Locate this annoying sound for me!

[alia176]

Hey guys,

Wasn't sure what word I need to perform a search so I'll explain what I'm hearing/feeling. This sound was very apparent in CO last week.

I'm hearing/feeling a suspension type of rattle on the driver side when:

1) I drive on washboardy (corrugated) roads
2)make right hand turns on bumpy roads.

It feels like it's coming from the location where the front radius arm connects to the chassis. Doesn't sound like a loose speaker in the door I didn't see anything loose on the front driver spring/shock area. The front swivels have been rebuilt and the wheel bearings are torqued to spec. Brake caliper is tight on that side. Vehicle drives straight and no other "clunking" sound upon sudden decels. Maybe a bad shock?

Scratching my head on this one


Thanks for any ideas.

Ali
OME N73, OME 850 up front with 112k miles

 

[landtank]

loose wheel bearing

 

[IdahoDoug]

Ali,

Mine does this as well and has since new. It sounds like something fairly substantial moving, not a tinny or light sound, right? For a long time I was convinced it was a loose body mount under the driver's footwell area, which is where the sound seems to emanate from. If this sounds like what you're hearing, I finally concluded that it is the front axle stub shuddering in the space provided by the spindle bushing. After I repacked my front end and this bushing was packed with grease the sound suddenly changed to a bit more muted, so I feel confident about the diagnosis. Like you, I went through the entire front of the truck checking for something loose and found everything tight. It takes the right frequency of bump to make it happen, so I only hear it once a month or so. But washboard increases the number of times I hear it. I've heard other 80s do it also. I'll live with it until I replace the spindles some day with the new bearing style that will likely limit the axle movement to near zero.

DougM

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

You might want check

Sway bar bushings

Body bushing

 

[landtoy80]

I hear a tink/clink/metal tap sound when going over bumps. It comes from the brakes.
All of my Toyota mini's made the same noise. I think its the brake pads as I didn't hear it when the brakes are applied.
I have yet to test my theroy on the 80 as I am use to the noise.

 

[Rookie2]

"didn't see anything in the shock area"?

Did you grab the top of the shock stub and jerk on it to see if there was any play?


Rookie2

 

[cruiserdan]

If it is a pronounced "clunk" it sounds to me like the body mount bolt under the driver's feet is loose. I have seen that 3 or 4 times (my vehicle included).


D-

 

[IdahoDoug]

Cdan,

How do you tighten those things? I didn't note any slack on mine and looked at it because I'd found that one loose on another 80. I put a wrench on mine to tighten and it felt like the thing was spinning rather than tightening. So I stopped after a fraction of a turn and decided it was fine as is. If I could tighten it I would, but the construction of the mount didn't seem to lend itself to tightening.

DougM

 

[cruiserdan]

It is through-bolted from inside the cab. You will need to pull the sill plate and move the carpet back to expose a rubber plug that allows access to the bolt head from above. It is doubble-nutted from below. Back off the lock nut and tighten up the main nut, then tighten up the lock-nut.


D-

 

[alia176]

I think Cruiserdan got it pretty close. It does indeed sound like it's right under the feet area. Logically it makes sense....during right hand turns the body weight is on the body bushings on the driver side. This in turn is squishing the bushings enough to expose the bolts that are loose.

Sway bar bushings - this should show up at all times I'd think. Unless these bushings are totally wasted, I wouldn't think they'd clunk.
Shock nut - also, this should show up everytime a bump is encountered. But I did check them anyway.
Wheel bearing - no play when I grab the tire and try to move it front and back.

Thanks for the ideas.
Ali

 

[landtank]

Ali, just so you know, when checking wheel bearings grab the tire at 12:00 and 6:00 and it's an up and down play you're looking for.

 

[alia176]

Thanks Land. I'm hoping to have some time this weekend to look into this.

Ali