Front End Clunk - CV Axle Confirmation

[cheeze]

I've been getting a clunk during stop/go and when the suspension is cycled. I've checked all my components and they seem tight. The last suspect is the CV. I pulled the wheel and it makes the sound I've been hearing, when at full droop.

The CV is done, right?



Thanks

 

[GXO]

CV is suspect for sure. Only other clunk like that I have seen are LCA bushings or the UCA. But if it is "in" the CV it is for sure sketchy. How old are they?

 

[cheeze]

I just replaced both the LCA and UCA this year. OEM lower and SPC upper. The SPC feels like it has enough grease in the ball joint, but maybe I'll pump some more in.

 

[cheeze]

I just checked the ball joint boot on the UCA, and the side facing inward was full of ejected grease. Maybe it was too much? I gave that side just a smidge more grease. It's been clicking on the way to work, so I don't think it's the UCA.

I called toytec this morning and they said it could be the bottom shock mount was fully torqued while it was in the air.

It sounds similar to this.

 

[cheeze]

Can CV axles break internally without leaking out of the boot? Mine are whistle clean.

 

[GXDude]

CVs tend to click and are more predominantly noticeable went leaning into that side on a turn. Clunking sounds like LCA bushings. Id have them checked. Any vibrations or wheel shimmy? Have you checked the u-joints on the driveline? any specific times you notice it more than others?

 

[cheeze]

The entire LCA is brand new OEM, installed about 8 months ago. Some vibe, but I think it's the tires. I'm sure the issue is somewhere in the front driver side, as when it clunks, it's felt in the foot well.

For what it's worth, the clicking happens when the wheels are straight as well.

 

[cheeze]

CV is suspect for sure. Only other clunk like that I have seen are LCA bushings or the UCA. But if it is "in" the CV it is for sure sketchy. How old are they?

My CVs are of unknown age. They look really clean externally though. Not even a hint of grease leakage.

 

[Jstawgn]

Swaybar bushing? My KDSS make this clunking sound and it went away after replacing the bushing. The original looks good but might hardens and have slight play after 13 years.

 

[cheeze]

Hmm, that could be it. Normally, I'd take off the bar to see if that's the source but they're so shot, I think I'm going to replace all the bushings and end links.

 

[cheeze]

Front sway bar bushing and endlinks are swapped. The front end still clunks. It turns so much better though. Can't wait to swap the rears out.

I went down my curb leaving my driveway and it made a large clunk sound somewhere else in the frame but the noise went away for a while. It drove smoother too. I'm thinking now it's a suspension component that isn't tight enough.

 

[cheeze]

So, I'm going to circle back to the beginning of this clunk mystery.

I bought the 120 around October last year. I lifted the truck in Jan and had it aligned. In February, I brought it to a shop to have it aligned again since it was an all-around s*** job done by the first shop. The second shop informed me the steering rack was on it's way out and they refused to align it unless I also had the rack replaced as well. I agreed since I was headed to Death Valley that weekend. It drove fine for ma while, no noise. BUT, when I originally installed my lift, I had to re-use the top hat on the front struts since they were seriously STUCK on there. No amount of leveraged pry-bar could get it off. I'm talking lifting the truck off a jack stand type leverage. After Death Valley, I started to get a clack-clack-clack when going over whoops. Turns out the old struts had bored out the original strut top hat and were moving around during fast suspension cycle situations. So the stuck OG top hats had to go. I took it to shop number 3 to take care of it, and they did. They told me that the PO replaced the top hat with one that had a slightly larger diameter, so when it was seated, it was stuck on there GOOD. Immediately after leaving shop #3, I went on a week+ road trip up CA 395 (highly, highly recommended). It was wheeled moderately. Some time during the end of the trip, the car went from steering dead straight to needing a bit of left rudder (point it at 11 o'clock to go straight), it also started to make this mysterious clicking noise.

That brings us to today:

- I no longer suspect the CVs. They are clean, and have no grease on the boots or anywhere near the boots. The noise is heard when the car is straight and not just when turning. They don't actually make noise unless the car takes a huge bump and even then it doesn't make that noise.
- It can't be the sway bar bushings nor end links since I just replaced them.
- I highly doubt it's the LCA/UCA since they are new, tight, and the bolts marked for movement.
- Inner tie rods are new (new steering rack) outers are good, and confirmed by all 3 shops. Car also tracks straight, it just needs a bit of left rudder.
- Hubs are good, no movement when shaking a wheel.
- There is a slight clunk felt through the steering wheel when stopped and turning the wheel. Only happens when moving away from dead straight. No clunk when in motion.

I am beginning to suspect the steering rack, since I checked the column and found there was play on the column itself. Is there supposed to be any? I'm grabbing it and shaking it from the driver side wheel well. I tightened the column band bolts (the top 2 and bottom one) and the play has reduced significantly. It has also clunked much less and now tracks almost straight again. I want to be rid of this damn problem completely since there was a point where it had these mods and DIDN'T have this issue. I don't like having this in the back of my mind when I wheel.

My questions are: Is there supposed to be any play in the steering column or should it be solid feeling? I checked the steering rack to frame bolts and they look good. What are the torque specs for the bolts? I'm getting conflicting information. I also only hit 3 bolts along the column and they helped a lot. Are there any more along the column that I can't see?


Thanks.

 

[GXO]

Should be solid. You can buy and replace the sector shaft. The u-joint can wear over time. I had a new one put in my GX.

 

[cheeze]

What the hell?! I tightened the bolts up yesterday and all seemed well. Parked it outside last night and this morning the click and the lean to right is back and just as frequent.

What a doozy.

 

[cheeze]

If an LCA or UCA bushing is binding, can it affect toe?

 

[GXO]

Bushing won't. Camber and caster more likely. Toe is usually the tie rod ends or inner cups or the rack.

 

[cheeze]

Had a day off, what better way than to spend it getting prickly dead leaves down my shirt?

I crawled around and re-tightened everything. Steering rack was a bit loose on the frame. I tightened it to spec, but am now sure it wasn't the source. The clicking is less pronounced now but still very much there. I ate and napped and re-tackled it in the afternoon.

Started with a test drive. Under hard braking, and then from the subsequent start/launch it clicks. When braking and the surface changes, it clatters like crazy. Get under the car again and found that when the steering rack was replaced, there was a line that was just left there dangling. Hard line and all.

Success! Off to get a case of beer to celebrate.

On the way it was very obvious that the clunking was still there. To further salt my wounds, the repeated brake tests seized one of the pistons on the brakes. No beer for me then.

I ordered a generic lower steering shaft with u joint to replace. I'm hoping, no praying, it'll solve the issue so I can now move on to the brakes and diff fluid change. And sand the headlights. And get sliders mounted.

 

[cheeze]

As a side note, I come from the sports car world. This is my first 4x4, so tire wear isn't my expertise, but it looks like there is no toe wear pattern appearing on the front tires and they've been on for about 3K miles.

 

[Jstawgn]

I chase noise like this for a year on my wife's car. Replace almost every singe suspension bushings. At the end of the day it end up the brake shoes missing is anti rattle spring.

 

[cheeze]

I'll take a look, thanks. It does vibrate the flat portion of the foot well but oddly enough, not the foot rest or throttle area. A cursory search also blames the rotor cover, which I'll check. It's a ca car though so no rust.