(Solved) Metallic clunk from front end (with video)

I have been hearing this clunk noise from my drivers side front end area when I drive over certain bumps. All suspension components seem tight and I have checked the torque of the cam bolts.

I have included a video of the suspension as the noise happens. I don’t see anything out of the ordinary in the video. I don’t see anything making contact such as the sway bar and the strut and I don’t think that the strut would be bottoming out.

I’m wondering if one of the body mount bushings could have gone bad. The truck is a 2018 with under 5000km (3100 miles). I also have included a video of what the clunk sounds like from inside the cab. The GoPro filming the suspension didn’t quite pick up the noise but me filming in the truck did. This leads me to think that it could in fact be the rear body mount bushing as the clunk definitely could be coming from underneath the foot well/drivers seat area.

Any suggestions on what this sound could be would be greatly appreciated before I try to bring it into the dealer. The truck has about a 3 inch lift with Bilstein shocks and SPC upper control arms, not sure on the brand of springs offhand.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnP14cpnYtk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux6vqc0rmas

 

Can't help but those videos are on point. Someone will have an answer for sure.

 

Get in there with a prybar and start wiggling things. Check your battery hold down as well.

 

Thanks man, yeah hopefully someone will have some insight on the situation.

 

Simular to my thud I have. Narrowed it down to the shock over extending because it only happens when the wheel drops super quick.
I also have bilstein and spc with ome 887 springs, but i added a 1/2" top plate spacer that makes the shocknover extend now, barely.
Its possible your springs are rated for the bilstein properly and also over extend.
Straps that stop it are an option to keep it from extending.
Whats your cv angles like? Any fins touching on the inner boot?

 

Sounds like skid making contact with frame, make sure its tight and not bent

 

I think I got the same thing going on. Sound is coming from driver side front as well. I’m on 5100s, 887s, and SPCs. I changed my body mount bushings and passenger side was shot, driver side still good, and still had the noise. I’ve since removed my sway bar which seems to have helped but won’t know for sure until I hit the trails again.

 

I appreciate your input, here's a picture of my cv angles.

 

Liftcraft - Fits 2005-2022 Toyota Tacoma & 2003-2009 Toyota 4Runner Sway Bar Drop Brackets Relocator 2WD 4WD Kit

https://www.amazon.com/Liftcraft-2005-2015-Tacoma-Brackets-Relocator/dp/B00XQKR67Q

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W8aqkQpcx6s

 

Update for anyone interested, I double checked that all the suspension bolts were torqued to spec. The only thing I wasn't sure about was the top strut nut. I'm not sure how tight it should be and how much the bushing should be compressed. Looking at the visible threads on the stud, it looks equal to the one on the other side. I included a picture of it below. I added more grease to the SPC upper control arms and removed the skid plate and sway bar. I still heard the clunk noise over certain bumps/dips.

I did discover that there is a front differential drop kit installed on the truck. Unsure if that could be the source of the clunk noise. I may try to go get some shorter bolts and remove the differential drop and see if that helps.

 

Mine banged before and after my dif drop

 

Maybe it's just the angle...
It looks like your coil is bending in compresion and hitting the frame.

 

I think it is just the wide angle of the Go-Pro making it look that way. I went and looked and there is a good amount of space between the spring and the frame. I also didn't see any marks showing that the spring had contacted the frame. Good eye though!

 

Front radiator support bushings

 

I had my truck at dealership for a/c repair and mentioned the same sound on my truck. They were able to duplicate the sound and ordered new bushings. We'll see if that solves the issue. Return appt. Is set for Friday. I'll update then.

 

After removing the diff drop the clunk is still there. My two leading ideas now on what the clunk could be are, either the shock is bottoming out or a radiator/body mount bushing went bad.

I am waiting for a text from the dealer that I bought the truck from to confirm what brand the springs are. Maybe the Bilsteins and the springs are not a good pair together. I realized that they set my Bilstein 5100's at the top notch which I am thinking may be to much preload and causing them to bottom out and that is the noise I am hearing. However I only seem to hear the clunk from the drivers side, if the Bilsteins were bottoming out, I would think that I would hear the clunk from both the driver and passenger side.

 

I had the exact same noise going over bumps. Drove me nuts for 6 months. In the end it was the rear passenger-side body mount, at least in my case. It was loose and the cab would knock against the mount.

Tighten your body mount bolts. 6 months of annoyance for 2 minutes of tightening.

 

I’ll have them check my bushings when I take my truck in on the next service. My truck makes the same noise, only on front passenger side, same bump every morning pulling out of my place. Or I’ll check they are right myself. Great videos op.

 

I just went and checked the drivers side rear body mount. I wasn't to sure of the torque spec but I went off this thread for the 2nd gens: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/body-mount-bushing-install-now-with-pictures.432885/

I checked with my torque wrench and the rear body mount was torqued to 34 ft-lbs so it seems good and tight. I didn't check the front body mount as I didn't want to take off the fender liner, I think I'll leave that up to the dealer if I take it in.

 

I'll be watching this thread. I have the same pop. Replaced front radiator mount bushings and had zero effect.