Odd Noise on Compression. Drivers side.

[co4wheel]

I get a odd noise on the drivers side (maybe on passenger but I don't hear that side while driving). It's kinda a TWANG noise. Happens only on compression in Bigger Woopy Do's, Like today on the way home went through a dip in the road at speed and TWANG. I have Bilstein with Toytec HD fronts. They are on the bottom setting (no lift from the adjustable perch). To me it sounds like the spring is rotating the bottom perch a little making the noise? I have 85K on the stock suspension. Stock everything except the Struts/shocs and Springs front and rear. No rear bags. I just had a thought. Literally right now. I do get a slight rub mark on my Upper Control arms. I usually don't see the mark but it happens every once in a while. This noise is not often. Around town once a week or so. On the trail a couple times a day. I wonder if I am hearing the raised lettering of the tire hitting the Upper Control arm. Or the spring perch moving a little? Any other ideas?

 

[GXO]

Used to get that. The spring was catching under compression. Solved with ucas/coilovers

 

[co4wheel]

Hmmm. I saw those marks on my buddies stock Gen 3 4Runner. I will look for those marks in my truck tommorow

 

[co4wheel]

From what I can tell it's not the springs hitting the strut or the tire hitting the control arm. I got mud all over the inside of the fender Saturday. There are zero rub marks on any of those places that I can see. At least not facing out on the springs side like my buddy's truck. I guess it could be on the inside toward the engine. There is a plastic shield to protect the strut.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Sway bushings?

 

[co4wheel]

Sway bushings?

I will try and pop those loose to look at them. Good call.

 

[kbahus]

Check down low around the collar and make sure bolts for the sway bar links are clear, my Fox's would rub on the lower coils. A "twang" type noise screams coil bind in my mind though.

 

[GXO]

The driver side is much heavier than the passenger. I am thinking we may need to look into different spring rates

 

[co4wheel]

Drivers side has a small spacer to even out the height. It's above the top mount. The truck sits pretty level in front to my eye. I am going to check those bolts tomorrow.

 

[co4wheel]

Check down low around the collar and make sure bolts for the sway bar links are clear, my Fox's would rub on the lower coils. A "twang" type noise screams coil bind in my mind though.

Same here. If it is coil bind. Which makes sense under compression. What would I do? It's something I can live with. But it's just a thing I think about and makes me wonder. I will look at the swaybar as well.

 

[kbahus]

My thought is similar to Dan's. I would call Toytec up and tell them what you are dealing with. My first thought is the springs were never really designed for the GX in the first place and are carrying some extra weight upfront potentially beyond their desiged limit. Having to run a spacer on that side to keep it level hints that may be an issue as well. Toytec has a good rep and is local to you, I would give them a buzz as they may have some suggestions or at least want to know about it.

The Ironman springs on my 80 would do the same thing on big dips too.

 

[co4wheel]

The springs have a higher spring rate then Old Man Emu stuff and OEM. 620 vs 590. The spacer is simply used to correct for the "Landcruiser Lean" that is common in our SUV's.

 

[kbahus]

Just out of curiosity, is there a left and right side specific spring?

 

[co4wheel]

I don't know. Is there on Old Man Emu or any of the others, other then OEM? I don't think so. Wheelers Off Road Assembled them and told me which was Driver and Passenger.

 

[UTFJ]

Hey co4wheel,

Did you ever find the source of this noise? I believe that I have the same noise under compression. I have the Toytec Ultimate lift with the 600lb springs. I've checked the sway bar links, steering links, sway bar bushings, lower control arm bushings, ball joints, upper control arms are new (SPC's), front diff brackets, and removed the front skid and everything looks fine. I originally thought the noise was from the sway bar hitting the front skid, but I still have the noise with the front skid removed (the noise seams louder with the skid installed). FYI, i do have the sway bar relocation brackets installed. Also, there aren't any rub marks on the coil spring.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[UTFJ]

Does anyone have any advice or recommendations? I hate strange noises in such a nice truck.

Thanks

 

[co4wheel]

It was my spring hitting my UCA like Dan. Very small amount. But I found the nicks on the spring.

 

[GXO]

I keep saying it. It isn't obvious but it happens

 

[UTFJ]

Thanks for the help. I'll look closer at the UCAs. I just assumed the SPC UCAs have enough room that they won't hit the spring.

Thanks again.

 

[GXO]

It isn't so much the room but the geometry. Caster can't be adjusted properly on a lift without new ucas so the spring is in the wrong orientation.