Tacoma Popping in front end

I just got my tacoma last month. Had about 34k miles when I bought it, so I have just finished up the 30k maint. Did the spark plugs, rear end, and transfer case this past week. Today I did the front diff, greased all the points. I had a slight, occasional pop from the front end when putting the truck in reverse prior to today. Not a big deal.

After my work today, of course i wanted to give it a test drive. I hit the road, and it was good. Turned off the road into the field by my house and turned on the 4hi. Climbed up and down the pond dam, ran it a bit in the field. Put it in 4lo, did the same. Came back to the house and now I have the "squeaky" suspension (which wasnt there before) and the pop is super loud. I get a front end popping now, in forward, reverse, and 90% of the time, when I brake. WTC!

Little disappointed if the taco cant handle a little dry grass field with slight to moderate climbing of a dam.

Any ideas?

 

Could be few different things with front end to include I busted cv joint

 

If you bought it a month ago it should have some sort of warranty no? Take it back to them.

 

Just checked my paperwork because it did have a 30 day warranty...

LOL, I got it at a Ford stealership. I signed the paperwork on 4/12.

 

Hmm, that kinda sucks. You could still ask the sales guy for a mechanic to take a quick look. Buttttt, doubt it would happen.

CV boots in good shape? can you replicate it by hand when truck is parked by moving stuff around? extra slack anywhere? side specific?

 

alright...just got my wife (nighty and all) to come out and shift from drive to reverse while i laid on the ground. It is a clunk that happens in either direction. Put it in drive move about 3 feet and clunk. Put it in reverse, same thing. Sounds internal like the front diff, needless to say, I am freaking out a bit.

I used Mobil 1 75-90 on the front diff, doubt that would be the problem, but you obviously scratch your head because that was the last maintenance action. On one particular climb up the dam, it was steep and I turned before coming off of the incline. Did that because the top of the dam was too narrow to come up then turn. This did overextend the front left. Im not a mechanic but I doubt that could of hurt it....

 

let me go check that, they looked good, but ill go grab em. Think ill lay hands on everything and pray while im at it. LOL

 

i am pretty confident that there is some, extra play on the left front CV. Laying on my back, under the truck, I grabbed both the left and right CV. They both move horizontally, slightly. But that left one does have a little play in movements other than horizontally. Not sure what is normal, but that seems like an issue to me. Whatcha think, boss? BTW, thanks for the help!

 

Driving the way you did isn't going to hurt anything. Probably just agitated whatever was already wrong. Can you feel anything when you hear this popping? Does it sound more like a clunk as opposed to a pop? Does the tranny feel like it shifts alright, assuming its an auto?

 

Yes sir, it is an auto. I wouldnt say that i feel a hard shift. It sounds like a clunk while lying on the ground with my wife shifting from D to R. My first diagnosis was a pop, which is what is sounded like from the cab. So, i dont feel the truck making an abnormal condition from the clunk....but I feel it deep inside my heart when I hear it.

 

I hear you man. Without seeing it, my thought would be tranny if it is making noise when shifting from D to R. If you can safely determine it isn't that by listening to it from underneath, then I would lift the front end off the ground and support it. Then grab and shake everything you can get your hands on and try to replicate the sound. Did you happen to check the tranny fluid? Any evidence of previous damage to the bottom side?

 

It makes the noise after about 3ft of travel. Sounds as if it is in the front diff area. I listened from underneath, which I elaborated on in a post above. The left CV feels a little loose compared to the right side. Cant check the tranny fluid with no dip stick and the truck is a baby doll, which is why I sold the farm to get it. LOL! J/K, but as yall know, they aint cheap! Appreciate the help though!

 

Well I would assume that is the problem, but I certainly am no expert.

 

Could be lower ball joints or driveshaft u-joint. Could be a rotted trans mount. The only thing you can do is make some inspections on parts.

I had a 99 4x4 taco that did that for the 5 years that I owned it and I never bothered to look for it.