Front End Noise - Do you know why?
 

Hello everyone,

This is my first post and I look forward to learning from you.

Background:
Year: 2002 SRS
Odo: 180,000 (easy driving, no off road, family car)
Trans: 4x4

What has been done:
By me? = Nothing.
All work done by Toyota dealership (I know super expensive) since purchased. Last visit (October 2019) took to a regular mechanic. Find below a picture of items done and price. Thought of including price as that's a huge factor and I think is relevant information to all in this forum.

https://snz04pap001files.storage.liv...&cropmode=none

Now that you have this info, I have two issues I need help with...

Issue 1: Front Noise (maybe shocks?)

Noise while vehicle running here: Toyota 4Runner 2002 Front Noise While Running - YouTube
Noise while vehicle parked here: Toyota 4Runner 2002 Front Noise - YouTube

What is going on? I hope to do this work myself and hope to start doing as many repairs as I possibly can. I'm not a mechanic, but I am not too afraid with doing things. Please help diagnose this noise to see if I can perform the work myself.

Issue 2: Skips/stumble when steering wheel is fully engaged

Visit this link to check a short video as well: Toyota 4Runner 2002 Skip When Turning - YouTube

Here, what you may think could be handshaking, it is not. Rather is the vehicle rocking side-to-side in a full turn. It happens going Right or Left. When backing up, sometimes it makes a pop sound and and a sudden jerk.

Furthermore, the steering is stiffer than before. I mean, when I finish taking a turn and release the steering wheel it no longer comes back to center as I straighten the car afterwards. I have to manually bring the wheels to center. Tires have proper psi.

I am committed to not replace my car. I love my 4Runner and I don't need any newer vehicles. While they may have nice features, this one is my first purchased car from the dealership and I simply love this car.

Please help and I hope I did OK with this post.

You did great with the post.
My sway bar bracket poly bushings would make a similiar noise I had to regrease them. The side to side motion could be the sway bar links front and back not tight enough. I would check front Lca bushings rear uça and lça busing also.The best way to do this is get under the car and have someone push the truck up and down and put your hand on the bushing brackets you will here the sound muffle or you can spray lubricant on bushings one at a time and the process of elimination.

in regards to the first issue I would assume it to be either a sway bar bushing, or perhaps the bushing or top hat in your strut. If it can be replicated by pushing on the vehicle, have your friend push while you poke your head around and you'll find it very fast.
In regards to your 2nd issue, I'm not entirely spotting what's happening on camera but by the sounds of your post I would start looking at your tie rods - they're a major component in your steering and you just had them worked on. Maybe air the power steering too.

The first video might be UCA and/or LCA bushings. I had a similar squeak last year and the noise went away after installing new UCA's (JBA Offroad). The upper bushings were cracked and had a bunch of play. Just did the LCA bushings the other week because they were starting to crack, too.

Thanks! OK I will do just that this afternoon. Will ask my son to help and poke around. Will share what I find.

Regarding the second issue, yes it is a bit hard to see on the video. The issue is that when fully turning the wheels to either side, whether moving forward or backwards, there is a pop/jerk. The faster I go the more noticeable and scary it is. When in reverse is when I hear the "POP" sound the most, hardly ever going forward. Does this description helps?

Thanks again.

Thank you! Will get under and look around as you suggested. By the way, anyone knows where I could get a 3rd Gen diagram to help me identify all these parts mentioned here thus far? Did I mentioned I'm not versed in auto vocabulary/anatomy? :bounce:

I did look up UCA / LCA terms.

Thank you greatly for the reply!

Thank you!

OK I looked up images of UCA/LCA as well as bushings.

Question....can I replace the bushings only or the entire UCA/LCA, respectively, needs/should be replaced as a whole? Asking in advanced in case this is the issue. As mentioned on other replies I will complete suggested actions this afternoon.

Wow, it sure is great to not feel alone on this.

Thank you all.

Sway bar is refered to as stabilizer bar and sway bar links are stabilizer bar links.

@luiszo you can go on this link and tap on the link for suspension videos, writeups and 3rd Gen factory service manual. lots of good info.

3rd Gen FAQ, Tutorials, & Documentation Reference v2 - Toyota 4Runner Forum - Largest 4Runner Forum

No worries!

You can just do the bushings, but they may be a pain to get out. I was able to use the bottle jack method on 3 of the 4, but one had to be cut out because of the corrosion holding it onto the LCA. I used Whiteline bushings for the lowers, which were easy to get in, but I was also interested in these guys, too:

Strongflex Front Lower A-Arm Bushings 96-02 4Runner + USPS Flat - $105.05 : Sonoran Steel Fabrication LLC, Toyota Truck Parts

I hear the OEM bushings aren't as easy to deal with compared to these ones.