Front end Rattle or clunk (1 Viewer)

[arich]

Guys I'm starting this thread in hopes of narrowing down the source of a rattle/clunk I have in the Passenger/Right side of my 2011 Land Cruiser. Here are the symptoms followed by the variables such as upgrades or significant repairs. I'm open to testing ANYTHING, replacing anything and I'd love to hear EVERY suggestion.

Truck makes a clunk sound which can be heard inside when the passenger front wheel hits a bump. If the bumps are rapid like a broken road it happens on every cycle. It's most noticeable from 1-30 mph as the road noise masks the sound as you increase speed. It is not affected by acceleration or braking meaning the sound continues regardless of whether you're on the gas or brake. To me it sounds like a bad swaybar end link (but those are fairly new) or an upper ball joint (but those are new too). I do NOT feel it in the steering wheel. I've had the truck A LOT and three different mechanics have worked on it so maybe I/we simply forgot to tighten something that I'm overlooking.

VIDEO SHOWING CLUCK listen for the deep clunk over every bump.

History:
Retightened Every bolt/nut I could think of. March 2016
Checked and tightened body mounts (nothing was loose) March 2016
Removed Passenger caliper and disc to check for rocks March 2016
Greased front swaybar main bushings at the frame (verified correct torque)
SPC Greasable Upper Ball Joint replacements #25001 w/ AMS Oil Synthetic Polymeric Off-Road Grease
March 2016 (I thought the originals were the culprits)
OME/ARB BP51 Shocks, January 2016 (several other shocks over the last 5 years)
New Lower Control arms and ball joints and new related hardware Jan 2016
SPC UCA, January 2016
TRD 17" wheels 285-70-17 KO2 Fall 2015
Rebuilt Drivers side CV axle 2014 (Toyota)
KDSS Main Valve replaced 2014 It was rusted frozen (Toyota)
New Swaybar end links 2014 (when I first started noticing rattle)
Tundra Brake upgrade, New centric rotors and pads and OEM Tundra Calipers 2013 (installed by local mechanic)

Ideas:
tolerances between shock bolts and spacers in spherical bushings
Passenger CV warn (how do I test this?)
Something loose in KDSS joints (all bolts are torqued)
Something to do with the Tundra brakes (outer bearing had to be removed to install backing plate) Could an improper torque on the bearings cause a rattle?

Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the time it took to read to this point.

 

[TJsTACOMA]

Did it start one day out of the blue or after something was done to the front end? Is it only over bumps you hear it? Is the main strut nut tight on the top of the strut or the top mount bad? Did not see if you listed that you checked that nut. Noises drive me crazy. I have a rear chirp that I have no idea where its coming from.

 

[linuxgod]

I had a similar noise in my old Acura. A number of people on the forums would apply some grease to the top of the spring. Eventually Acura issued a TSB.

Tech Tip: Acura MDX Suspension May Pop, Clunk or Thump

Not sure if it's related but living in the city I was always thrilled to get out on the highway where the roads aren't full of potholes

 

[arich]

Did it start one day out of the blue or after something was done to the front end? Is it only over bumps you hear it? Is the main strut nut tight on the top of the strut or the top mount bad? Did not see if you listed that you checked that nut. Noises drive me crazy. I have a rear chirp that I have no idea where its coming from.

It's been getting worse over about three years but I've changed so many components that there are now too many variables.
BP51s use spherical bushings at the ends, not the big bolt you're referring to. I have already swapped out the right strut with a new one.

 

[arich]

Just posted a video in the post above. Listen for the deep THUD every time it hits a bumps.

 

[arich]

I had a similar noise in my old Acura. A number of people on the forums would apply some grease to the top of the spring. Eventually Acura issued a TSB.
Tech Tip: Acura MDX Suspension May Pop, Clunk or Thump
Not sure if it's related but living in the city I was always thrilled to get out on the highway where the roads aren't full of potholes

Interesting but I don't think these are related issues unless there is coil slap like in Symptom #2.

 

[Romer]

When my daughters front end started making noises I got someone to push up and down on the ARB bar to cycle the front end. Helped me narrow it to a ball joint. You don't have a bumper but someone could push up and down and try and create it while you try and identify where it is coming from. Have you climbed under there and hit stuff with a rubber mallet or just try to wiggle things to see if there is movement?

 

[arich]

I never quite understood why swaybar end links are not reuseable:

 

[arich]

When my daughters front end started making noises I got someone to push up and down on the ARB bar to cycle the front end. Helped me narrow it to a ball joint. You don't have a bumper but someone could push up and down and try and create it while you try and identify where it is coming from. Have you climbed under there and hit stuff with a rubber mallet or just try to wiggle things to see if there is movement?

I've hit every thing with a rubber hammer. I even posted a video on the 200 group on FB because I thought I had isolated the sound to the steering rack. It makes a clang when you hit the steering arms. Turns out they all do that, duh. I literally replaced the SPC upper ball joints last week with the new ones because I was convinced that was the issue.
I have had someone rock the truck from the running boards. I don't think it's enough force to generate the noise.

 

[Romer]

you have to do it from the front corners to really make them work. Running boards are dampened across the whole body. Maybe a couple of guys with hands in the wheel well pulling up and pushing down from the hood. One could do it from the leverage point of an ARB bar, but doesn't look like you have one

 

[arich]

An excuse to get a new bumper.

 

[Rigger]

I've got a similar thing going on with my Tundra. It's maddening!

 

[linuxgod]

Interesting but I don't think these are related issues unless there is coil slap like in Symptom #2.

After listening to that video I'd agree what I had was different

 

[arich]

Just ordered all of this from BENO. (arrows)

 

[arich]

I don't know if this helps but today it's 60 degrees and the clunk isn't as bad as it was yesterday when it was 35 degrees.

 

[Willy beamin]

you know the SPC's start squaking when its cooler outside - mine do. poly want a cracker

 

[arich]

really???? The main bushings? I just replaced the upper ball joints.

 

[Willy beamin]

yes - the poly doesn't like cold. I called SPC a few weeks ago asking about the difference in a LC UCA and a Tundra UCA. was wondering if i went the tundra LCA if i could use the LC UCA i already have. I ended up speaking with a smart tech (with a sense of humor) and he informed me thats a downside of poly. They, SPC, are working towards a different design....."thats all i gotta to say about that".

 

[TexAZ]

@Willy beamin I'm sure they mentioned it, but you can not run LC uppers with tundra LCAs. It's kinda all or nothing.
you thinking about making the swap to Tundra front?
rides like a dream.....

 

[Willy beamin]

@Willy beamin I'm sure they mentioned it, but you can not run LC uppers with tundra LCAs. It's kinda all or nothing.
you thinking about making the swap to Tundra front?
rides like a dream.....

Actually the outcome of the conversation was you could utilize the SPC LC200 UCA's - the geometry of the two SPC UCA's (Tundra and LC) was different. The difference being that the Tundra was more narrow across the bushing housing (where it connects to the frame) by 1 1/2" than that of the SPC LC200. And The Tundra SPC UCA is more narrow by 1 1/4" from the bushing housing out towards the ball joint than that of the SPC LC200.

In fact Doug noted that if you ran the SPC Tundra UCA (on the LC200) you'd have to utilize spacers to make up the difference in width, or lack of, the bushing housing (where it bolts to the frame) . - I don't run this set up I'm only researching it. Those that run this may say differently and that's ok.... this is just straight from the boys who made this part.

Follow me here - if you look at the attachment named figure #1 - listed below*********
http://www.spcalignment.com/instructions/25465-INS_WEB.pdf
***** you will notice the SPC engraved wording just below the grease zerk is facing out towards the tire. I was told that if you flip that ball joint inboard / rotate it (meaning the SPC engraving now facing the engine / not the tire) that will swing the bottom portion (that hooks up with the knuckle ) of that offset assembly out giving more clearance and range of adjustability.

If this is confusing call SPC and speak with Doug...as he and I just clarified all of this. Again this is for running a Tundra OEM LCA and utilizing the SPC LC200 UCA.

You guys running this set up will have more to say than I. I was just wanting to find out if I had to spend another $500 for another UCA or not.
If you think or know this to not be true call these guys and repost here so I don't mislead anyone - please
thanks