Loud Front End Clunk/Bang

I'm at my wits end with this and may resort to having a shop figure it out. Figured I'd see if anyone has additional ideas first, though.

Truck is a 2011 TRD Sport 4x4 DCLB w/ about 85k on it.

When I brake, I pretty consistently get a loud clunk/bang from the front end just after pushing the pedal. Sometimes when I release the pedal and resume coasting it will clunk again. It's definitely front end--sounds like the passenger's side wheel well area when I have someone else drive slow and stop quick while I stand outside the truck. If I stop very gently, it doesn't usually happen. It also doesn't seem related to going over bumps (silent unless braking), although if I hit the brake while hitting a bump it will be dramatically louder than it usually is..

Things I don't think it is:
-Brake pad slap/shifting in caliper -- Pads are new (Toyota OEM), calipers are new (Well, Remanned but physically identical to my OEM ones--stampings and all), rotors are new (Toyota OEM), Toyota TSB grease on edges of pads, slide pins new and lubricated, anti-rattle springs new, etc. Also have heard this with other Tacomas and it's not even close to this loud. It also does it at nearly every stop, not just when changing direction.

-Axle wrap -- First, it's from the front end. Second, I have General HD leaf packs which are tougher than even the TSB leafs.

-U-joints -- The rear driveshaft is new, front is original. All joints are lubricated every oil change by me.

-Ball joints are good/wheel bearings are fairly new.



I did notice that if I pull the wheel I can spin the hub and when the stud knocks on either side of its hole in the rotor it makes a noise that could be it. I think with a wheel clamped down to 85 ft-lbs (I've tried more as well), it would not move like that anyway. Still, I put new studs on that side and bought a 3rd party rotor to see how the hole size in the OEM rotor compared. It was the same, so I stuck with OEM. I also saw no evidence of damage to the rotor or studs and I would think if it had truly been knocking back and forth at every stop for months it would have worn one or the other.

Is there anything else in the front end that could cause this? I appreciate any and all thoughts.

 

Lift the tire off the ground and give a few tugs with your hands top to bottom and left to right. Top to bottom movement would be the wheel bearing and left to right could be a tie rod.

 

No movement whatsoever, but I did just find this on an FJ. Seems identical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aawh9ko8cDU

 

I think I might be onto something.

Just looked at my LCAs.

Driver's side:



Passenger's Side:



Why so few threads on the passenger's side? Can I safely tighten this without messing with alignment?

 

Check body mounts.

 

I had an LCA clunk from incorrectly torqued LCA cam bolts that occured similar to your description OP , as far as tightening those cam bolts , good luck , from the looks of them I would almost guarantee that they are seized which is a common issue with Tacomas because Toyota installs them with no grease

 

Sway bar link snap maybe ?

 

I noticed there are fewer threads showing on the passenger's side because there is a washer there and there is not one on the driver's side. I was able to crank down about a half turn on it. Not sure if that made any difference yet or not. I didn't bother putting a torque wrench on it because with how tough that bolt was to even loosen I suspect any reading would be irrelevant.

Those are good, just looked again today.

Will do. Got under it today and didn't notice anything odd beyond that LCA bolt, but I didn't go and try to toque down on anything else.

 

If they are seized they can rotate when you try to turn them

 

The bolt was definitely spinning on the threads--not the entire thing. Does that mean it's not seized?

Regardless, it was totally silent for a 10 mile drive just now and I was trying hard to get it to make noise--braking harder than usual, etc. I have a hard time believing a half turn can make that much difference, but if that was it I won't complain.

Occasionally it will go away for a day or so, so in time I should be able to tell if that was the problem or not.

 

I'm pretty confident that was the fix. No noise since, and it usually wouldn't stay away this long.

Now if only I can get rid of the awful noises my leaf springs make. Argh!

 

Look at the U shaped keepers on your springs. They are not centered - don't know why Toyota does this. One side is probably rubbing. If so, bend it out a bit. There are other fixes for the squeak, but this is the easiest if it's the cause.

 

I actually noticed that it is rubbing and couldn't tell if that was the noise or not. I have General HD springs and the keeper is not centered on them either. I tried to spin it with a screwdriver, but it doesn't budge. I'll try bending it out, though. That could be it. I don't think the leafs themselves are squeaking at this point (they have before, but pressure washing followed by chain lube has always solved it)--it's a different sort of noise, but definitely still from the packs somewhere.

 

I've also had the clunk you are describing and it was the LCA cam bolts. Torqued them to 100 ft lbs (155 ft lbs if 2WD) and it went away.

The alignment tech probably didn't torque them when he was done is my only guess.

 

Mine too. It took some time to show up since I had it aligned in the winter. But I guess they could work their way loose over time.

I'm just glad it's solved. It was maddening to tear apart brakes every few days trying to figure out what was going on.

 

Sweet jesus I hope that is what the issue is with mine. Mine only seems to do it when I am in reverse and hit the brakes hard- when it lurches backwards, the pop happens every single time...

 

you won't believe this. i had a real loud clunck at my front end, driver side, that i thought had something busted up as it was real loud (3 weeks ago). it happened when i braked or hit a bump in the road. my mechanic took a while to figure out it was the rear spring that had broken and it was banging the frame. the noise was travelling up to the front of the truck where it sounded the loudest. so in the end a broken rear leaf spring.

whod'a thunk eh ?

 

Was able to get under the truck last night and torque the cam bolts down- appears to have been the problem. Most of them were a full turn off 100 lbs, and now the problem has gone away

 

cool. nice easy fix

 

Sounds pretty common!

Mine wasn't far off, so I was surprised it fixed it but it's still good!