Loud Suspension Clunk - LCA Bolts

So, my loud clunk i've been hearing on my truck has gotten progressively worse. I climbed under the truck and checked the torq on a few things. From everything I've read, it sounded like the LCA bolts where the most likely culprit. Drivers side wasnt loose, but it wasnt 100 ft lbs either, I had no issues snugging that back up. The passenger side was a different story. i went to tighten the nut and because of how smoothly the drivers side went, I maybe didnt take the necessary precautions. I went to tighten the nut, and the cam tab just started rotating with it. So, the alignment cam is all out of whack now I'm sure. And, its not torq'd to 100 ft lbs. I'm assuming the two pieces became seized together. Looking at the bolt in question, does this look off? I feel like it looks maybe a little bent? Also, do the bushings on these LCA's typically only stick out on one side of the control arm? I did not notice any bushing material on the other side.

 

Looks to me like the reason you got the extra movement on the bolts is because the bushings are toast. Notice how the bottom of the bracket now bends inwards? You took up the space the bushings were meant to by bending the bracket.

 

Thats what i had initially thought, but it looks like this on the other side too, just without the bent looking part.

I mean, the bushing looks the same on both sides. Not to say that both arent shot, I'll have to take a closer look.

 

could be radiator support bushings?

 

The bolt looks bent to me. You could also be dealing with fused part or bad bushings. Doesn't the flange have alignment tabs? Maybe those are bent or sheared off? I recall that being a concern when I replaced my bushings and bolts a few years ago. In my case, the passenger side bolts were totally seized and fused to the bushings so that the rotation I was getting in the LCA was totally due to the shear deformation of the rubber bushings

If it were me, I'd replace the bolts and bushings completely. I believe I used the thread below for the parts and sequencing.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-hardware-explanation-on-how-it-works.761961/

 

When does your clunk happen?

 

anytime the weight of the truck is being shifted around in the front. bumps, turning the steering wheel and shifting the weight from one side to the other.

 

i can pretty much tell when its going to do it, i'll try to get a video of it. its loud.

 

its almost like the inner sleeve of the bushing has collapsed to allow you to clamp it down like that to bend stuff.

 

Check your UCA bolts too.

 

I checked those as well. I had to replace my UCAs last summer, and the bolts looked trashed even before disassembly, so I replaced all of those with new hardware. Their torq specs were off, but not by much. I think I got another 1/4 turn out of those before the wrench clicked.

 

Yeah... that's not normal.

Pull the bolt apart (at a minimum) and inspect everything, but I'd anticipate potential LCA replacement.

Replacing just the bushings is a pain, and paying a shop to do it (parts + labor) will exceed the cost of new LCA's.

 

I have an appt at a different shop tomorrow morning. I let them know what I investigated and what was discussed here. HOPEFULLY they see the issue as easily lol.

 

The shop just called, there is definite slop at the rear bushings of the control arms, they're going to replace all of the bolts, hardware, and LCAs. Shame those things don't last more than 70K miles but, thats just my estimate from when the frame work was done by the previous owner.

 

whoops, nevermind. i can't math today. There's probably closer to 85K miles on those parts.

 

Not that it helps your situation, but I don't perceive this to be a common issue. Sounds like defective parts, extreme wear due to intense use, or previous owner DIY f'd some stuff up. I replaced my LCA bushings on my 2008 with around 160k miles, and they were nothing like that. Something about yours is way off.

 

Didn't they replace the LCA's with the frame replacements? I just assumed these were the same age / mileage of the frame, but that might not be the case. I know i've never replaced them in my ownership.

 

I doubt that the LCAs were replaced with the frame. My 2008 had the frame replacement done, but the LCAs remained original from what I could tell.

 

Sorry for late response. My 2013 has a clunk & was wondering if it was same thing. Mine doesn’t happen enough for a shop to get a diagnosis on it.

 

Alright, here's another thing to add now. The shop called me and said they are having some issues with the front 5100s, the lower shock bolt is seized to the sleeve of the bushing and the whole thing is rotating now when they try to remove the bolt. He said to his knowledge there is no replacement for just the lower bushing and sleeve. This 5100s arent even 4 years old yet. Am I stuck ordering new 5100s for both sides? Or is there a way to replace the lower bushing / sleeve in these? I have a new pair in my shopping cart right now, just waiting to pull the trigger lol