HELP!!! KNOCKING SUSPENSION

I second this. OP how many miles on the kit? And does the RC use a spherical bearing on the bottom end of the coil?

From my experience suspension noises are super hard to track down because the noise propagates throughout the suspension. Im my case I did new upper balljoints and that helped for a while, but came back. Feeling pretty confident this was my issue

The shouldered bolt design that Toyota uses in that location is a huge issue for performance style coils IMO and should be replaced with aftermarket to avoid the offset loading of the bearing

 

You don’t have the stock ones? Just in case you thought I meant swapping RC coil overs.

 

I have not checked the body mount! Definitely worth a looksee. RC does have spherical bushings/bearing (metal) on the bottom. I have inspected those and they are fine. The top of the strut has a something similar where the mount plate connects to the strut. I can check those too. The entire kit on has about 4K miles on it.

I have remove the coil over and I have pryed, pulled, manipulated all components, and have never been able to mimic the knock. Which leads me to believe y’all maybe right and it’s something with the strut itself.

@airforceb2cc @erok81 @SR-71A @Technique

 

Have you removed the coil from the coilovers? If you want send me you number through a message and I can send you the video of the shock, so you can see the play it has.
The guy that I was telling you about was able to replicate the noise the same way you do.

 

The lower bolt fits nice and tight in the coilover when it’s not mounted? Assuming you are using the factory bolt and not one supplied by RC?

Lastly you don’t have the stock coilover?

Also your sway bar isn’t hitting the coilover is it?

 

@erok81

I am using the factory bolt that runs through the lower end of the strut and the mounting bracket on the LCA. It fit perfectly and it tight.

When I bought the truck it had an after market lift on it already. I sold the old lift so I never had stock coilovers.

The sway bar has a drop/spacer kit on it and clears the coilover for days...no issue there.

 

Any chance the drop kit is moving a little and transmitting that through the spindle? Could always pull the links off both sides real quick and bounce it again...

 

Has anyone mentioned the LCA bushings?

if they are worn, they will knock on bumps.
if they are new, but were torqued in the air and then put on the ground, the rubber will twist and eventually can break. causing a knock.

 

I mean it’s worth a try at this point. The sway bar feels stiff. And when I push up from the bottom to mimic the knock I can visibly see there is no play in the sway bar of the links.

 

@FishaRnekEd

Since messing originally installing the lift I only had the truck aligned once. I have lifetime alignment at Firestone. I’m pretty sure they torqued the alignment bolts while on the ground but not 100% sure. The bushing in the LCA look good to me…from what I can see with out removing the whole LCA

 

you could Take off the sway bar end links. just to eliminate that as an issue.

 

A good off road shop may be of help.

 

@VaToy

I took it to a premier shop here in Austin TX. Its where the toyota mechanics here take their trucks to as well. They thought it was the ball joint in the UCA as well. But after speaking with them in depth about what parts I have changed they all agreed it couldnt be the UCA ball joint.

 

PROBLEM SOLVED!!! After reading every ones comments I decided to go to auto zone and purchase a rancho quick lift strut. Slapped on the part and the problem was solved! Thanks @Technique for the suggestion. It was my last ditch effort and Im very glad it worked. Now to take off the entire lift and return it!

 

Woo! Glad that worked man!

 

So now the question…what’s on the coilover that makes the noise?

You said sliding the bolt into lower mount (without it mounted on the truck) is tight. So it’s not the lower mount.

Is anything on the top mount loose?

If you stand the coilover upright, maybe place some padding under it, and try to quickly press down does it do anything?

 

Still might be the lower though.. iirc OP said he was using OEM shouldered bolts from Toyota in that location. Those aren't really a good fit for that location. I mean they fit nice on one side, then the shoulder steps down about half way through the width of the lower mount so the other side is not supported at all and causes the spherical bearing to experience a twist.

But either way, glad you got it sorted OP

 

Then again its Rough Country... Problem solve

 

How do they ride?

 

I’m having the same issues. I’ve been trying to trouble shoot this for a few months. I can’t seem to replicate the noise like you though. Started the conversation with RC today, we’ll see what happens. Going to continue poking through the suspension and see if it’s something else but it sounds like a strut replacement might be the best option.