Bad Bearings on Front Axles

I'm wondering if I have bad bearings on my 2017 front axles. I'm hearing a clunking sound from the front, and I found a little play on the driver's side front axle where it enters the differential. Bad bearings?
If they need to be replaced, is it best to go OEM bearings again or a bushing that I saw on YouTube that is being used?

 

the needle bearing may have gone bad. You could replace it with the East Coast Gear Supply bushing.

https://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-8536125-toyota-8-clamshell-bushing-eliminates-needle-bearing.html

 

There’s always a little bit of play at the diffs if you move the CV shaft around, at least in my experience there is, and that’s with both the stock needle bearing and the ECGS bushing.

As for the front clunk, mine does that on every hard bump. Pretty sure it’s due to the low torque value for the front strut bolts. I changed to a full width bolt that fits the strut sleeve a bit better and it helped not make the noise as often, but it’s still there. I’m not sure why the strut torque specs are so low, my previous mid size trucks were around 150-175 ft lbs, not 61ft lbs.

 

I've heard of these. It may be my go-to if I have to replace the bearings. I want to make sure I need to do that first. Thanks for the link.

 

I'll look to see if I'm have the same issue as you. Thanks

 

Simplest first: check your wheel lug nuts for proper torque. It'll clunk if they loosen up.

 

i wish everything was that simple

 

The bolt you replaced and the 61 FT LBs torque that you mentioned was that for the lower bolt of the shock absorber/coil spring to the control arm?

A made a list of the torque spec's for the front suspension so I can double check these items.

 

Yes. 61 seems much too low when other midsize trucks are slightly less than 3x that torque.

 

Clunking sound from the front is usually something else, like a pulverized lower shock bushing, loose lower shock bolt, loose UCA bolt, pulverized radiator support bushing (if stock), loose radiator support bushing bolt (if upgraded)...

 

When is it clunking?
Bumps? Turning? Reverse?
All the above posts are good suggestions.
I haven't seen swaybar links mentioned. loose links and sway bar can clunk.

 

Check your ball joints! Jack up the front of the truck and see if you can "wiggle" the tire top and bottom.

If your truck is unmodified, I would suspect the ball joints over bearings.

 

Guys, you all have given me good suggestions and somethings to look at. With over 60K miles I would be surprised to find something worn out. Thanks
I'll post an update when I find where the noise is coming from.

 

For real?

 

LOL.
ty-po. I should have read what I typed before posting. That should have read...wouldn't... Thanks for pointing it out.

Anyway, I got each wheel off the ground and with the wife's help checked the front suspension for lose and worn parts and everything looks good. The noise has to be in the body somewhere up front. It was still good to look over the front suspension parts.