My 4runner has developed a squeak and I've been trying to find what it is. When I a can hear it whenever I am going between 5-35 mph. At first I got the grease zerks on the driveshafts greased, but that didn't fix the issue.

It doesn't matter if I'm turning, going straight, coasting, or accelerating. Is there anything else I should try greasing?

pan hard bar bushings or rear uca or lca bushings could squeak.

I was looking around and it seems that my pan hard bar (or as Toyota calls it 'lateral rod'? #3 in diagram below) is rubbing against a metal bracket. I doubt it is the cause of my squeaking because it only contacts the bracket over bumps. Very surprised this is an issue because my 4runner is not lifted, most people have this issue after doing a lift.


Any bushing in the diagram above needs to be replaced due to age. The shock bushings and sway bar bushings are already ordered.

Is it a rotational type squeak? Could be rear brake shoes not retracting fully off the drum.

Yes it is rotational. How do I check if it isn't releasing

FWIW for a while my panhard bar would cause a squeak and it was very easy to deduce by simply hanging on it and trying to shake it around like a gorilla. So if you couldn't get it to replicate by doing so I'd say it's pretty unlikely to be the culprit
Lateral rod/arm, trac arm/bar, panhard bar/link, 5th link - there's a few different names for them it seems

Why is my panhard bar rubbing against its left mounting bracket though? My vehicle isn't modded and is at its original ride height, and the bar in its natural position is perfectly level like it should. Even if it isn't the original source of my issue, it is still a problem because metal on metal contact is something that is never good

All the bushings that I can see are cracked and dry rotted, makes it hard to say that one of them can't be giving me my problem.

I think I need to jack the vehicle up and turn the wheels by hand to get a better idea of what is going on with my drive line. I'll hopefully do it tomorrow

Update: Jacked up the vehicle to turn the wheels. The brakes don't seem to be catching and everything is turning over silently (both drive shafts too). So it might not be anything relating to the drive train after all.

I also tried pushing the panhard bar to check for play. I couldn't feel any, but I was jacking off the rear axle and that might of kept it under compression and kept me from feeling any play.

Also doing sway bar bushings today. The bushings I really need to do are the ones that require me to press them out, like the panhard and the control arms. I think they are the ones most likely giving me trouble.

Is there any way to lubricate those pressed bushings without removing to see if they are the things squeaking?

Not sure if you could easily check and/or re-lubricate without removing.

Could the squeaking be body mount bushings? (genuine question)

I mean it could, but I doubt it because the body mount bushings don't look as rough as all the other bushings

Well the squeak seems to be getting worse, its really apparent at 15 mph. I cant remember having this issue before I put back on the original wheels. Is it possible that they could cause the issue?

Its definitely a rotational squeak.

Maybe the dust shield is bent and contacting the drum slightly. I have a squeek from the rear left but from side to side motion not rotational. It's from the left parking brake I think but never been able to get rid of it.

The OE rubber bushing are designed to stretch/torque, they dont need lube like poly bushings (correct me if I'm wrong). I've never had rubber bushings make any noise other than a clunk when worn out.