Front end popping noise

I've noticed a popping noise coming from the front end of my 2011 Tacoma when the follow happens:
- wheels fully clocked left or right
-approaching a steep angle ( i.e. steep driveway)
- or backing out of said steep angle.

No other conditions other than this seems to produce the noise. I bought this truck used but it was very well taken care of.

I've recently replaced the suspension (upgraded to Bilstein 5100 front and back with block for leafs)

During install, all bushings checked out by the installer. I even crawled under to look myself, however I've dealt with the guy before and he has always been honest.

Any suggestions on what to look at would be great. I had planned on doing some other things to the truck, new wheels, rack, replacing topper with a leitner designs active cargo system... but would like a smooth running vehicle before any of that happens. Sooner I can get this diagnosed, the sooner I can move on to other stuff.

I am sure there is a thread already out there for this. But I figured this would be quicker than searching through all 3000+ of them. If you k ow of a thread please li k it so I can read through it.

THANKS!!!

 

Noises are hard without hearing them. But for starts I recently had a single pop from what I thought was the front turning right not turned hard.
It was either the 4 bolts on my manual trans crossmember or the u bolts on the rear end.
I recently added blocks also and I’m not sure which it was because I found both not to torque.
Cv shafts stabilizer end links bushings wheel bearings tie rods etc.


Also thank you for your service!

 

I'd start by making sure everything is torqued down correctly, especially given you just swapped out suspension parts.

 

I would also start by torqueing down the ubolts with the truck sitting level somewhere. I torqued mine to 75ft lbs.

Ubolts should be torqued with the weight of the truck sitting on the leaf springs

 

LCA cam bolts need to be tightened to 100 lb/ft or they will shift around and make noise. The whole weight of the vehicle goes through those bolts.

I had noise after an alignment and found they were not properly torqued

 

I should add that this problem was present before the suspension upgrade. I will check everything to ensure proper torque settings tonight. Any more info however is welcome. Thanks to those who have responded so far!

 

I have the same popping. I’ve been doing a lot of research and I’m starting to think it’s either upper or lower control arm bushings. I have TC uppers and keep them greased but they could also be worn.

 

At full turn either way suspension hits the stops (look under there). Apply a dab of grease to the metal stop areas and see if that solves your noise. And don't hold the steering at full stop doing those turns! May be the noise so worth 2 minutes to see. If not that's ruled out. You never said if in 4 wd when this happens and if so its the CVs hopping/binding up as expected on paved surface.

 

I suggest you have someone else drive the truck into the driveway that causes the issue. You stand outside and listen. That will tell you the origin of the noise, front end ,rear end left or right or any combination. Then you can zero in on it.

 

I have the same issue with my tundra, it was the steering rack bushings.

 

mine dies this how actually should I check the torque there 2 bolts(ONE BOLT AND A SLEEVE BOLT) on each cam, just use an open end on one side and torque wrench the other? dosent matter which side the wrenchs go on?

 

Bingo! I had the same issue and after changing out suspension parts, you'd be amazed after 1,000 miles of driving that some of the bolts come out of spec.

Just go over everything in detail again and torque down to spec if you changed anything recently.

 

Apply torque on the "nut" side and counter-hold the "bolt" side

 

UCA and LCA pivots. Re-torque and the popping goes away.

There's a lot of load on those pivots when you're turning and backing up. Sometimes the force created when turning and backing up shifts any slack in the bolts in one direction, with a pop.. Then it shifts back the opposite direction when the force is reversed and it pops again.

 

awesome, thanx for that I think I may have to check them im having that same creaking noise on turning the wheel going over an elevated drive entrances, almost sounds like something needs to be oiled or greased. I had new bilsteins 4600 put on by a dealer and they had a hard time with the alignment cams,and bent the tabs over on the very front ones and im hoping they didn't strip out those threads doing it

 

Try this....dab of grease on steering stops