2nd Gen - Mysterious Looseness & Grinding

Hey All,

Long post incoming.

I'm about at the end of my wits with my truck, and am considering trading it in if I can't figure out this problem soon. I've searched all over this site, and researched other sites as well and have not found the solution yet.

My Truck:

• 2013 Toyota Tacoma

• DCSB TRD Sport 4x4

• Mileage: 89,xxx

• Tires: 265/70/r17 BFG K02

• Lift: Toytec 2.5 Front Coil overs, Toytec Boss 2.0 w/reservoir rear shocks, & Dakar non-hd leafs.

• UCA: SPC UCA's

***Lift & UCA's were put on approximately 10 months ago. Due to work, the off-roading and camping lifestyle I thought I'd be able to have has been non-existent. My truck has seen probably 98% pavement it's entire life. Never abused in any manner***

The Problem:

• At speeds under 30 MPH, there is an obvious "loose" sound in the front end, and I can feel it under my feet on both the drivers and passenger side.

• Along with that loose feeling, there is also a very present "grinding" when going over bumps (speedbumps, dips in the road, curbs, etc). This grinding typically happens directly following the decompression of the suspension while the front end is recovering (for lack of a better word) from the bump.

• The problem isn't intermittent, it's constantly there and has been for about 6 months now. If I drive on a gravel road, you can feel and hear the "loose" sound the entire time on the gravel road.

• The noises are the same in both 2wd & 4wd.

• The noises don't change no matter what direction the steering wheel is turned.

• Neither are present at all over 45 MPH

• The noise seems to only be able to be heard while inside the truck. I've had my brother walk next to the truck, and I've driven with my windows open, and neither of us could hear it outside the truck.

• I put a camera under the truck as well, and the noise doesn't show up on there either.

Shops:

I have taken it to 4 shops, and none of them claim to be able to find it - however, I take this with a massive grain of salt, as they all also claim that they can't hear the noise. I've had a couple friends & family members ride with me, and they all can hear it.

The Toyota dealership close to me said it was a wheel bearing - HINT: it's not - and wanted $1300 to do one side.

What I've done:

• Re-torqued every single suspension component. This past weekend marks the 6th time I've checked the torque specs on the entire suspension.
  
• Replaced both Driver and Passenger side HUB assemblies and Wheel bearings.
• Greased all u-joints, and checked for play.
• Removed sway bar
• Greased UCA BJ
• Replaced Tie Rods
• Inspected CV Boots.
• Got an alignment
• Replaced needle bearing with ECGS

I know that the needle bearing needs to be replaced, but I've never heard of anyone else having the problems listed above from that alone. EDIT: Have now replaced the needle bearing. Did not fix the problem.

I'm all out of ideas, and out of time/money to continue to take it to shops in the area for them to have the truck for multiple days to find nothing.

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Thanks for taking time to read, and I appreciate any and all ideas you all have.

 

Pure guessing but it sounds like some sort of Harmonic vibration of something minor it also might be in the range we hard of hearing mechanics can`t hear.

Might be as simple as the CV axles causing the dust shield to vibrate.

Heat shields vibrate non critical part so most often just gets a glance.

Shops are going to look at major things that could cause serious damage I know I would not want 8 hours of labor to be told it might be a loose exhaust hanger

Had a friend strange noise like yours turned out interior welds in the muffler broke looked at by several shops no clue even though it was heard by all.

Had to replace the Cats so did the whole exhaust noise gone!!

If you can`t stand the noise get rid of the truck !!

If you get rid of the truck someone is getting a good deal.

 

Inspected the coil springs closely? Could be a broke spring up in the back side of the spring bucket

 

Thanks for this info @Wyoming09 !

I've checked the heat/dust shields on the entire truck.

I agree that someone would be getting a great deal if I got rid of the truck. I'm good with having squeaks and creaks, but this sounds like something major is about to break and I don't want to be a part of it when it does.

 

Yep, checked them both. Whole suspension is less than 10k miles old with 98% pavement driving.

 

You said the noise feels like it’s in the front, have you checked your lower ball joints for play? Or thought about replacing the inner/outer tie rods just to be sure that’s not the problem? With close to 90k miles, it’s possible any one of those is worn out. I did my front wheel bearings at 93k miles and I’m taking the truck in today to have new LCAs and inner/outer tie rods done.

I mention that because, while I can’t necessarily give you any insight into your current problem, I can 100% relate to how you feel right now. I’ve had my truck for almost 5 years and up until recently, have enjoyed every moment of it. But after installing SPC UCAs and new 285/70/17 tires about a month ago, I began to feel an annoying bounce/vibration in the cab at 50-60 mph and it’s only gotten worse since... now I feel it at 45 mph and up and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve already had the tires balanced three times (most recently road force balanced) and even rotated them. My front wheel bearings have less than 15k miles on them and I’ve done the ECGS needle bearing and already have a custom one piece rear driveshaft (did that to eliminate vibes after lifting the rear). I’ve only been dealing with this vibration for about a month now and I don’t know how much longer I can handle it before I give up on my truck.

 

Another person mentioned to me that they think it's the Lower Ball Joints. I can't seem to find any play in either the LBJ or the Tie Rods, but that's not to say it couldn't be them still. The LBJ's are weeping grease..but I don't see any tears/rips and from my research seems like that's pretty common?

I'm tempted to replace the LCA's, but it's hard right now to keep throwing things at it without knowing it'll fix the problem.

Really good response, @09TRDSport4x4 . I appreciate it, and sorry to hear about what you're experiencing. My Tacoma was my dream vehicle, and has been amazing up until this point. I don't want to give up on it, but with a more than full-time job and traveling for work - spending all of my free time trying to fix this is getting old.

 

I’m in the exact same boat. Love the truck, haven’t had any major issues even after lifting it close to 3” (chased an annoying driveshaft vibration for a few months but eventually accepted that spending money on a one piece would solve all my problems).

And because I’m working full time and have two kids, I don’t have the time to be chasing mystery problems either. I’m paying someone to install new LCAs and tie rods today, despite the price tag. I just can’t justify spending the time and effort doing it myself. And while it may, or may not, solve my current problem, the truck has 110k miles on it and it needs it. All the tie rods and lower ball joints are leaking grease and my alignment cams are seized. The way I see it, I’ll have the truck paid off here soon and worst case scenario I’ll sell it and buy something different. I hope it doesn’t come to that but driving it on the highway has become almost unbearable and like you said, I’m not gonna throw money at it much longer, hoping to find the solution.

 

there is also a very present "grinding" when going over bumps (speedbumps, dips in the road, curbs, etc). This grinding typically happens directly following the decompression of the suspension while the front end is recovering (for lack of a better word) from the bump.

I just started having this same issue. Did you find anything?

 

Unfortunately not. Wish I could be of some help.

Getting worse, actually. 6 shops and thousands of dollars later...pretty over the Tacoma. If I didn’t have it paid off I would trade it in, but I don’t want a car payment right now.

 

I just traded mine in on a 19 TRD sport. DCSB Barcelona red. They gave me $21K in trade for my car and 19 was 4K off sticker. My truck and $15K for a new $39K truck.

 

Have you serviced the brakes recently? Brake wear will make a grinding sound at lower speeds to indicate they’re almost done for. I remember thinking I had a wheel bearing going out when all I needed was new brakes and tire balance, I was also running about the same size KO2s that were pretty worn at the time.

 

Put on some new tires and they are much quieter so I’m able to hear the noise more clearly now. Still don’t know what it is.

Tried doing some filming of the front end components, but the noise wouldn’t come through with all of the engine and wind noise.

This video is from inside the cab. I’m going approximately 10 MPH turning the wheel back and forth between 9 and 3 o’clock.

important to note that this is the same sound that is present going in a straight line over washboard and/or speed bumps, I was just able to easily recreate it by turning the wheel back and forth while moving.

Help!!!

https://streamable.com/v9he34

 

Also, the noise is the video is a bit “higher pitched” than how it actually is in the cab.

When you’re sitting in the truck is much more of a deeper grinding/crunching sound.

 

Sounds like an intermediate shaft issue. Check your external shaft u joint for play. If it looks good, move on to the inner shaft and remove the dust cover for it and have someone move the wheel while you inspect for play at that u joint.

 

Thanks! I’ll check that out tomorrow and see what I can find.

 

Intermediate shaft is fine. Absolutely zero play in the u-joint there and nothing abnormal about the one under the dust cover either.

Good suggestion, though. Was hoping that’d be it.

 

Those coilovers do not have a lower rubber bushing they allow for more road noise to travel through the suspension. If you have the stock ones i would give it a shot of swapping them back in.

 

Can’t go back to stock suspension for a number of reasons.

List of things I did again this past weekend.

• Got another alignment
• Loosened and re-torqued suspension components.
  
• Checked CV’s
• Checked LBJ’s
• Checked Tie-rods
• Checked UBJ’s
• Removed RCI skid plate / put back on RCI Skid plate
• Put sway bar on / took sway bar off
• Checked all u-joints and greased them
• Checked torque on all lugs on wheels

It sounds like metal “popcorn” while driving. Doesn’t matter if it’s straight or in a turn, rough or normal roads. It’s persistent until 45 MPH where other noise drowns it out.

My only guess right now is that an LCA ball joint is bad without presenting any visual indications.

No car payment is great, but it’s looking more and more like a new car is in the near future.


Someone help me keep my sanity.

 

Try spraying the shit out of your lower joint on the struts where it connects to the lower control arm. Your struts use a spherical rod end that allows movement but over time some rust can form and cause a metal (binding, popping, binding, popping). Honestly its hard to tell from the video but worth a shot.