Find me this metal pop sound on my truck (and moms 07 4runner)!

TRD OR 4x4 126k Miles on my truck, 5100's replaced 15ish k miles ago w/ stock coils / KYB top hats, SPC UCA's, energy suspension universal bushings at the rad support, factory original LCA's / Cab Mounts (noise was has been present before replacing them since 90ishk miles),

I am going crazy. There is a loud metallic pop from both sides of the front of the truck when suspension compresses a good amount (say coming down the backside of a taller speed bump or entering a driveway) Happens at an angle or straight on.

I have taken off both stock skids, front sway bar, made sure everything is torqued n tightened down (LCA bolts, UCA bolt, front crash bar mounts, steering rack, caliper bolts, cab/rad mounts... literally everything I can get my hands on). I have placed blocks of wood between frame and body cab mounts up front to try and eliminate them and even gone as far as testing with lower shock mount bolts loose.

The crazy thing in my moms 07 2wd 4runner (4.0L V6 auto) has the same louder metallic POP (185ish k on the clock). The only thing common between the two would be factory original wheel bearings, factory original LCA, and factory original body mounts.

LBJ's on my truck have no slop in them as far as i can tell (this will be my next test to disconnect them from the spindle).

What do yall think it could be?!?!

Ill see if I can get some video of it!

 

Sway bar end links/bushings?

 

Last time I had a pop sound the LCA cam bolts were not fully torqued to 100 lb/ ft

 

All suspension components were tightened with the suspension at ride height? Not drooping.

 

Pop noise from both sides occurs still without swaybar / front skid plate supports / both stock skid plates even on the truck

Checked those too, torqued em to 110ftlbs to be sure. (alignment bolts are all newer and have a layer of grease on them so they dont seize up)

Yup, everything torqued at ride height that needs to be (all bonded rubber bushings - LCA bushings, lower shock bolt - UCA's have free floating xAxis joints). Top hat 3 studs n nuts are tight as is the top shock nut.





Gonna have the GF drive up n down the curb on the entrance do our driveway while I stand outside to confirm its coming from the front (it has to be with how it occurs when traveling over bumps), but maybe ill be able to figure out a general whereabouts its coming from up front.

 

I've been trying to figure this out too. It's happened ever since I put my lift on. Thought it was something hitting the skid plates but it still does this when I take them off. Doesn't happen all the time and sometimes it's tough to recreate. I'm gonna loosen my UCAs and LCAs and bounce the truck up and down then retorque everything. I'm hoping that fixes it but sounds like it didn't work for you. I can live with it but I would like to figure out what's causing it.

 

It literally sounds like something builds up tension then POP's. like a spring moves in a seat etc, but i have even gone as far as lubing the hell outta the lower spring seat on the surfaces between shock body and seat and seat/spring.

 

Strap an old phone pointing at the coils/shock towers then replicate the noise. I wonder if the coils are rebounding from compression and causing that metal clunk. Does it still occur if you drive slowly over the bumps?

 

Check this out. $75, and you attach the clips to various areas of the suspension. Clip em on, drive around, and see which clip is picking up on the noise.

$90 GoolRC Electronic Stethoscope Car Noise Finder Diagnostic Listening Device Machine Multi-Channel Noise Detector Abnormal Sound Detector for Automotive

https://www.amazon.com/GoolRC-Elect...ulti-Channel/dp/B08H576MXZ?pd_rd_i=B08H576MXZ

 

Slow driving can sometimes make a creak moreso than a POP.

I have been looking at those car stethoscopes, I wonder if I could make one.

 

How many miles do you have on your wheel bearings?

EDIT: I saw your wheel bearings are factory. If you jack the front of your truck up and spin your front wheels and still hear the noise (it'll be quieter because the truck isn't under load) then you bearings are likely the culprit.

When they get really bad you'll be able to wiggle the wheel back and forth a little bit while it's still bolted to hub.

 

Original, so 126k miles - Just cant see how a bad wheel bearing could make such a metal POP.

 

When my last set of wheel bearings finally called it quits the pop was loud enough to hear inside the cab with the windows up.

 

Some sort of body panel problem?

 

I was afraid you would say that.

I thought I had a clunk coming from a wheel bearing (turns out to be an upper ball joint), so I pulled the wheel, caliper and rotor and noticed while by hand I could not detect any slop and the bearing was tight like it should be when spun that when the hub was rotated the bearing sounded try and rotation was rough with some ting ting ting sounds.

 

Could be. Ill have the GF drive up n down the driveway curb while im outside to help pinpoint better ? *shrug*

 

I've had the exact same noise for years now. It drives me absolutely insane! Happens on the driver side only on mine. I also have checked literally everything. Even replaced the LCA and cam bolts thinking that was it... Nope. I made a thread about it years ago and posted some videos of the noise. Never got it resolved though.

I am convinced it's the coilover itself, just haven't been able to afford to swap them out. But you say you've completely replaced the coilover and the noise was still there? Did the noise change at all?

 

VERY similar sound. Mine will only happen one POP per compression per side if conditions are right but the sound is VERY similar.

I have replaced the shock and top hat / top hat bushings and isolator. But utilize the same factory TRD OR coil. I had the original 5100 for 90ishk miles (from 10k-100k on the clock)and it was only the last say 10k miles on that shock that I started hearing the noise. Didnt think anything of it then cus I knew I was going to replace it soon, replaced it with a brand new fresh 5100 and mentioned top hat parts and it persisted. Everything logically tells me its something else, but damn it sure sounds like a spring boinging haha.

Im like || this close to saying eff it and replacing wheel bearings just cus. @Saskabush Have you replaced wheel bearings?

 

My money is on a crack in sheet metal. I'd look at the front cab mount/radiator support first.

 

I had this happen. Was hard to find. Mine was cracked under the mount for the driver headlight.