Pop! sound after lift...???

[SShink]

Over this past weekend, I installed a two and a half inch lift on my 2013 4Runner trail edition with kdss.

Eibach shocks all the way around, front set at stock height with Toytec 600lbs. lift springs & a half inch spacer ...OME rear lift springs...Toytec diff drop kit (net lift, 2- 2.5", sits level)... I also installed new brake rotors and brake pads in the front while I was at it (the Pistons all seem to retract without binding.

Everything on the lift went very well except for all the rusty bolts that I had to either cut or break and drill. Yeah 4Runner seats just the way I wanted it to and drives awesome... Much better ride than stock

I do have one problem however, when I start to apply the brakes at lower speeds When approaching a stop, I get a popping noise which seems like it's coming from the left front. This happens whether or not I am in drive or neutral... I can get it to repeatedly do it in my driveway going two or three miles an hour or on the road going 20 miles an hour. I can get it to happen whether the wheels are turned or not. It cannot get this popping sound to happen under any other circumstances.

anyone had a similar experience or have any idea what this might be?
Thanks in advance

 

[nb rob]

Did you have it aligned?

I’m betting on an undertorqued lower control arm bolt. They would shift with braking.
The spec is 133ft-lb... effing tight. I’d start there

 

[SShink]

That makes sense...I did have it aligned, but the technician at the Toyota dealer is a miserable prick and toe-n-go'd it.
My runner left with a worse right caster than it was when I drove in.

That being said, the tech told me that he "didn't do anything to the left side, it was in"...that tells me he didn't do anything to the LCA bolts on driver side.
Consequently, I only loosened the lower control arm bolts on the left side when I did the lift - on the right side I realized that I didn't need to loosen the LCA bolts to get the lower control arm out of the way enough for the lifted strut assembly.

Net-net, there's a very good possibility that the lower control arm bolts on the driver side are not torqued.

 

[nb rob]

my initial 4runner suspension upgrade actually settled more than I expected -- in that my alignment after the install was perfect, but was off after a couple weeks.

If you can get it to an alignment jedi for a follow-up, your tires will thank you.

In the meanwhile, tighten it up. I know that after doing a suspension change (and brakes too), I'm usually hyper sensitive to sounds, and it's easy to suspect the new parts are the problem. There's something about these LCAs that needs hercules strength. The original torque spec was actually 100 lb-ft in the factory service manual, but has been revised to 133. It's very common for a tech to tickle these LCA cam bolts in to place. A good discussion goes a long way.
I'm the guy that hangs around while they do it. I like to ask questions and shoot the shit.

Good luck! Hopefully you can put this behind you and enjoy the upgrade

 

[Crikeymike]

If the top nut of the struts weren't tightened down all the way, the strut shaft could be moving more than it should and making contact. Very common install error. And if it has a hard plastic boot (like ours), it can move and make noise if not properly sandwiched in. Also check the bushing/washing orientation on the strut assembly at the top.

Then 2nd would be the sway bar links, if not properly torqued down so they can't move.

 

[666HailSanta]

Did you have it aligned?

I’m betting on an undertorqued lower control arm bolt. They would shift with braking.
The spec is 133ft-lb... effing tight. I’d start there

This! Had the same exact problem.

 

[SShink]

Another strange thing I just noticed regarding this popping sound...

If the vehicle is in park or has the emergency brake engaged with it in drive, turning the steering wheel from Lock to lock does not elicit the popping sound

However, if it is in drive and I have the brakes applied, when I turn the wheel from lock the lock I get the popping sound when I turn to the right

Under normal driving conditions, the pop only happens just before the vehicle comes to a stop under braking

 

[SShink]

If the top nut of the struts weren't tightened down all the way, the strut shaft could be moving more than it should and making contact. Very common install error. And if it has a hard plastic boot (like ours), it can move and make noise if not properly sandwiched in. Also check the bushing/washing orientation on the strut assembly at the top.

Then 2nd would be the sway bar links, if not properly torqued down so they can't move.

I used to brand new KYB strut mounts when I assembled the struts. They have the inside rubber bushing made as part of the mount. When I assembled them I did so in the following order - strut, washer, mount (including rubber inside) rubber on top, washer. When I tightened the nut on the top of the strut stud, I have about four threads visible on top of the nut. The rubber on top is smashed down to between half to two-thirds of its uncompressed height. All of this was done in accordance with the Eibach instructions. In addition, all three nuts on top of the strut mount are good and tight. There's really no way that the top portion of the strut could be causing the noise. Besides, I'd imagine if anything up there was loose or wrong, I'd be getting noise at times other than when I hit the brakes

 

[SShink]

Thanks... Good to hear that a few people seem to have this same issue... It definitely fits with my loosening of LCA on that side only when I get to the installation. It also fits with the lackie alignment technician's narrative that he didn't touch the lower control arm cans on the driver side. I have an alignment appointment with an off-road guy on Tuesday...He looked at my alignment spec sheet and thought he could do a better job at anyway.

 

[SShink]

If the top nut of the struts weren't tightened down all the way, the strut shaft could be moving more than it should and making contact. Very common install error. And if it has a hard plastic boot (like ours), it can move and make noise if not properly sandwiched in. Also check the bushing/washing orientation on the strut assembly at the top.

Then 2nd would be the sway bar links, if not properly torqued down so they can't move.

 

[SShink]

Problem solved...got another alignment, by an alignment Jedi, who fully torqued the LCA bolts and the pop sound is gone (runner drives much tighter too).

This alignment master was also able to get well within the factory specification for the alignment, kudos to the JBA upper control arms.

Thanks for all your help!

 

[matoolie]

Had same problem after alignment at local Toyota dealership. Got my torque wrench and took care of it. None of the 4 LCA bolts were torqued to 130lbft. 1 of bolts on passenger side turned about 3/4" of turn before reaching torque. :doh:

Why I hate it when I can't do the work myself. "Pops" are now gone.

 

[MyanRagahis]

What are the odds of the alignment actually shifting out of place when y'all get the popping noise, then toque it back down?

My LCA popped easily after a second alignment and the guy even showed me he torqued it to 129. Every now and then I can re-tighten them a quarter of a turn to 129. It can either pop out from a full lock u turn or purposely braking hard in my driveway.
Not sure if bad bushings or anything. Cam tabs/bolts don't look messed up either.

I actually have dirt king lower control arms on the way so I could report back at some point. Lower ball joint on the driver was starting to leak grease anyway.
I may thinking about putting blue loctite this install.

 

[matoolie]

What are the odds of the alignment actually shifting out of place when y'all get the popping noise, then toque it back down?

My LCA popped easily after a second alignment and the guy even showed me he torqued it to 129. Every now and then I can re-tighten them a quarter of a turn to 129. It can either pop out from a full lock u turn or purposely braking hard in my driveway.
Not sure if bad bushings or anything. Cam tabs/bolts don't look messed up either.

I actually have dirt king lower control arms on the way so I could report back at some point. Lower ball joint on the driver was starting to leak grease anyway.
I may thinking about putting blue loctite this install.

As long as the camber and toe end cam bolts/plates are not moving you should be OK. Mine would pop with the exact scenarios you described and I only have 45k on my truck, so I would think your bushings should be OK. I am sure the bushing movement causing the pop is less than you think and sounds like it is. I marked all my alignment plates before I torqued my bolts and nothing moved.

 

[MyanRagahis]

Bit of an update. I installed my Dirt King lowers this weekend and it's gotten rid of my alignment/pop issues I had with OEM. Tried hard to get it to pop too.

I found quite a bit of rust and debris on the holes where the eccentric bolts would go and a lot of surface rust behind the cam tabs where the washer contacts the frame ( i think it's all one piece with the rubber bushing).
Maybe that's why it was able to slip easily and pop, no idea. Also could have been messed up bushings or bent things like the washer from trails while it was loosened up.

But all in all happy with these lower arms.

 

[T4R03]

As long as the camber and toe end cam bolts/plates are not moving you should be OK. Mine would pop with the exact scenarios you described and I only have 45k on my truck, so I would think your bushings should be OK. I am sure the bushing movement causing the pop is less than you think and sounds like it is. I marked all my alignment plates before I torqued my bolts and nothing moved.

Sorry to reply to a older thread but I did have a question for ya since it seems like I have the same problem and was only able to torque down the bolts closest to the rear of the vehicle. Didn't help that it's 15 degrees out but would it be a problem you think if I drove like this for two more weeks? I got an alignment about 4 months ago and the popping started yesterday after getting my A/T tires installed. They're pretty aggressive and heavy.

 

[matoolie]

Sorry to reply to a older thread but I did have a question for ya since it seems like I have the same problem and was only able to torque down the bolts closest to the rear of the vehicle. Didn't help that it's 15 degrees out but would it be a problem you think if I drove like this for two more weeks? I got an alignment about 4 months ago and the popping started yesterday after getting my A/T tires installed. They're pretty aggressive and heavy.

I would think it will be OK. The noises are inappropriate slipping within the bushings (metal washers, sleeves, brackets) instead of just the rubber, which is designed to flex and twist....quietly.
As long as the noise is just occasionally and random and not over every bump or movement of the suspension should be OK.