Clunk turning left-right, desperate need for help!

Hey 4Runner Community,

T4RGRL here, and first post on the forum, though I've been a member of another Runner forum for over a decade, so not new to Yotas! My Dad (SandBuster) joined this forum after picking himself up a 5th gen recently though, and it seemed like a good one!

Anyway, I am really down to my wits end trying to find this clunk issue with my 2016 4x4 Runner with KDSS. The symptoms - When slowly making a left turn and straightening back out, I will very often get a mild to loud "CLUNK" (on my drivers side) right in the middle of straightening back out, always in the same spot. It will also clunk-clunk-clunk while reversing slowly with the wheel turned to the left midway. It will also clunk when I have the wheel turned left midway and I go over bumps. This started happening a couple months after I put on a Dobinson 1.5/2 inch lift with new SPC upper control arms. The clunks were small at first, but they have gotten much louder and stronger, sometimes I almost feel them bouncing off the steering wheel and gas pedal it seems.

Things we've done to chasing the clunk - Replaced CV Axle with brand new Toyota axle, replaced tie rods, replaced sway bar bushings, tightened LCA's to 129lbs torqued, re-greased the ball joints, lifted the car and moved the tires up and down, side to side, checking for ball joint issues, nada. Some people are saying it may be the LCA bushings? And while it very well could be that, I haven't found a video that exactly matches my symptoms, especially since it doesn't clunk stopping or going. I've watched multiple videos on bad wheel bearings, and that's definitely not it. I've reached out on Facebook, but haven't gotten as much response as I had hoped, so I'm trying somewhere else.

Thank you for any and all suggestions, I really appreciate it. We've been working to check things off one by one, but after almost a grand in trying to solve this clunk problem, we're just so beyond frustrated with this.

 

Does it make that noise while moving and at a complete stop as well?

 

No, not while stopped, could not replicate it stopped with tires on the ground or in the air. Must be moving and turning left to right.

 

Mine does it in reverse, and reverse only when turning. I have a 2016 4x4 as well with a 3” lift with spc uca and no KDSS. I have always thought it was the skid plates, it would be interesting to see what others chime in and say

 

Have you checked the rack and pinion besides the tie rods? And when the UCA’s were installed the joint was greased correct?

 

We have not checked the rack and pinion yet, but the UCA joints were greased when we got them and have been re-greased twice (every 5k miles) since then.

 

I watched several videos on rack and pinion issues, that's unfortunately not it. The clunk is very strongly coming from the suspension, or possibly drive shaft ? Could possibly have a bad new strut? Hard to diagnose. We've been to 3 mechanics in this time, and none of them have found it. Well, they found bad tie rods, and one found bad cv axle, and another thought maybe the sway bar wasn't tightened down enough. None of them actually found the issue.

 

From what you’re describing it sounds like something gets placed under pressure when the vehicle is moving and then you turn the wheel. So I would suspect it’s potentially a moving part. Another thing is the UCA bushing. I had my SPC UCA’s replaced under warranty as the drivers side developed a clunk when traveling upwards/downwards.

 

I'm wondering about the UCA's now, you're not the only one mentioning it, people on Facebook are suggesting it too. My clunking problem does sound somewhat similar to this guys video (although it doesn't clunk so freely), but mines a bit stronger in sound. I'm going to try and get video of the suspension while moving tomorrow at different angles, hopefully I can pinpoint the area *fingers crossed*.

Video of guys SPC UCA's clunking - https://www.4runners.com/threads/is...second-video-of-my-suspension-clicking.10672/

 

I could replicate my issue by getting under the car and pushing it up or just shaking it sometimes. But after some troubleshooting it was the bushing, got the new ones in and the clunking went away. Good luck!

 

I don't have an answer for you, but it's refreshing to read an articulate post that describes the issue and attempts thus far to remedy it. Good luck.

You have inspected the coilovers to ensure they are properly installed and torqued? The top three nuts can loosen allowing some clanking on movement.

 

I'm very strongly leaning toward the SPC UCA's now. I had someone suggest loosening them up today and see if that made any changes. After they were loosened, the clunking got significantly worse, and then after re-tightening them down, it went back to just a little pop/clunk. My guess is, I got one from the bad batch that had an issue with bad bushings. I'm going to contact SPC tomorrow and see how to go about getting it fixed, I've been told they've are very aware of this problem and have been warranting it. Fingers crossed!

 

Thank you! I really hope I'm close to narrowing down this issue. I haven't tightened them down myself, but I did recently have a shop that specializes in suspension go through and torque down all of my aftermarket suspension parts in search for the clunk. They're pretty reputable, so I would hope it had been done.

 

Awesome, sounds like you’re making progress. Their customer service is awesome, and makes the process extremely easy. Took about 15 days from the start to finish until I got my refund back for paying a core charge until I returned the defective UCA’s back.

 

That's good to know! Did you have to do anything special when you called them? I'm going to call them tomorrow, and I'm curious what to expect or be prepared for. And thank you very much for all of your help and replies!

 

When you call ask to speak to Tom, he’s their troubleshooting guy who will get the process started with getting a replacement set. You’ll fill out a simple form, and they’ll ask that you provide the batch number of the UCA’s you have which is located on the ball joint part. Send that info, pay a core charge for the new UCA’s (refunded once faulty ones are returned and they’re deemed to have failed) and you’re set. Or if you have the option, you can send your faulty ones first and then they’ll send the new replacement set out.

 

OP did you figure put where the clunking was coming from??

 

I just got back from the Eastern Sierra. My clunk has become very pronounced. I have read a couple of forums that stated the bushings for the KDSS could be bad as mine is pronounced when there’s left to right shifting of weight.

 

OP I'm almost 100% certain you have the same issue I discovered a few months back. Try checking the left and right LCA cam adjustment bolts. Super easy fix. The sound you're describing is usually the symptom of loose LCA cam nuts allowing the bolt to shift when under load. Just torque both front and back on the LCA's to 100 ft.lb. I did that and problem solved!

 

Man you wasted money throwing parts. You changed something is problem. Did you need control arms with that small a lift? I'm going 2-2.5inches and I'm not replacing control arms. My understanding is only over 3" you need control arms, but may depend on alignment specifications afterwards. Make sure your rear axle track bar or panhard rod is level to eliminate bump steer. Did you need adjustable sway bar links? Your front swaybar "might" be trying to twist in the brackets because links aren't long enough and pulling on bar. I have been researching lifting mine some and there's a lot more geometry to think about apparently and everything for T4R starts at $1 million. I worked for Toyota 15 years ago and so much has changed. It's expensive to just go 0-3 inches. I think your bar is giving feedback from lift. Never throw parts at it my friend. It's usually simpler issue. Those factory parts will last hundreds of thousands of miles. I did that with Dodges. Haven't replaced anything on my 2013 except maintenance items at 197k. I only saw 2 ball joints replaced and 1 u joint the whole time I worked at Toyota. Everything is designed to be rebuilt. Axles, steering rack, starter. Starter is usually $20 contacts and it will last life of vehicle. You have a simple problem that you created and you can find it. Don't look to far into the problem. I have been researching as much as I can to lift mine and not much. I understand why my 1997 was raised and had a little bump steer from rear panhard rod now. B.O.T.C.H. makes a $200 bracket to correct it. Go Overland Toyota on YouTube and he goes over do's and don'ts and The Car Care Nut on YouTube. He's Toyota master tech and covers everything Toyota. My gas cap went bad and caused crazy stuff on dash and my hood struts have worn out somehow, considering they are seldom used.

 

Yet another thread to reaffirm my decision to leave it stock.

Sounds like OP got it figured out.

 

Yes he did replace arms didn't. I didn't think of that. Won't he need an alignment again?if those are loose?

 

Toyota has changed so much since I worked there. I couldn't believe the 4runner models now. I was used to SR5, limited and sport and everything was the same. I don't know what I thought I used to. I saw transmission gasket in online parts. Used to use FIPG and you never removed it. Granted gasket might be for replacement if you do. I have read my manual to operate something now.