Grinding/ Seizing from front end after 3" OME lift

Hello all, I just found this forum and this is my first post. I searched around the forum and have seen similar problems, but my issue seems different. I installed a 3 " OME lift with a diff drop almost 3 months ago on my 07 TRD. In the last week when I am turning left, I have noticed a grinding and kind of clanking noise coming from the drivers side front end, sometimes the noise occurs slightly while slowing down too. I have also noticed that the steering wheel jerks to the right when slowing down.

After reading a few posts I decided to try and put it into 4WD to see if this made the sound dissapear. It makes the sound way worse, and almost seizes the front end. In 4WD I could not turn at all and it seemed like the front drivers side was locking up. Any ideas what this could be, I am calling the shop today that installed the lift, but would like some ideas of what could be the issue.

Thanks in advance

 

Bingo

 

Wow, I am impressed with the fast responses. Thanks alot. If it is the wheel bearing it makes sense that the sound worsens with 4WD engaged? Also, could this be due to improper install of the lift kit? SOrry for my ignorance, I am not too mechanically inclined

 

Yes (to the 4wd?), and no (to the fault of the lift).

 

Nope. The wheel bearings on these suck balls. They're pretty much disposable. Honestly.

Ben - You and your first gen can shut the hell up right now.

You can do it yourself and save a lot of cash. There's a tutorial on here somewhere about doing it.

Where in Calgary are you located? I'm up in Coventry Hills.

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/176080-diy-front-wheel-bearings.html

Enjoy!

 

Thanks again guys, who needs a mechanic when you can get advice this fast! Krazie, I'm down in the dirty south by Spruce Meadows. I'll look at the link and see if I think I can do it myself. Do you think it would be warranty? I bought the extended warranty when I bought out my least in March, or will the lift kit void warranty?

 

I'm not yet convinced it's wheel bearing, but doing more tests is indicated.

Jack up the front end a couple inches (set the parking brake first!) and grasp the top and bottom of the tire and try to wobble it.

Do the same thing front and back.

Wobble indicates bearings.

Also, just spin the wheel and listen. You want a quiet, smooth spin, though you may hear a little brake caliper drag. But a clunking, clicking, ticking spin indicates wheel bearings.

 

Right on. I used to live in Cranston, so I'm guessing you're probably closer to Evergreen or Somerset.

And it all depends on which location you take it too. I'd recommend Heninger Toyota. The local club goes there, so they're used to working on modified trucks. Honestly though, there's a chance they'll tell you to go pound sand due to the lift. But if anywhere has a chance it's Heninger.

 

could possibly be a bad CV shaft/joint

 

These things are notoriously difficult to pin down without seeing the truck, and can be difficult even if you have the truck in hand. So while I acknowledge the expertise of some of the posters on this forum - so far no one has given you this caveat.

You say it sounds like driver side - but then when you brake, it pulls passenger. Sounds are very difficult to pinpoint directionally. The problem may well be passenger side.

Have you put the truck in 4wd on pavement before? As soon as you try to turn, the tires bind up against the pavement (tacomas have no center differential.) I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "almost seizes the front end" but you shouldn't be trying to learn anything by going into 4WD while on pavement except to detect a change in rolling sounds when going completely straight.

Basically, I'm strongly recommending you have a mechanic look at it do diagnosis, rather than do-it-yourself start replacing parts based on internet diagnosis. If you get a confident diagnosis from someone you reasonably trust, and then decide then to take on a DIY repair that's another thing. At least then you can follow the steps in a shop manual to do a remove & replace with fair confidence that what you're replacing will actually _solve_ the problem.

 

I put the truck into 4wd while rolling slowly straight forward, I instantly started to hear the grinding/binding noise, and the truck slowed right down and it felt as if it took alot more gas to get the truck to move forward. On a slight turn of the wheel the noise became much louder and basically stopped the truck.

 

I was thinking it could be a CV issue, as I have read some CV threads and some of the symptoms sounds similar.

 

Turning the wheel while in 4WD on hard ground will stop your truck and make it so it takes a lot of gas to move because you're causing drive line bind and you'll essentially blow up your transfer case.

Bad goldenstone. Bad! *Sprays with water*