Click/pop from front when turning steering wheel

[str8flexed]

Hi guys, after doing a moderate trail I started hearing a loud click, or sometimes two clicks in succession, when I turn my steering wheel.

It doesn’t happen every time I turn, but it happens maybe a fourth of the time. It happens when I turn to one side more often than the other. It kind of sounds like there is some tension that is released. I can be turning the wheel without the car going forward or reverse and it'll still happen.

It doesn't happen with each wheel revolution, just with extreme wheel turning to the left/right.

This weekend I spent a few hours retightening up the suspension bolts to spec on the left side, and it didn’t make a difference. I did install my own suspension so I was worried something may have loosened. I didn’t get to the right side so I’ll try that next but I didn't think the sound was coming from the right.

The CV and tie rod boots all looked intact but I worry that maybe something inside is broken. I did put my car into a large flex situation on the trail, but I drive pretty slow and carefully so I’ll be surprised if it was damaged.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[ProfessorP]

Hi guys, after doing a moderate trail I started hearing a loud click, or sometimes two clicks in succession, when I turn my steering wheel.

It doesn’t happen every time I turn, but it happens maybe a fourth of the time. It happens when I turn to one side more often than the other. It kind of sounds like there is some tension that is released. I can be turning the wheel without the car going forward or reverse and it'll still happen.

It doesn't happen with each wheel revolution, just with extreme wheel turning to the left/right.

This weekend I spent a few hours retightening up the suspension bolts to spec on the left side, and it didn’t make a difference. I did install my own suspension so I was worried something may have loosened. I didn’t get to the right side so I’ll try that next but I didn't think the sound was coming from the right.

The CV and tie rod boots all looked intact but I worry that maybe something inside is broken. I did put my car into a large flex situation on the trail, but I drive pretty slow and carefully so I’ll be surprised if it was damaged.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Exactly what suspension bolts did you tighten? Lots of stuff to tighten on each side. Miss one and that could be it.

Did you tighten the long upper control arm bolt?

 

[str8flexed]

I retightened everything except the few bolts that had a metal rod going through them through them, like the one in between the two LCA bolts and the tie rod one (I think). Yes I tightened the UCA bolt, and also regreased the bushings because they were squeaky...

 

[matoolie]

Retorque LCA bolts. 130lbft. Cam bushings will not move.

 

[str8flexed]

Retorque LCA bolts. 130lbft. Cam bushings will not move.

You know, I did that last night and think it fixed the problem. Those bolts are so tight that they clunk when turned initially. I’m glad that was it and not any CV axles or anything that are broken!

 

[matoolie]

You know, I did that last night and think it fixed the problem. Those bolts are so tight that they clunk when turned initially. I’m glad that was it and not any CV axles or anything that are broken!

That was just little bit of binding releasing itself. One of my bolts did that too after I torqued them to spec. after an alignment at Toyota dealer where the tech did not torque them correctly. The high torque on the bolts prevents any inappropriate slipping within the bushings (metal washers, sleeves, brackets) and forces all movement in the rubber bushings, which are designed to flex and twist....quietly.