After Daystar lift, front end pop/creak

[buckeye4runner08]

Put my lift on a couple of weekends ago, got the alignment (what they could anyway, had a few frozen cams), and have about 600 miles on it since then. last weekend I noticed a new noise that I have been researching and trying to diagnose.

The noise is only noticeable at low speeds, sometimes happens when I am turning into my driveway or making slow speed (not full lock) turns into a parking spot. I am also able to replicate the noise at low speeds by jamming the brakes, thereby rocking the truck forward a bit. I was originally thinking end links or sway bar bushings but it doesn't seem tied to body roll of the truck. I was just able to replicate the noise on both wheels while the truck is parked, wheels straight. If i torque the wheel and tire side to side I can get it to happen once out of maybe 5 times, both wheels did it on the first go however.

I can't really pinpoint where the noise is coming from, but when I was torquing the wheels manually it sounded like it was definitely behind the wheel, so in the suspension. Not knowing enough about all of the individual components and how they work as a system, does anybody have any thoughts? I'm trying to get it to my mechanic, but that requires being able to leave work early and that is a rarity these days.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[hrjaw]

I get the same pop as well and have not been able to isolate the noise.

 

[dta1984]

First, make sure all bolts are tight.

I've got a similar noise that I have been chasing down. Ended up being the sway bar link. I can grab the link and shake it and it rattles. For some reason, I can't get the nut to tighten any more, so I'm just going to put a new one one.

 

[DreamRun08]

I have the same clunking creeking noise when i make tight radius turns and go over bumps. Im not sure what it is but figured it had something to do with the spacers.

 

[S p a r k y]

Probably sway bar bushings need to be replaced or greased. Every time mine starts the popping I just grease my zerks. I do have grease able bushings.

 

[hrjaw]

Probably sway bar bushings need to be replaced or greased. Every time mine starts the popping I just grease my zerks. I do have grease able bushings.

any particular brand that you have used/recommend?

 

[JimInTN]

Mine does it when going into reverse.

3-3.5" front lift. Bilstein 6112s with toytec aluminum top hats. Camburg upper control arms. No sway bar.

I'm going to go back over everything and re torque.

 

[RonJR]

When you do a suspension lift, all of the LCA and UCA bushings and ball joints (plus the sway bar joints) are now operating in a different spot. Depending on the health of the bushings and how "stuck in their old ways" they are, I certainly would not be surprised if they pop and creak getting settled into their new position. My knees do the same thing anymore

It may work itself out, but likely the only sure fix is new bushings and/or ball joints.

 

[S p a r k y]

any particular brand that you have used/recommend?

I don't remember, they are all over this site in other places. Lots of people do claim that new stock ones are better. But to each their own.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/34115-swaybar-bushing-upgrade.html

 

[t-man]

When you do a suspension lift, all of the LCA and UCA bushings and ball joints (plus the sway bar joints) are now operating in a different spot. Depending on the health of the bushings and how "stuck in their old ways" they are, I certainly would not be surprised if they pop and creak getting settled into their new position. My knees do the same thing anymore

It may work itself out, but likely the only sure fix is new bushings and/or ball joints.

This!^
When I did my lift originally I had noises. A year later and my bushings were completely shot and torn apart from the new angles and from being froze up, which [MENTION=142499]buckeye4runner08[/MENTION] has stated he has an issue with. It may not be this, could be sway bar links, balljoints, or some other mysterious part, but I'd definitely look at those first.

 

[Morphyne]

I had this after doing a UCA swap and lbj replacement. I replaced the sway bar bushings and links and retorqued th UCS bolts and it went away. then it came back...only two things left for me is tieroad and lca bushings.

 

[dgmorr]

Check to make sure your LCA bolts are all torqued to spec. The alignment shop didn't torque mine all the way and I had clunking and popping until I toruqed them all.

 

[Chisla]

Should all the bushings (front and rear) be loosened and the vehicle set down on it's wheels then all bushings re-tightened? Seems like if the bushings are left tight through the whole lift process the rubber will just twist and tear. Has anyone done a lift this way? Or are the bushings just going to all be stuck?

 

[Morphyne]

I put ucas on and torqued them down with the truck in the air and the suspension hanging. Then I had a creak pop like you. So I loosened and retorqued the use bolts with the truck on the ground and it went away.

 

[buckeye4runner08]

Popping seems to have gotten a little worse after some off roading and about 1200 miles on the road in a week. Still seems to happen only slow speed in reverse. Today I was backing straight up and hit a small pothole and it popped, and it can actually be felt in the steering wheel, and I'm 99% sure it's in the front only.

First plan is the front end links and sway bar bushings. I REALLY hope that solves it because my LCA bolts/cams are frozen and I have no clue what I'm going to do about that. I've double checked that everything is torqued properly, but will check again when it's end link time. That said, one of the end link bolts of frozen and I'll have to chop it at the ball joint. What's the best thing to use? Hacksaw, cutting wheel, Sawzall?

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

 

[truckhigh]

when i had spacer i had the same problem. when you put too much strain on the spring and it bows out the springs. The fj i did it too had the UCA hitting the spring during full extension. this is not far when you already maxed out you down travel. I had same popping sound on my 4runner and there was nothing you can do unless you change your springs or UCA. I also got a swayer relocated and i think it helped.