Mystery Suspension Noise HELP!!!!!

Hello, so I've been chasing a strange noise now for several months in the front end if my 2014 Tacoma Single Cab 2.7 4x4 Auto. In the front end when turning going around 10-15 mph there is a strange noise. It sounds somewhat like a pvc pipe getting drug down a gravel road. Or a wood block getting rolled down a gravel road. Kinda hollow sounding yet a gravelly clunking if that makes any sense. Sounds rotational too.

I thought it could be a cv axle or a hub so I had both cv axles replaced with oem cv axles, oem Koyo hub assemblies replaced and all new seals being Toyota oem. I've had 3 mechanics look at it, hear the noise, and haven't found anything. One was a toyota master tech I trust and he said everything is in good shape. I even went through the front end myself and haven't found anything alarming. I've changed the front diff oil twice recently and no shavings or pixie dust indicating a bad bearing.

A year ago I had the following installed-

-OME 3 inch lift with Dakars
-Spc Upper Control Arms
-Oem Toyota Complete Lower Control Arms w/ball joints
-ECGS Bushing
-Tom Woods Double Cardan Rear Driveshaft
- RCI Front Skid Plate
-Cooper 235/85/16 STT Pros

All work was done by a Toyota master tech and I had no problems. I do wheel the truck overlanding here in Northern Nevada and it sees some combat but I pay pretty good attention to maintinence and not beating it up too bad.

I feel like a dog chasing its tail and am at a loss for words. I cannot for the life of me figure out what the dull clunking/rolling noise is. It doesn't change when going over bumps. It only makes noise when turning either direction but especially left turns and at speeds of 10-15 mph. Some times the noise sounds rotational, other times it doesn't. So far it doesn't seem to hurt anything and the truck is smooth as glass in the highway. Just did an 800 mile road trip and got 17.5 mpg on winter gas with an auto in the mountains so I feel I'm doing alright there.

I was maybe thinking it could be something like a control arm bushing, a front differential mount, power steering rack bushings, sway bar etc that could be clanking or clunking when turning and the trucks weight shifts. I literally have no idea anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks.....


Thomas

 

Only help I can offer is my recalling a post somewhere here that involved steering rack bushings needing replaced, just since you mentioned that. You might try search for that thread.
No sign of any tire rub?
Good luck.

 

Thanks for the reply. Maybe I'll give that a look and see then. No tire rub at all. Tons of clearance. After looking at a diagram of the steering rack bushings it's definitely a possibility but we'll see....

 

Would you say the noise is caused by slow rolling in a turn or caused by turning the steering wheel at a slow speed?

It would be difficult to diagnose without looking at it. Especially after a Toyota master looked at it. You could try looking under while trying to recreate the noise. You might need to find a multi level parking structure, have one guy trying to recreate the noise, another guy looking under for the source with a flashlight. Of course everyone needs to use their brains. Don’t drive over the edge, into a wall or over the flashlight guy.

 

brake pad slap?

 

I would say it's caused by slow rolling in a turn but it isn't the most consistent noise. The brake pads are tight too. It's a loud noise and definitely not brake pad slap. You think it could be power steering rack bushings? Maybe the load on the suspension has to get just right to torque them and cause a weird clunking/grinding/popping noise? I crawled around again tonight and everything looks good and passes the basic tests you'd do with a simple floor jack. I hope I'm not hurting my truck.

 

I cant remember if wheel bearing makes noise or stops making noise when turning
Lift truck grab wheel see if there’s play

 

Check cat shields, that can be specific to Rpm, unless your talking only when turning.

 

Perhaps ball joints.

A fellow member had an issue with noise and the steering wheel would begin to turn then not want to turn. Of course this would scare the crap out of anyone driving it. I went to his house, here’s what we did. He jumped in, turned the wheel all the way to the right, backed off a little, then slightly back and forth. I was underneath with a flashlight, I could see the lower ball joint and castle nut wobbling around.