Firestone Alignment and Now Loud Pop at full lock

[Yoter]

I took my 4runner in to firestone yesterday for an alignment I have their lifetime alignment and even though I had them align it after installing my lift the camber was still off.
I took it to the Firestone on 4238 Broadway in Oakland. I had never taken it to this location before but I was having an oil change done at the dealer across the street and it was ideal timing.
The tech yesterday "Luis" didn't manage to align the vehicle but instead made it so bad that I couldn't drive it home. After being told be him that it was fine to drive, I drove two blocks with my front wheels pointing in opposite directions! I turned right around and notified them that I cant accept the car in that condition.
At this point they were already closing up for the night so I left the 4runner with them over night. I woke up this morning got a ride to the shop and they showed me a new print out with everything in spec.
They explained that the Tech yesterday was new etc.. etc..
I drive almost all the way home about 10 miles and right before I get to my house I have to make my first U Turn. I turn the wheel to full lock to the left and hear a loud POP coming from the front drivers side wheel. :ybrick:
I have never heard anything like this before and have no idea what it could be.
The original tech who worked on the car yesterday was struggling with the tie rods, first tightening the lock nuts rather than loosening them. And then not being able to brake the lock nuts free. I looked at the nuts today and they are almost completely stripped.
He also was not countering the force he was applying to the tie rods, he was using just one wrench.
Could this have damaged something?
Thanks for the help I dont want to go wrongfully pointing fingers at them but im very disappointed right now.

 

[mikebontoft]

well... see if you can get under there and find anything loose.

This is why I decided against working there.

 

[Yoter]

Thanks for the advice Mike. I double checked the Camber and Caster adjustment nuts and the Tie Rods. They all seem to be properly tightened although I didn't use a wrench just my hands. I am going to try and tighten them with a wrench right now.
I also went for a test drive to show my Dad the noise it was making. We were only able to produce the noise at full lock while turing left with the vehicle also leaning to the left.
I dont see how it could be related to a CV but thats all I could come up with while searching the site.
Could it be that the tie rod is extended too far?
Or does it sound like the tie rod is going bad/ is bad?

 

[mikebontoft]

You won't be able to move any of the adjustment bolts by hand. Especially not with the control arms loaded.

Might be worth a try to check the rack for loose/worn bushings and the tie rod adjusting sleeves (or the jam nut if it's just the outer tie rod end)

 

[shootmymime]

could it be the stops on the knuckle that keep the wheels over extending?

at full lock (pulling into parking spots for me) sometimes i will hear a pop or a click like metal hitting together. its just the knuckle hitting against the lower control arm if you look on the back side of it you will see a flat spot where they come together at full lock.

just a thought but could that be it? if you dont understand my explanation let me know ill run outside and snap a pic of where its located.

 

[mikebontoft]

You know, I meant to ask that ^^ too, but I forgot.... One of mine fell off. Terrible noise while turning full lock only if the vehicle leans.

 

[Yoter]

could it be the stops on the knuckle that keep the wheels over extending?

at full lock (pulling into parking spots for me) sometimes i will hear a pop or a click like metal hitting together. its just the knuckle hitting against the lower control arm if you look on the back side of it you will see a flat spot where they come together at full lock.

just a thought but could that be it? if you dont understand my explanation let me know ill run outside and snap a pic of where its located.

Thanks ShootMyMime! I think you are correct. Its odd I have put about 80k miles on my 4runner and never experienced this. I guess with the lift and finally having it correctly aligned it changed the angles and brought them closer. I couldnt replicate the noise in the garage but at full lock they are very close I'd say 1mm. I took a picture, I am on my cell phone right now but will post the pictures when I get home.
Thanks again, this forum is awesome!

 

[mikebontoft]

I put some grease on mine. There's a plastic cap that should be on there, but one fell off. I've just been lazy on fixing it.

 

[Yoter]

Hi below are the pictures I took. I apologize they are crapy cell phone pictures with flash. I hope this clearly shows the issue.
I believe this is what [MENTION=14772]shootmymime[/MENTION] and [MENTION=86948]mikebontoft[/MENTION] were describing as the possible culprit of the noise. I am going to paint the surfaces white at some point tomorrow or the day after and then try and replicate the sound and see if they made contact just to be 100%. The shiny area of the two faces in the second picture does show they made contact recently.

 

[mikebontoft]

OK. not what I was thinking of, but mine is different anyway. It does appear though to have made contact and either way, metal on metal will make that noise.

It also appears that the more you adjust the tie rod sleeve, the closer that part of the knuckle will get to the lower ball joint at full lock. I think I'm looking at it from the back to the front, which means your tech had to have adjusted the toe out some. (likely showing negative toe-in)

Do you know what it was set at? I'd have them set toe-in at .02 on both sides as long as it means toe will become more positive (toe-in) than it currently is. Generally you set toe-in just a bit on RWD vehicles as it will come to zero when the vehicle is loaded during driving (front end picks up some and the wheels pull out a bit).

 

[shootmymime]

yep thats exactly what i am talking about. although your alignment specs are spot on, they would have had to adjust the outer tie rod to adjust the toe, that could change the gap between those bump stops for the steering.

its nothing to worry about. Glad we could help solve your problem.

do you have any more questions?

 

[mikebontoft]

ah nuts, you posted my exact thought as I was writing my edit. lol.

 

[hrt4me]

thanks for the informative posts; I am planning to take my 4Runner sometime this week for their lifetime alignment...

 

[Yoter]

thanks for the informative posts; I am planning to take my 4Runner sometime this week for their lifetime alignment...

I am not sure if all FireStone locations are like this, but the one I went to only had the "Senior" Mechanics working in the morning. Also the guy doing the alignment (a non-senior mechanic) did not have the 24mm wrench necessary for adjusting the tie rods. My tie rods nuts are now rather stripped because they used vice grips! to adjust them. Just something to look out for. Hope it works out for you.