Suspension clunk left side

[Stevelugzit]

Good morning fellow mudders,

For the last about 3 months I’ve been hearing this clunk in my left side suspension. The clunk happens pretty much religiously when I’m making right hand turns and there’s a small dip or incline into it. So basically when the left side suspension loads up, and when I hit a dip in the road where the left side suspension gets loaded. I have replaced the Endlinks for the sway bar since they literally blew up when I was pulling into my driveway and I was pretty sure that would fix the issue but alas 2 days ago I replaced them all with OEM parts and the issue still persists. One thing to note about the install is the sway bar doesn’t sit exactly flush on both sides. Like one of the lower rubber bushings on the left side seems to be extra loaded. I can’t tell if the sway bar is bent or what but it doesn’t look right. I’m still kinda sold on the endlink idea but anyone else have a similar experience and have any ideas? I’m willing to try about anything at this point. I’ve heard steering rack bushings and different bushings but their issues they face don’t seem to match mine since if I’m turning left I hear no noise whatsoever.

On a note about the endlinks the left side was lower than the right by about an inch so I adjusted the torsen bar to match it and the bushing is still smushed.

I have leaking CVs and have new OEM ones that will be going into the car in a few weeks when I have the time to do it but I’m not convinced that’s the issue.

 

[joshrabon]

Check the cam bolt nuts on the UCA’s. 74 ft-lb.

Mine looked tight but weren’t to spec. I had a similar thing going on and thankfully this was the issue. Use a wrench to hold the bolt head and torque the nut. Make sure to do this with wheels on the ground.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Can you replicate the noise cycling the suspension while it's sitting? If so, have someone jump up and down on it and crawl under the truck with a mechanic's stethoscope.

 

[Live to Ski]

bet it the lower control arm ball joint.

I saw my suspension shop test mine: lift front end making sure not to load ball joint (lift via frame). take long handled crow bar and place between between lower arm and ball joint top mount. see if you notice movement as you apply pressure.

If you go to a toyota dealer, they will replace whole control arm. aftermarket does supply just the ball joint. if you go that route, you need a shop that knows how to change ball joints as it requires presses, big ass hammer, etc.

 

[2001LC]

 

[Live to Ski]

Video worth 10,000 words

 

[Stevelugzit]

bet it the lower control arm ball joint.

I saw my suspension shop test mine: lift front end making sure not to load ball joint (lift via frame). take long handled crow bar and place between between lower arm and ball joint top mount. see if you notice movement as you apply pressure.

If you go to a toyota dealer, they will replace whole control arm. aftermarket does supply just the ball joint. if you go that route, you need a shop that knows how to change ball joints as it requires presses, big ass hammer, etc.

I had tried to make my lower ball joint move when I replaced my CVs and diff bushings last weekend. I could not get any play, but I will try this method and get back to you.

Can you replicate the noise cycling the suspension while it's sitting? If so, have someone jump up and down on it and crawl under the truck with a mechanic's stethoscope.

I tried and all I hear is old suspension moving rather than the noise. I also tried cutting the wheel quickly left and right while I was driving and I also heard nothing except when id cut it like 45 degrees over and over.

Check the cam bolt nuts on the UCA’s. 74 ft-lb.

Mine looked tight but weren’t to spec. I had a similar thing going on and thankfully this was the issue. Use a wrench to hold the bolt head and torque the nut. Make sure to do this with wheels on the ground.

I will try this when I get a chance. I am finishing up a new steering rack install later today and I will take a look at that.

 

[Stevelugzit]

Good morning everyone,
I have tried all that was suggested.

everything is tight.

I lifted up the vehicle by the control arm and pried at the bottom of the wheel. No more than a millimeter of play if even on the ball joints.

I am starting to think that it may be either my shock tower bushings or maybe the swaybar bushings. Any ideas?

 

[2001LC]

Any play, on LWR ball joints, they are bad. Same for Toyota upper ball joints.
Bad LWR ball joint:

 

[Stevelugzit]

Good to know. Im sure ill be looking at replacing them soon in that case... Do you really think that little play could make a quite loud clunk everytime I load the suspension. It, to me, sounds more like something metal hitting something else metal.

 

[2001LC]

If ball joints, has any play, replace it. Then you'll know, or at least have one less sound to chase.

The two most common front end sound:
Ball joints over bumps dips and turns.
FDS (AKA CV ) outer axle splines to hub flange splines: R to N to D, D to N to R clunk clunk.

 

[Stevelugzit]

Ill end up doing all 4 ball joints here soon then. I know my hub flanges and Cvs are good. Just replaced my CVs. flanges were in good shape and while I was there I did Diff bushings too. They were pretty rough aswell. After work today Im going to take off the plates and dig around trying some easy stuff first before I go and spend $1500 on 4 new control arms lol

 

[Stevelugzit]

Afternoon all. I have just spent the last 2 hours after work messing with my cruiser. First of all I disconnected the sway bar from the truck. Noise remained but somehow felt twice as common and worse. (Maybe placebo) I was pretty sure at this point I was in for all new ball joints but as I was reconnecting the endlinks to the bar I decided to just grab the shock and yank as hard as I could. The thing moved well over an inch towards me. I had previously pulled it from inside the wheel well but never to the left and right. Sure enough a loud metal on metal noise that sounded nearly identical to what I was hearing. Left side was twice as bad as the right and the right didn’t make any noise but had play. I am nearly drop dead certain that this is my noise. I will keep anyone having similar issues updated and see if this fixes it