Front Suspension Creek/squeak/grind :bang::bang:

[NorCalGuy]

After some searching I think/fear it might be the 4 pinion but I'm hoping for other items to inspect.

I hear an odd noise coming from the front suspension/drivetrain on our 2000 LC. I hear the noise most of the time when the truck is moving and under throttle or off throttle. It's almost like a spring squeak...I thought wheel bearing and had the monkeys at Les Schwab inspect the front suspension while getting the tires rebalanced. They reported nothing...I doubt the even wiggled the wheel to check the bearing. Anyhow....ideas?

 

[100 TD]

If you suspect diff, pull the drain plug, easy job, loosen the fill plug FIRST, so you know you can put oil back in it. If you find metal bits in the oil, you know where you are. If it's clean, you refill with oil and you have just serviced your diff.
If there is metal, put some oil back in it and drive it to your favorite repairer or do it yourself. It will be toast from driving it broken anyway.
If you want to do it yourself, you can do like I did, remove diff and axles, get a bit of delrin or similar machined the same size as the axle where it fits into the seal and plug the hole. I drove around for months without a front diff, no contamination to wheel bearings.
If it's just a squeak/clunk, check you front bottom (and top) shock mounts, mine were tight but still moved, did the bottoms up really tight, no more clunk.

 

[NorCalGuy]

Well the diff was clean so I happily leaning toward the shock/spring mounts.

 

[100 TD]

Creek/squeak/grind

If your diff is OK then you just saved $2k
Your thread title said bang bang, but I see it was meant to show you beating your head against the wall. The bang bang I thought you meant was happening, ie. diff or shock noise. So this follows
The bottom shock mount is very hard to notice if it is the tiniest bit loose. You really need to crank it up tight, hold the bolt with a spanner as well. Don't forget the top mounts, the top rubbers can wear as well as the locating washes and the shock mounting shaft rubs on the arm and creates noise. easiest to remove top mounts to check properly. Also check you swaybar bushes and connecting rod bushes.
But since it is more squeak/grind, brake pads have a wear indicator that squeaks/squeals when they get low.
Also check you disk isn't rubbing against the caliper. Also look for rocks behind the disc cover plate.
You CV's would not generally produce noise in a straight line but have a feel of them as well for play up and down as well as twist them back and forwards to look for wear.
Check your tail shaft as well, look for anything rubbing, any play in the slip spline, dry slip spline or dry unis.
Drop the belt off your power steering pump and feel for wear, as well as any idler bearings, a\c bearing etc., it's funny how some noise aren't picked up unless driving.........

 

[NorCalGuy]

Thank you for one of the most thorough replies to a thread I have seen in fifteen years of trolling automotive BBs. I had some major family issues recently so the LC hasn't had my attention, I plan on investigating more this weekend.