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Front right suspension grinding sound

Discussion in '1st Gen. Tacomas (1995-2004)' started by Rocket86, Feb 4, 2023.

  1. Feb 4, 2023 at 5:51 PM
    #1
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    2002 toy Ext cab 4x4 TRD 180,000 miles.
    Replaced with NEW Bilstein 5100 springs&shocks(No lift) rear bilstein. New OEM TOY LBJs. Always had a squeak right front over speed bump. Escalated to a METAL on METAL GRINDING sound when medium flex. Ideas please.
     
  2. Feb 4, 2023 at 6:34 PM
    #2
    treyus30

    treyus30 70% complete 70% of the time

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    Severely worn LCA bushings?
     
    Rocket86[OP] likes this.
  3. Feb 4, 2023 at 6:45 PM
    #3
    Superdave1.0

    Superdave1.0 Grandma Dave

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    Sometimes it's impossible to track down suspension noises. Have to replace parts one at a time if you can't pin point it.

    Watch some videos on diagnosing suspension noise. Use a pry bar at all the joints/bushings. Jacking the truck up. Listening for noises while you are jacking up/letting it down.

    Spray wd-40 on the joints/bushings. See if the noise goes away.

    I'm a mechanic. My personal vehicle recently kicked my butt on this. I replaced literally every component on the left front suspension. The last part replaced fixed the clunk, it was my upper control arm bushings.
     
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  4. Feb 4, 2023 at 6:59 PM
    #4
    LanceRN

    LanceRN Well-Known Member

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    I'd reinspect what you did, and then look at all the rest of the suspension.
     
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  5. Feb 5, 2023 at 3:25 AM
    #5
    Bivouac

    Bivouac Well-Known Member

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    Northern Lehigh Valley Pa
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    Remains to be seen I bought the tires and wheels the rest came along
    Look at the rotating parts did something get bent now rubbing some place on the CV axles ?

    Heat shield hitting drive shaft

    Dust shield hitting the Rotor.

    Noises can be so tricky!!

    Good luck!
     
    Rocket86[QUOTED][OP] likes this.
  6. Feb 5, 2023 at 9:15 AM
    #6
    glwood6

    glwood6 Well-Known Member

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    Gary
    Albuquerque, NM
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    Bilstein 4600 shocks.
    Before and after replacing my oem shocks with Bilstein 4600, I had a squeak going over bumps as you describe. It turned out to be my LCA bushings. Since replacing those, squeak is gone. As suggested, your LCA bushings may be toast, and you might be beyond just worn bushings, and now getting metal on metal contact. First place I would check. Good luck.
     
  7. Feb 5, 2023 at 6:50 PM
    #7
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you. Your simple FREE advice encourages me to believe that there are still people that help just because.
    Oh one more thing that same right tire will rub(thug, thug, thug) moving horizontally. Thank you for your advice.
     
  8. Feb 5, 2023 at 6:57 PM
    #8
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, I think you have something here. More info the same right front tire rubs mud flap when moved horizontally. Thank you for helping me when you didn’t have to.
     
  9. Feb 5, 2023 at 7:03 PM
    #9
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I think you hit it! More info, the same front tire moves horizontally rubbing (thug, thug, thug) when a certain angle reversing. Thank you.
     
    treyus30[QUOTED] likes this.
  10. Feb 6, 2023 at 11:27 AM
    #10
    Andy01DblCabTacoma

    Andy01DblCabTacoma Well-Known Member

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    F: Kings SPC, R: 5100s+J59s. Custom armor.
    Unless you can directly verify (by putting the front on jack stands and moving the wheel with a pry bar) that it is in fact the LCA bushings allowing the movement, I would also inspect the front wheel bearings. When you say things like "certain angle", it could just as easily apply to LCA bushings as the wheel bearings.
     
  11. Feb 6, 2023 at 2:07 PM
    #11
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, it drives smooth, drives straight. I live in country /Wyoming last week -30F 16” of snow 3.4 auto/4low locked rear, sometimes floored performed perfectly. If it was w/bearings wouldn’t it make grind/creaking noise other than when that wheel is articulating up? Anyways, I am done bitchin, You fellas gave me a place to start thanks.
     
  12. Feb 6, 2023 at 2:20 PM
    #12
    Andy01DblCabTacoma

    Andy01DblCabTacoma Well-Known Member

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    The point is more to verify that the LCA bushings are the problem. Paying money for parts and labor isn't fun if it doesn't fix your issue. I completely rebuild entire chunks of my driveline chasing things. Every time I looked at the front wheel bearings as the source I couldn't pin them as the smoking gun. Went on for like 2 years until I finally just changed them even though there was not a physical sign they were the issue. That solved my issue.

    If you say your wheel is moving, I'm just suggesting that you put eyes on what is actually moving, and not make an assumption on probability.
     
  13. Feb 15, 2023 at 8:06 AM
    #13
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you
     
  14. Feb 15, 2023 at 8:21 AM
    #14
    mic_sierra

    mic_sierra Toshiba HDDVD is the future

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    I had a right front squeak when I installed my OME setup. Drove me nuts and I would only hear it over bumps. It ended up being the nut that secures the top of the shock to the hat. It was snug when I installed it but it needed to be tightened several times to compress the rubber bushings between the hat and the shock. It will take you ten minutes to go around and tighten.

    You may have noticed a theme in the troubleshooting suggestions members are giving you: you want to make sure the parts that are designed to move are doing so uninhibited. My problem was that a part that was meant to be secured was not so it was creating a squeak because it was moving when it shouldn't. If it were me: check the tightness of everything on your shocks, then move to the pieces of the suspension that are meant to travel.


    1.jpg
     
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  15. Jun 3, 2023 at 7:14 PM
    #15
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    2002 Ext Cab TRD 4wd 180,000.
    ALL OME. New timing belt, water pump, lower ball joints, thermostat, spark plug wires and new plugs, new OEM Bilsteins, Wildpeak tires etc and all new synthetic fluids. It runs like a strapped ass ape.
    1st day When I hit a speed bump at slow speed I heard a low creaky, creaky on front right.
    After all new OEM Parts mentioned above. Wyoming 3 foot of snow and when I had to give er hell and the front right suspension had to flex hard it made a horrible loud metal to metal grind grinding sound.
    Please any Ideas?
     
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  16. Jun 3, 2023 at 11:31 PM
    #16
    Bivouac

    Bivouac Well-Known Member

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    Remains to be seen I bought the tires and wheels the rest came along
    CV axle ?? a rotating type grinding?

    Did the sound change with rpm?
     
  17. Jun 3, 2023 at 11:37 PM
    #17
    Ricardo13x

    Ricardo13x YT: @UrbanOpsOffRoad IG: @urban.ops.offroad

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    Random stuff. Oh! and converted to non ADD 4x4.
    Medianos highly appreciated when stuff like this pops up
     
  18. Jun 4, 2023 at 2:39 AM
    #18
    rnish

    rnish Well-Known Member

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    22 YO truck. How are the body mounts. Radiator mounts. Any body cracks near the battery box.
     
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  19. Jun 4, 2023 at 9:56 AM
    #19
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for responding. No it’s very smooth. The only time it makes that HORRIBLE metal on metal sound is when the passenger front tire(suspension) is highly flexed
    Thank you for replying.
    No, it’s very quiet and smooth. The only time it makes a loud HORRIBLE metal on metal sound is when the front (passenger) tire (suspension) is highly flexed.
    One other thing same tire(did this on old tire too) rubs against OEM mud flap often so the tire is moving laterally too.
     
  20. Jun 4, 2023 at 10:03 AM
    #20
    Rocket86

    Rocket86 [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Thank you for replying. Please read my response. No, I’ve taken a (rust test) hammer. Nevada, Utah truck dry climate.
     

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