Clacking/clunking from front end? (2 Viewers)

[70 FJ40]

Our LC has been making a clunking/clacking sound when going over bumps lately. It started early summer. Not very bad. Wasn't sure I heard it. Nobody else could hear it. Now it's pretty evident and near constant when I'm forest service roads. We can occasionally hear it when we are driving on pavement and hit a large enough bump. I thought it was mostly driver's side but my wife said it sounds like it's coming from her side. I take the truck to the dealer for oil changes and a car wash. I asked them to look it over. They said they couldn't find anything wrong. I can't see anything either. I have done some recent work to it. Last fall I repacked the wheel bearings. A couple months before I started hearing the sound I installed new bilstein shocks, a diff drop from Trail Tailor, and new rear OME springs. Only thing I am wondering about is my front axles. When I grab them and jerk real hard back and forth, they move a tiny bit and make a little click. Is that the way they should be? They seem pretty tight to me but maybe they shouldn't be able to move no matter how much I jerk on them? I used new shims and got the hubs as tight as I could when I was doing the bearing repack. Axles looked great at the time.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Our LC has been making a clunking/clacking sound when going over bumps lately. It started early summer. Not very bad. Wasn't sure I heard it. Nobody else could hear it. Now it's pretty evident and near constant when I'm forest service roads. We can occasionally hear it when we are driving on pavement and hit a large enough bump. I thought it was mostly driver's side but my wife said it sounds like it's coming from her side. I take the truck to the dealer for oil changes and a car wash. I asked them to look it over. They said they couldn't find anything wrong. I can't see anything either. I have done some recent work to it. Last fall I repacked the wheel bearings. A couple months before I started hearing the sound I installed new bilstein shocks, a diff drop from Trail Tailor, and new rear OME springs. Only thing I am wondering about is my front axles. When I grab them and jerk real hard back and forth, they move a tiny bit and make a little click. Is that the way they should be? They seem pretty tight to me but maybe they shouldn't be able to move no matter how much I jerk on them? I used new shims and got the hubs as tight as I could when I was doing the bearing repack. Axles looked great at the time.

CV's will have issues regardless of road surface, on a gravel road they might actually improve as they aren't binding as much when you're turning, so for now I would focus elsewhere. There will be some minor movement in them not at the hub but at the diff, that's normal. Even if there is movement in the CV's it wouldn't cause this, they would bind and pop on turns, body roll, articulation, etc. but bumps in the road shouldn't cause them to pop.

Dealerships seem to have gotten to the point where they are utterly incompetent, and on their worst day they are entirely indifferent. I'd be shocked if they even put it on a lift to look at it and just changed the oil, washed it and sent you home. Dealerships are good at two things, selling a Toyota branded vehicle, and chasing away great Toyota technicians. If you don't like doing your own maintenance, the best option is to go to an independent Toyota specialty shop for service.

My advice is to check over your sway bar bushings first, then turn attention to ball joints. There are several tutorials on here for inspecting the ball joints for play, which I'm guessing yours have. You will know right away of course if the bushing is torn and the joint dry. Sway bar bushings will be obvious, the D-ring bushings on the frame will be shot.

It could also be upper control arm bushings or front diff bushings, but less likely so start with the easy stuff first.

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks for the help and advice @AlpineAccess . I have definitely noticed the incompetence of the dealership. Unfortunately it's not limited to just the dealership. I've had a lot of trouble finding a shop I feel is competent. I do my own repairs unless I feel they are out of my comfort level then I take it to a locally owned shop. But they have disappointed me the last few times. And trying some place else just seems like a shot in the dark. I take it to the dealer to get the oil changed and tires rotated cause it's nearly as cheap as me doing it myself and I don't have the mess all over myself and the garage that always happens when I do it myself. Plus I figure if there is something glaringly bad that needs attention they will tell me and I can look into it and then take care of it myself or have an independent shop do it. My noise is definitely not the CV joint clicking. I know that sound as I have experienced it with other vehicles and believe I could peg that one right away. It's more of a clunk when hitting a bump and when on dirt/gravel roads it's almost a constant clunk clunk clunk because the bumps are constant. I have grabbed and wiggle/jerked on everything I can think of to see if there is obvious play/slop in something but can't find it.

 

[70 FJ40]

Just went out and checked the bushings on the sway bar. The ones in the D rings on the frame seem quite good still fully intact and pretty pliable. The ones on the end are still look good as well. A little cracking is all. I'm sure they could all stand to be replaced but definitely didn't look like they should be the cause of the clunking.

 

[70 FJ40]

Is there a good thread for checking ball joints? Someone post a link? I checked the FAQ but only found a thread on replacing.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Is there a good thread for checking ball joints? Someone post a link? I checked the FAQ but only found a thread on replacing.

There are a few, best way to search is to go to advanced search, select search by forum and pick the 100 tech forum. That is by far the easiest way to find more info.

Cliff notes are to jack up the front end, jack stands under frame and for safety set the jack under the trans cross member.

1. Do the "push - pull" test on the tire at 12 and 6, pushing one side of the tire while pulling on the other. You want to do this with some force. If you get clunking, its likely the upper control arm or wheel bearings.

2. With the key out of the ignition, rotate it until it locks. Then go back to the tire, switch 90* with your hands going to 9 and 3. Push Pull back and forth. If you have a small amount of movement and no clunking that's normal and is the steering rack loading. If you have clunking, have a friend (or use video on a phone/camera) and video tape the front end steering as you push and pull on the wheel. If steering doesn't move but the wheel still does, look at outer tie rod end ball joint or wheel bearings again and isolate the issue.

3. If still no clunk, take a long pry bar and put it between the lower control arm and the spindle connection next to the lower ball joint. Take care not to tear the boot on the LBJ. Pry up and down (it will take around 50-150lbs of force on the pry bar and look for movement or noise from this joint.

It is highly likely its an upper or lower ball joint based on your description. Based on how much it is clunking, it should be easy to isolate using this method. There may be other ways, but this is how I've always looked for front end issues. If there is a better method I'd be all ears as this can take a bit of time to do.

Since its not your sway bars (lowest hanging fruit/easiest solution) I'd jump right to ball joints depending on your vehicles mileage and use. OEM on the 100's are really great quality and long lasting parts, they last a long time so long as the boots aren't cracked so debris can get in.

 

[MongooseGA]

Echoing @AlpineAccess , I'd check the ball joints. I'm having my front uppers replaced this week for the same reason.

 

[Ayune]

The shock shafts can knock around in the frame mounts if flanged washers are not used to keep the shafts centered. The shock shaft is smaller diameter than the mount hole, and the squeezing of the rubber bushings is not enough to keep the shafts centered while going over bumps. Knock knock knock.

Good thing those washers are cheap...[/sarcasm]

 

[AlpineAccess]

The shock shafts can knock around in the frame mounts if flanged washers are not used to keep the shafts centered. The shock shaft is smaller diameter than the mount hole, and the squeezing of the rubber bushings is not enough to keep the shafts centered while going over bumps. Knock knock knock.

Good thing those washers are cheap...[/sarcasm]

If your shock shaft tops are rusted, a quick diagnosis on this can be done with some cordage/twine. Wrap it around under the top bushing tight enough that it hits the shock shaft, 3 to 5 wraps depending on thickness of the cord should be fine.

If the shock shaft isn't able to be tightened, new shocks for the front are very reasonably priced for OEM. Don't spend a lot of time fussing with bad shock tops, just lop them off with a sawzall - but make sure you cut the shaft under from under the mount. A blade protruding into the engine bay is no good.

 

[kruisinkid]

my first thought was ball joints and then bad shock bushings but you said you have nearly new shocks. so maybe double check you tightened them down enough at the top. but sounds most like ball joints or control arm bushings. also double check preload on bearings now that you have put some miles on the repacked bearings.

 

[kruisinkid]

 

[nissanh]

Check the Sway bar links and bushings

 

[Biga27110]

Thank you i was looking for how to do this.

 

[70 FJ40]

Thanks for the help guys. I'll be checking shocks first. Seems like an easy check. Then, now that I know how, upper and lower ball joints. All the boots look good with only minor seepage. But the noise has to be coming from somewhere.

 

[70 FJ40]

Ok. I went through the procedure layer out by @AlpineAccess. There is zero play when I push/pull at 12 and 6. When I lock steering wheel and push/pull at 9 and 3 there is some clunking but seems to only be coming from the steering wheel hitting the stops up in the collum. Doesn't sound at all like where the clunk comes from when going over bumps. Also when I push/pull at 9 and 3 the steering linkage appears to move immediately right along with the front wheel. Doesn't look like any play in the tie rod linkage. I can't get any play out if the lower ball joint on either side using the method shown in the video or the pry bar between the spindle and the lower control arm. Not sure where to go from here.

 

[Ayune]

Do you have a rubber mallet? Hit the shock bodies (and other stuff) and see if they clunk or rattle.

 

[Biga27110]

Thank you i was looking for how to do this.

I checked mine using the video and found my lower ball joint bad thanks a ton.

 

[AlpineAccess]

So next step would be to check shocks as others mentioned and check your upper control arm bushings for play with a pry bar between the lower mount and the arm, as well as laterally (looking for movement fore to aft).

 

[70 FJ40]

I finally figured this out today. I had checked my shocks but only the top bolts. I ran into a fellow cruiser head today and talked with him for a while. He told me to check the bottom. His was making a similar noise a few years back and he replaced all kinds of things before he figures out it was the bottom bolt on the shocks. That what it was on mine as well only took a 1/4 turn or less. They weren't loose enough for me to move the shock by jerking on it with my hand so I didn't really think that was my problem. Until I drove it.

Ah! Sweet silent (no clunking) bliss!

Thanks for everyone's help on this. I learned a lot about how to check if anything is wrong with the front end of my Cruiser and I can now rest knowing nothing is wrong with my steering or front suspension. At least not at the moment.