replacement. Wouldn't that translate to something not being right?

Have you tried adjusting the bolt length to see if it seats better in the groove? There are a lot of variables when replacing a steering rack/alot of adjustability, it's not uncommon that things are slightly different and need to be adjusted after that job.

 

[Mike NXP]

Have you tried adjusting the bolt length to see if it seats better in the groove? There are a lot of variables when replacing a steering rack/alot of adjustability, it's not uncommon that things are slightly different and need to be adjusted after that job.

I haven't got my hands on it yet. I got toyota to take it over to a specialty alignment shop and they also concluded everything is fine and to slap some grease on it.

I begged them to try and adjust something or do whatever to fix it as it has never happened until recent work but they said there isn't anything to fix it's very normal. I'm puzzled by that outcome.


I can try to thread the stopper in a little ways but it needs to eventually make contact with something, it's just not contacting where it should be and getting hung up. Hard to say it's normal, only happens to one side lol, something ain't right.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I haven't got my hands on it yet. I got toyota to take it over to a specialty alignment shop and they also concluded everything is fine and to slap some grease on it.

I begged them to try and adjust something or do whatever to fix it as it has never happened until recent work but they said there isn't anything to fix it's very normal. I'm puzzled by that outcome.


I can try to thread the stopper in a little ways but it needs to eventually make contact with something, it's just not contacting where it should be and getting hung up. Hard to say it's normal, only happens to one side lol, something ain't right.

Looks like a small chunk of metal broke off and there’s now a divot, which the stopper could be getting hung up on and causing the “pop”.

If that’s the case, hit it with a grinding wheel to smooth it out. Then slap some grease on it

 

[Mike NXP]

Looks like a small chunk of metal broke off and there’s now a divot, which the stopper could be getting hung up on and causing the “pop”.
View attachment 3231524
If that’s the case, hit it with a grinding wheel to smooth it out. Then slap some grease on it

Lol yeah you're right. now that I finally got the truck back and can get my eyes on it , I'll admit maybe I over reacted a bit.

Under normal turn and full lock the stopper does appear to be contacting where id expect it to.

I suppose once the weight shifts a bit it gets hung up but since it been greased I haven't heard the noise but I can't really get my eyes down there while parking / driving to see what happens , maybe I'll rig up a go pro.

Once it's not cold and snowy I'll get in there more.

I think there also may be a OEM part for a plastic cap that goes over the stopper , waiting on part number from Toyota
I also saw some aftermarket options on marlin crawlers . Will report back after testing more



On the bright side , this new OEM rack compared to my previously installed remanned rack feels way better . Steering is tight and it doesn't have a bunch of wiggle room in the steering wheel.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I think there also may be a OEM part for a plastic cap that goes over the stopper , waiting on part number from Toyota

There is. I posted the part number somewhere on MUD. Maybe earlier in this thread? I don’t remember.

Edit: I think might be it. COVER, KNUCKLE STOPPER, RH/LH

 

[Mike NXP]

There is. I posted the part number somewhere on MUD. Maybe earlier in this thread? I don’t remember.

Edit: I think might be it. COVER, KNUCKLE STOPPER, RH/LH
View attachment 3231655

Thanks , I'll get em ordered. It does appear that this issue plagued earlier four runner and t100s . Seem like some of our cruisers are all cursed . This should help soften the blow when at full lock , thanks.

 

[Biga27110]

I just stopped going to full lock and things have been ok, although annoying.

 

[Mike NXP]

There is. I posted the part number somewhere on MUD. Maybe earlier in this thread? I don’t remember.

Edit: I think might be it. COVER, KNUCKLE STOPPER, RH/LH
View attachment 3231655

Have you ever used these on the 100? I can't seem to get them to install on the stopper , they seem too small. Looks like they were intended for the older T100s and four runners .

Maybe I need to just whack them on there a bit harder.

 

[JunkCrzr89]

Have you ever used these on the 100? I can't seem to get them to install on the stopper , they seem too small. Looks like they were intended for the older T100s and four runners .

Maybe I need to just whack them on there a bit harder.

Nope, I haven’t. I just slap grease on the stoppers when I change the engine oil lol.