Front popping after alignment/pot hole.

Brought my truck in this afternoon for an alignment and they got it within spec. They said everything looked decent mechanically (just bought it a couple weeks ago) but it was way out of whack. The adjustment bolts are also getting pretty rusty.

Anyway, pulled out of the shop and whacked a good pot hole at about 25 mph. Heard a smack, but nothing unusual. (Hit my fair share of potholes here in Vermont)

Truck drove so much better due to the alignment, however I noticed a loud popping noise (from the front right-- pothole side) pulling into a parking spot when I turned the wheel far left.

Tried it a couple times, and it pops louder if there's more down-force on the front side. i.e. pulling into a spot sloped forward or at a faster speed. Doesn't pop just turning the wheel left/right while sitting still.

Looked briefly in the wheel well and couldn't see anything out of place or unusual. Just fed up and annoyed right now so I figured out reach out for some advice.

 

Maybe someone else will chime in on this, but it sounds like a CV joint binding.

If your alignment was way out of wack, and by fixing camber they added to the angle of the CV joint, it could bind. Usually a CV that is at an extreme angle, but not TOO extreme to bind all of the time, will "pop" (bind) when it is subjected to a turn, or change in geometry when the suspension flexes.

Do you have a lift that would increase the driveline angles?

 

Post some more info about your truck. I remember you have another thread and your truck has a spacer lift correct?

 

Since you just got the alignment done, the tech may not have tightened those lower control arm nuts n bolts up tight enough. They need to be at 100ftlbs, or the bushings will make popping noises. Get those torqued to spec, and if after that, you still hear the popping noise, then it may either be your CV or a ball joint popping. Good luck

 

X2.....


and check to make sure the alignment shop didn't crush your cam tabs during the alignment.

this is good
http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz51/boydmiller/Truck/021-2.jpg

http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz51/boydmiller/IFS BS/022_zps9fb860b5.jpg

this is bad
http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data/500/medium/PICT1753.JPG

http://www.tacomaworld.com/gallery/data/500/medium/PICT1751.JPG

 

This

Same thing happened on my truck

 

Sorry, I've got a 2009 AC OR with what I believe is a 2" coil spacer in the front and a rear 1.5" AAL.

I just took a look at the cam tabs and they're good.

I'm going to call the shop tomorrow, have them look at it again and double check the torque on the bolts.

Would a 2" front coil spacer change the angle enough for CVs to bind? The popping also sounds like its only coming from the right side.

I appreciate the help, fellas.

 

check sway bar endlinks, when they get ready to blow a bushing a pothole will do it

 

So I brought the truck back in today. The mechanic pointed out that the stops on my wheel hubs look like the could've caused the popping at full lock. He put a layer of grease on them.

I also had him re-torque the bolts on the LCAs.

I personally believe the noise was coming from the LCA bushings, but nonetheless, I couldn't make it pop at full lock this afternoon. Problem solved.

He also said my bushings seem to be pretty seized when he aligned it. He recommended replacing them within the next year. Any idea how much it'll run me to replace the LCA bushings?

 

if the cam tabs are seized to the bushings........sorry to say this but the alignment won't stay aligned. As the LCA moves it will move the alignment if truly seized. See here for LCA cam replacement and within that is a link to the bushings. http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/su...-cam-replacement-2005-tacoma.html#post5088138

 

Bummer, he said the front LCA cam hardware is very stiff, but the back hardware is fine.

 

Probably seized to the sleeves inside the bushings

 

Just popped again this evening. Time to get the bushings replaced?