Front Suspension Noises after lift - Solved

[kingofthehill]

THis has been driving me crazy. I lifted my 4runner back in May. I have put close to 4,000 mile on it since I lifted it. The noises I was hearing started with a slight squeak at slow speeds while turning or hitting brakes. I could only hear it with window down and radio off. It slowly started getting louder. Then I finally decided to change sway bar bushings. After that it quieted down for a couple of days. Then started getting louder. Eventually it got to the point I can hear it with windows up and radio off. I have sprayed silicon oil and lithium grease on every friction point I can think of and I have re-tightened everything. Now its developing into more of a clunk/squeak and I can hear it with the radio on.

Last night I found one of my cam bolts on the LCA was loose, I was able to get about 2-3 turns on it with a wrench before it snugged up. I then drove it and it seemed to have corrected the problem. This morning it was quiet for a while and then came back with a vengeance. The clunk is louder and more pronounced now then it ever was and the squeaking seems to have disappeared. I am stressed out about this and I have no idea what to do now. I dont want to start dropping ton of money on this to fix if I don't know what needs to be fixed.

Originally the squeak could be heard by shaking the vehicle back and forth but as of this morning, after driving and the clunk coming back, I can shake the vehicle back and forth and it make absolutely no weird noises. This new clunk is noticeable while driving slow, braking, and turning. I dont hear it if I am accelerating.

Edit: A little more info. I drove it around on lunch and it was louder than it ever has been. It isn't really a clunk it it more of repeated popping noises. Typically while on the brake and louder when on the brake and turning. I then drove it though a car wash. After that it was quiet again. It was like this every time I sprayed silicon oil. It would be quiet and then come back after sitting for a few hours. I also looked underneath and I cant find any spots where there appears to be metal on metal wear.

Solution (7/16/2018):
I am going to call this one solved. I have driven a little over 200 miles on varying road conditions without my odd clunk/pop/squeak noises coming back. I would like to thank [MENTION=76583]Morphyne[/MENTION], [MENTION=217462]81runner[/MENTION], and [MENTION=149207]AuSeeker[/MENTION] for your help and recommendations. If anyone has an issue like this I want to make it easy to fix by posting the solution in my original post. My noises were caused by loose LCA bolts. They either loosened up after my alignment or were never tightened properly. I am going to guess it was the latter in my case. As stated later in this thread by [MENTION=149207]AuSeeker[/MENTION] always check the torque of your LCA bolts after having an alignment done.

 

[Morphyne]

Sounds like you ran around for 4000 miles po n a loose lca bolt and now you wallered out your lca bushing and maybe even damaged your lower ball joint. If it were me I would replace those items. And also make sure all your other bolts are tight

 

[kingofthehill]

Sounds like you ran around for 4000 miles po n a loose lca bolt and now you wallered out your lca bushing and maybe even damaged your lower ball joint. If it were me I would replace those items. And also make sure all your other bolts are tight

This is a perfect example why I hate dealing with mechanics. If this is true that it is my LCA bushing due to not being torqued properly. I had my alignment done at a local shop. According to the online reviews they were the most reputable shop in my area. I have been thinking ever since I noticed the loose bolt that my issue was somehow related. The lesson to be learned here is never take your vehicle to a mechanic unless you absolutely have to (can't do it yourself due to lack of specialty equipment.) and always double check the mechanics work.

Im going to try loosening my LCA bolts and re-torquing them to 100 ft/lbs this weekend and see if that helps. If not Im going to change out all 4 lca bushings. What are the recommended brands? I see Toyota ones are around $60 each and Moog are around $15 each. Energy suspension kit is about $100. How hard is it to change out Lower control arm bushings, Ive never done it before? Or is it just more simple to replace the lower control arms?

 

[Morphyne]

This is a perfect example why I hate dealing with mechanics. If this is true that it is my LCA bushing due to not being torqued properly. I had my alignment done at a local shop. According to the online reviews they were the most reputable shop in my area. I have been thinking ever since I noticed the loose bolt that my issue was somehow related. The lesson to be learned here is never take your vehicle to a mechanic unless you absolutely have to (can't do it yourself due to lack of specialty equipment.) and always double check the mechanics work.

Im going to try loosening my LCA bolts and re-torquing them to 100 ft/lbs this weekend and see if that helps. If not Im going to change out all 4 lca bushings. What are the recommended brands? I see Toyota ones are around $60 each and Moog are around $15 each. Energy suspension kit is about $100. How hard is it to change out Lower control arm bushings, Ive never done it before? Or is it just more simple to replace the lower control arms?

I heard that this is a pretty big job for the uninitiated. I am actually going to be doing a bushing job soon with the energy kit. I will be posting detailed experiences. I also have a set of moods if the energies don't do well

 

[81runner]

THis has been driving me crazy. I lifted my 4runner back in May. I have put close to 4,000 mile on it since I lifted it. The noises I was hearing started with a slight squeak at slow speeds while turning or hitting brakes. I could only hear it with window down and radio off. It slowly started getting louder. Then I finally decided to change sway bar bushings. After that it quieted down for a couple of days. Then started getting louder. Eventually it got to the point I can hear it with windows up and radio off. I have sprayed silicon oil and lithium grease on every friction point I can think of and I have re-tightened everything. Now its developing into more of a clunk/squeak and I can hear it with the radio on.

Last night I found one of my cam bolts on the LCA was loose, I was able to get about 2-3 turns on it with a wrench before it snugged up. I then drove it and it seemed to have corrected the problem. This morning it was quiet for a while and then came back with a vengeance. The clunk is louder and more pronounced now then it ever was and the squeaking seems to have disappeared. I am stressed out about this and I have no idea what to do now. I dont want to start dropping ton of money on this to fix if I don't know what needs to be fixed.

Originally the squeak could be heard by shaking the vehicle back and forth but as of this morning, after driving and the clunk coming back, I can shake the vehicle back and forth and it make absolutely no weird noises. This new clunk is noticeable while driving slow, braking, and turning. I dont hear it if I am accelerating.

Edit: A little more info. I drove it around on lunch and it was louder than it ever has been. It isn't really a clunk it it more of repeated popping noises. Typically while on the brake and louder when on the brake and turning. I then drove it though a car wash. After that it was quiet again. It was like this every time I sprayed silicon oil. It would be quiet and then come back after sitting for a few hours. I also looked underneath and I cant find any spots where there appears to be metal on metal wear.

Did you drop the diff, by chance? I had this issue and traced it to loose lca bolts and the diff drop. Tightened the lca, took the diff drop out one side at a time, greased the puck and bolt, reinstalled and torqued (125 lb/ft) and did the other side. Haven't heard squat since, i been wheeling at least 5 times since then and it was in March of this year.
As to lca bushings, at that point, just replace the lcas. You really don't want to spend all day to save a couple bucks when you have to take them out to change bushings anyhow. I went with Detroit axle reman lcas, they work just fine, only took me an hour to install. A little harder getting the two bolts for the ball joint lined up when the joint is fresh.

 

[kingofthehill]

Did you drop the diff, by chance? I had this issue and traced it to loose lca bolts and the diff drop. Tightened the lca, took the diff drop out one side at a time, greased the puck and bolt, reinstalled and torqued (125 lb/ft) and did the other side. Haven't heard squat since, i been wheeling at least 5 times since then and it was in March of this year.

No diff drop. I did tighten my LCA with a wrench when I found it was loose. The sound went away for an hour of driving then came back. I found information stating that the proper torque is 100ft/lbs for the 4th gens so this weekend I am going to check all the LCA bolts and make sure they are all at least 100 ft/lbs. I saw one post that one guy stated his LCA bolts were torqued to around 80 fl/lbs and he was getting similar noises. When he torqued it to 100 ft/lbs his noises went away. With limited mobility and a wrench I don't think I could have gotten it all the way to 100. I keep this thread posed on what I do and hopefully when I find the exact culprit. Im just hoping that the LCA bushings are not shot now like [MENTION=76583]Morphyne[/MENTION] said could be my issue.

 

[81runner]

Then I think you are zeroed in on the problem. I remember a week after I installed my lcas I was getting noise, and yes it's quite difficult to get 100 ft/lb on a wrench. I would suggest a cheater bar for leverage, but then you will be close to the ground, so limited for space and room to swing.

 

[kingofthehill]

Then I think you are zeroed in on the problem. I remember a week after I installed my lcas I was getting noise, and yes it's quite difficult to get 100 ft/lb on a wrench. I would suggest a cheater bar for leverage, but then you will be close to the ground, so limited for space and room to swing.

Im hoping I did. But Im scared that it may be worse. I forgot to mention in my earlier posts the bolt that was loose looks like it may be slightly bent. The head does not sit flush with the camber plate. after tightening it it did sit flush. I figure I may have to also order a new set of camber bolts.

As for torquing them I have access to a 4 post lift but I dont think I should torque them with no weight on them. I also have access to a set of ramps. That should give me enough clearance to get under the vehicle with a torque wrench.

Im debating ordering a new set of control arm bushings. I can get 4 moog control arm bushings and a set of 4 new toyota camber bolts, plates and nuts for a little less than $200. The only issue I have now is alignment, I dont trust my current shop and I paid for lifetime alignments. I think Ill wait and do this if torquing my LCA bolts down properly doesn't correct my issue.

 

[AuSeeker]

Since the camber bolts are so senitive to being torqued properly I would advise anyone who gets an alignment, if they're capable of doing so is to retorque the bolts afterwards and then check them again after a week or so.

There are numerous posts of the bolts loosening soon after a alignment was done!!

 

[kingofthehill]

Ok I just got back from a 20 mile test drive and my noises appear to be gone. Hopefully they stay that way. I torqued my LCA bolts to 110 ft/lbs. Both drivers side bolts were at least at 110 ft/lbs and both passenger side ones were under 80 ft/lbs. I will update with more info once I get a chance to drive it some more. Hopefully this fixes the issue. Thank you everyone for your help and pointers.

 

[Brownfaux]

Good fix. I've had my share of squeaks and what not. The only one that grease and tightening didn't fix was the lanyard bar clunking when entering driveways at an angle. I replaced the bushings, (I have a press and it was still an absolute bear) and after wheeling it hard the clunk came back. Now I just live with it.

 

[kingofthehill]

Suspension noises fixed

I feel that my issue is solved at this point. I have driven it over 200 mile and have not heard it come back. Thanks for your help everyone. I also added my solution to the original post so that if anyone has a similar issue it will make it easier to find an answer.