Update 3/13 - Found it: Front end noise thats driving me crazy... any advice appreciated!

Sorry I just got this message. So we did fix the pop he had in the front end today. It was indeed the steering rack. I did not take any pictures... sorry about that. There are 2 bolts that run through the steering rack they are toward the front of the truck behind the bolts that hold the diff in place. Our solution to his problem was tighten the piss out of them. That seems to have worked. I'll let you know of it comes back in the next few days.

So when looking at what caused the problem... we believe the rubber bushing that is in the rack that the bolts run through... well that had a metal sleeve inside of it and I believe that is slightly over sized. So it was causing a bind when he turned. Then at certain points when he was backing up would cause the pop knocking he alignment slightly off (and back in place on occasion).

 

Thank you very much, i will investigate this next week and hopefully come up with the same solution.

 

I know the brake pad or brake shoes (forget which) shift and click when you first move in a direction after moving in the other direction and using the brakes.

Like when you said you pull past your driveway (and hit the brakes) then when you put it in reverse you hear the noise (possibly of them shifting)

Have you checked your wheel bearings? Are they the originals or have they been replaced before?

Are they the original cvs?

 

Thanks, I don't think its the brakes cause i can make it click standing still and just turning the wheel.
They are the original cv's and wheel bearings with 127,000 miles on them. Only about 2 thousand of those miles were lifted 2.5 inches. Im going to check everything everyone has suggested in the next few days and hopefully it will be resolved.

 

Is there any way someone could upload a picture of these 2 bolts that need tightening?

 

This is the best I can do from work atm



It is the 2 bolts centered in the picture labeled 92(938,68)

 

Perfect, thanks. I just got back from going under my truck real quick and thought those were the ones. They didn't look loose, but Saturday I will be checking everything at my buddy's shop up on the lift.

 

UPDATE:
Last night i took my truck to my friends shop and tightened the transmission cross member, steering rack bolts, radiator supports again, lower control arms upper control arm bolts, lower shock bolt and everything else possible that i saw. Lowered the truck and turned the wheel and click was there still. It happens when the truck is still, if the truck is moving forward or reverse and the suspension or frame articulates when moving slow, when i shift from forward to reverse or reverse to forward and start moving and now sometimes when just coming to a stop when going straight. It doesn't do it all the time, it does it before everything settles and wont do it again till i move. Basically I cant replicate it over and over again so its hard to figure out. Everyone thats been under the truck says the sound come from all over the place and it sounds like it changes places and most of the time happens when the wheels are turned, although they don't have to be at full lock.

So tomorrow I will be taking out my 884's and putting in eibachs and new moog shock mounts for just a 1.6 inch lift. I have planned this for a while and has nothing to do with the clicking, but maybe taking everything apart and putting it back will reveal something. I dont need the 2.5 inches i got out of the 884's and want a more stock but slightly lifted look (if that makes any sense)...

I also ordered another set of spring clips for my brakes because maybe they are shifting around in there and adding the to clips will hold them in place. This job will be for next week and hopefully the sound will be found by then. If not, i hate to say this but i must bring it to the dealer cause im at wits end with this.

Any other suggestions are appreciated.

 

Have you checked cab mounts?

 

I replaced the ones under the radiator already and the other 4 look good.

 

Maybe steering shaft bolts? Put a line on the interface where it bolts up and turn the wheel back and forth. See if the lines shift

 

Haven't tried that, i will take a look tomorrow when i switch out my springs.

 

Tighten your Lower control arm bolts "cam bolts" to around 100 foot pounds. I had the same problem.

 

Did you check the hub mounting bolts?

 

And honestly I don't think the dealer will be able to fix it. They'll likely just blame it on aftermarket components or charge you a shit ton to swap out parts and will end up still having the sound.

 

turned out to be the bumper reinforcement bar creaking against the metal brackets. Im gonna put rubber washers in there behind the cross bar and behind the brackets where they attach also.

I have regular washers in there now behind the bar and the noise is gone. The frame flexing was creating the noise in the brackets or the cross bar. The noise was traveling through the frame and couldnt be traced until we actually started to pull out all the bolts up front...

hopefully its gone for good, thanks for the help from everyone.

 

Haha holy shit. Glad you figured it out!

 

Yep crazy... Still makes the clicking with the metal washers in there, but it's alot quieter. We'll see what happens after i put the rubber washers in there or put some type rubber padding with cutouts for the bolts.

 

I'm having this same problem. I just tightened my LCA bolts, and it still does it. I'll have to try this. I did install a bullbar recently. I'm gonna try this and see what happens.

 

I took the whole thing apart and put in pliable rubber washers in front and back of the piece that is vertical across the truck and the 2 mounting points behind that piece also. I also used 12 nylon lock nuts instead of the oem nuts so i didn't have to torque them down all the way so it would leave some wiggle room and allow the pieces to move around instead of rubbing against each other and make the noise. Now all is well.