Loud clicking (metal-on-metal) noise - 5th Gen

[mgosts]

Looking for thoughts on a loud clicking, metal colliding, noise. I ONLY hear it when the under-side of the truck is wet, like during all this rain (for SoCal anyway) we have been having

It occurs when I start, forward or reverse, and when I begin to stop (when initially applying brakes and weight shifts). It is definitely happening when the truck's weight shifts front to back and vis versa. When weight is not shifting, spring and shocks are quiet. Already looked at suspension connection points, did not see anything obvious.

Sound is coming from under the truck, but when driving I cannot determine from exactly where.

I am hoping that one of my skid plates is just a bit loose. Gonna do some tightening this weekend. Also gonna look for some fresh metal from the sliding / colliding.

I have read some posts where brake pads are shifting back and forth in calipers, but it sounds like more than that. Sounds like a larger force than I would imagine that would come from brake pad shifting???

Actual experience AND speculation welcome!!!

Thank You

 

[4RunnerAquasport]

Has it been worked on recently? Might be a socket or something up in a skid plate. Crazier things have happened.......... I hope it's something that simple and not costly. I know I couldn't get that lucky lol.

 

[jayhat]

Spare tire loose or possible lowered a bit?

 

[mgosts]

No recent work done. It seems to be something getting looser (word?). It was much more limited clicking in the beginning, now more frequent.

Thank you for the idea. I will look for "things" floating around under there.

Has it been worked on recently? Might be a socket or something up in a skid plate. Crazier things have happened.......... I hope it's something that simple and not costly. I know I couldn't get that lucky lol.

 

[mgosts]

No spare tire. Mounted on SSO's bumper mount. I will check all bumper connections.

Spare tire loose or possible lowered a bit?

 

[toppyjai]

skid plate not properly mounted after oil change?

 

[Antman]

Lower control bolts are not tight enough. Put a socket.ratchet on them, if you can tighten them at all they were too loose. Get an alignment and make sure they are tight= 130 ft/lbs.

Happened to me...Loose LCA bolts

 

[mgosts]

[MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION], If I were a gambling man...which I am!, its got to be the same / similar issue you had.

Thank you for the info. Gonna check those bolts ASAP. I'm now thinking that the clicking started shortly after the last alignment.

So if the bolts are loose, then my alignment is out now?!?!? SH]T, that sucks.

This has been several months. If it never rained, I would have never known. I will find out if the shop will honor an alignment fix.

Thanks again...of course, unless you are wrong! hahaha, JK

Lower control bolts are not tight enough. Put a socket.ratchet on them, if you can tighten them at all they were too loose. Get an alignment and make sure they are tight= 130 ft/lbs.

Happened to me...Loose LCA bolts

 

[Patriot12]

[MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION], If I were a gambling man...which I am!, its got to be the same / similar issue you had.

Thank you for the info. Gonna check those bolts ASAP. I'm now thinking that the clicking started shortly after the last alignment.

So if the bolts are loose, then my alignment is out now?!?!? SH]T, that sucks.

This has been several months. If it never rained, I would have never known. I will find out if the shop will honor an alignment fix.

Thanks again...of course, unless you are wrong! hahaha, JK

OP, were you able to torque the LCA bolts up to spec? Did this work for you?

 

[mgosts]

OP, were you able to torque the LCA bolts up to spec? Did this work for you?

Sorry for not following through on findings. My LCA bolts were good, not the cause of noise. Its my RCI skid plates moving around when vehicle flexing to and fro.

Why is this my new guess? I took off all plates before i brought in for 30k service. Noise was gone. Put plates back on, noise returned.

I am going to put some thin rubber washers inbetween plates to see if that corrects the movement.

I am assuming the plates are shifting when truck weight is shifting front to back.

Hopefully!!! Fingers crossed. I dont like strange noises, nor clicking/banging sounds coming from belly of truck. [emoji854]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Patriot12]

Thanks for the quick reply from an old thread OP!

I don't have any aftermarket skids on so we'll see if torquing the LCAs to spec this weekend will do.