Can't track down noise

I'm really struggling to find the source of a noise I'm getting from my truck. It happens at low speeds, when the steering is turned. Sometimes the noise will happen when in reverse, going over a bump, but only if the steering is turned. I don't hear it at high speeds, and I don't typically hear it during normal operation of the truck.

I had my truck at Toyota at the beginning of the month for the timing chain leak repair. I asked the tech to have a look at things while he was under the truck, and he said everything looked okay. Ball joints, wheel bearings, tie rods, steering rack all looked okay to him. Everything is greased appropriately and everything is torqued correctly.

I've attached a video from inside the truck, and you can hear the noise. It is more pronounced in the second half of the video. It is much louder in person than the video makes it seem. The best way to describe it would be a dull thud. It sounds very similar to what a heartbeat sounds like on a sonogram.

 

With engine running look under hood while someone turns steering wheel like in video. Watch the Power steering line movement as they pressurize to see where it's hitting.
Fix may involve ZIP TIES.

 

Thanks, I can give that a shot. I should mention that the noise does not occur while the truck is stationary, even if I turn the wheel with the same amount of force.

 

That changes things.
Check steering rack bushings and free play. Could be loose rack mounts.

 

I’ll do that. Any idea if I can get to those with my IFS skid on? Would turn a 10 minute job into an hour job.

 

Taking a look takes 1 - 2 minutes

 

I"ll try and look today. I have a newborn at home, so it isn't always easy to get out to the garage so it's good to know these things

 

Checked the rack. Bolts are tight. My 3rd. gen doesn’t have the same kind of bushings earlier gens did. Everything about it looked fine.

I’m actually starting to suspect the noise is coming from the rear. Standing along side the truck with my wife making the noise I swear it’s the leaf springs. I ordered Deavers to replace my Dakar’s for an unrelated reason and those will go on next week, so I’ll know then if it’s the leafs.

 

Could be the front body mounts, they've been known to go bad in just a few thousand miles from new.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...at-noise-may-not-be-your-leaf-springs.464993/

 

I didn't have that noise but a loud annoying squeak for weeks when below freezing as i was driving. Found it by accident when i adjusted the steering wheel by moving it up, and down and in, and out.

 

Those are the radiator mounts, right? I changed those two years ago, chasing down another noise. Turned out the source of that noise was a loose bolt through the cab mount. The bushing there could very well be shot.

 

Did you change them to the OEM rubber or the Energy Suspension poly bushings?

 

Energy. If it’s body mounts I think it’s the cab mounts. The energy bushings on the radiator should still be good.

 

sounds like sway bar links. they develop play over time

 

No sway bar for me. I’ve got a list of what I know isn’t causing the noise at this point.

 

Troubleshooting 101. Sometimes a "lost art" and definately something no longer stressed in schools.

 

Noises and leaks are my least favorite things to track down. But I’ll get this fucker or I won’t sleep.
I’m still leaning towards leaf springs. Going to mount a camera underneath today and see if I can track it down.

 

Update.

I'm about 99% sure it is indeed my leaf springs. It's a little hard to hear in this video, but if you listen close you'll hear the noise. Watch the front eye of the leaf. It is sliding left and right as the truck rocks back and forth, hitting both sides of the shackle (or is it called a hanger in the front?). Either way, I'm very confident I've found the source and I'll know for sure when I swap these leafs out for Deavers. It's just a coincidence I'm switching leaf packs, since I need more capacity since I added my swingout HC bumper.

 

looks like you need to reset your leaf pack