Front Suspension Clunking

So, I know this has been a thing for a lot of people and I've tried every fix that I can find, but nothing has worked so far. Here's the deal:

I have a 2.5" Icon stage 1 lift with SPC UCAs. The noise started about 4 months after putting the lift on. 2015 OR DCSB.

When I start/stop, or the suspension moves over bumps at low speed it clicks/clunks/pops etc. on both the left and right of the truck (pass side is worse). It is most noticed at low speeds, like around parking lots. Kinda sounds like the Absent minded professors Model T haha

I took it to the company that put the lift on and they swapped out the swaybar end links. Nope.

Checked the brake pads...nope they don't make any noise.

They checked and double checked the UCA's and all the bolts. Tight as can be. They said there was some movement in the LCA's at the bushings and they think that's the noise.

I wanted a second opinion so I went to toyota. They said it was the UCA's for sure. I asked them about the LCA's and they said they often have movement in them and that was not where the noise was coming from. I went back to the company and we swapped out the ball joints under warranty in the SPCs and that did not fix the problem....So I have three choices at this point.

1) live with it.
2) try to change the LCA bushings which is a $500-600 job.
3) part out and sell (not joking)

The only thing I can think of is that the Icons are making the noise, but you can't see them moving and the only way to tell is to replace them to see if that works.

Anyone have any other suggestions? I, and it seems every mechanic I go to including Toyota is at a loss.

 

What skid plate are you running?

 

No skids. That was in the works.

 

Just checking. My skid plate clunks a lot, but it's a Pelfreybilt. Seems the frame twisting causes it to shift and pop. But that's not your issue.

Only other thing I can suggest is to make sure you torque the UCA bolt when the truck is sitting on the ground, not hanging in the air and to check the LCA bolts are tight and that LCA bushings or lower ball joints could be the problem.

Could be the sway bar hitting the coils, that's been known to happen.

 

Im having the same issue. Ive got SPC uppers also. Going to replace the LCA cause Ive got 180k on them. Everything seems tight but Im tired of diagnosing and chasing. Ive got the bilstein 6112s. I dont think its the sway bar hitting the strut cause Id have marks from them

 

Any update after replacing LCA bushing? I have similar setup and klunk.

 

Similar clink here hahaha

 

I got clunking after I removed the brace in front of the sway bar (so I could remove the sway bar itself). It would move slightly when the frame would twist.

Also got another clunk after I removed and reinstalled the transmission, it ended up being the crossmember that did the same thing... moved around when the frame twisted.

A re torque fixed both issues

 

You eliminated bad hub bearings as a cause?

 

I havent got to it yet. I have to get a new front cam since mine is seized. Im also going to install the total chaos cam tab kit since I wheel mine and its all apart

I have thought this myself but they seem to be tight. Any suggestions? Im used to the old style of bearings instead of the unit bearing. Would I need to unbolt the CV to check for free play?

 

I had a clunk clunk clunk in my front end... it was the driver's side hub. My mechanic is Speed Freek here on TW (in San Diego County) and the hub assembly came from BamaToy1997 (in Florida). It all worked out perfectly and no more clunk! Any mechanical questions please ask them.

 

A lot of tacoma owners have reported this clicking noise and some have said it is coming from the aluminum brackets on the front bumper which might have a hairline crack and clicks when the frame twist ever so slightly. My truck has just started doing this and it is a 2007. Feedback welcomed.

 

Mine started popping on the drivers side after an alignment. Figured they didn't tighten it all down to spec but when I redid my suspension and retorqued, it was still there. For me I've narrowed it down to my LCA bushings that have gone bad. I would take a look at that and also make sure everything is torqued to spec up front.

 

For what it’s worth place your hand on the fender above the wheel opening and push forward and pull back. Turns out my fenders were loose and clunking

 

Jason (speedfreak) is the man ! He knows his stuff! He put on my suspension lift did my BMC and my pinch welds. Great guy to do business with!

 

Having this issue too on my passenger side only. Will post when I figure out the root cause. I did notice a slightly larger panel gap on the passenger side below the headlight like it was sagging