Knocking Sound from Front Right Wheel Area

• King Coilovers w/ 2.5” pre-load
• 35” tires (the guy I bought the truck from said they are actually 34.5” but I haven’t really researched tires much yet)
• Total Chaos UCA

When I’m turning the steering wheel all the way I hear a knocking sound coming from the front right wheel area. The sound reminds me of something that happened on one of my other vehicles when I needed to replace the UCA.

When I first bought the truck it would make a similar thunking on both sides, but I found where the front left tire was hitting the factory skid plate and trimmed that. That side is silent now. I think. But the right side still thunks.

Took some photos. I want to rig up a go pro and drive around in a parking lot for a bit recreating the sound to see if I can visualize it or pinpoint the sound. Any suggestions for where/how to mount the gopro?

Any suggestions for what might be happening?

I’ve taken the truck to two mechanics. The first didn’t notice, and I didn’t ask. The second mechanic said it sounded like something was loose, but he couldn’t find it. I had the truck in for something else so they didn’t really get into specifics on this issue.

 

is it like a "klunk?" Does it happen at all when driving around town? Or only at full lock of the steering wheel? Does it happen when you brake hard?

 

Does it only happen at full lock? Maybe it’s possible the noise you’re hearing is the steering stops.

 

My first car was a 79 Toyota corona. I learned early on I would get a popping grinding noise when I had the wheel at full lock. Especially if I hit a bump at the same time, usually noticed it when backing out of the driveway or pulling in. I found that it was the steering stops making that metal on metal noise. From then on I never liked completely going full lock on the steering. Once I feel the wheel stop I back off a little bit. Not to mention I’ve heard it’s bad for the seals in the power steering. I guess that’s when the fluid is bypassing and can ultimately give you issues with leaking.

 

It only seems to happen when I'm driving slow. I think it happens even when I just get near full lock. Pretty much any time I'm parking or making 3-point turns. It does not happen when I brake hard.

I have heard that too and generally try not to go full lock (although that can be hard to avoid with the low turning radius on this truck). I think it happens approaching full lock - not just necessarily when I get there.

 

do you have the ability to put your truck on the lift and check ball joints and tie rods?

 

No jack stands at the moment. Do I need to take the weight off the wheel to check the tie rods and ball joints? Otherwise I can just pull that wheel up on a curb for a better view.

 

Does it only happen when turning the wheels one way or does it happen when turning in both directions?

I did notice that your tire is rubbing on your swaybar:

 

Wow! Great catch on the tire rub. Anything to be done about that? I'm sure it only happens at very low speeds and doesn't seem to be causing an issue.

And that's a great diagnosis question... Off the top of my head I *think* it only happens when I'm turning left. I can't recall hearing it when I near full lock on right hand turns. I'll have to do more testing soon.

 

If is only happens when turning left then it is likely the tier rubbing on the swaybar. I had this issue as well (I am running 35x12.5s as well). I off-road with my truck so my fix was to remove the swaybar. I have Fox’s with 700# coils so that helps to minimize the body roll on the street.

Wheel spacers would help get the tires farther away from everything but that would open a bigger can of worms (IMO). If were me I would probably leave it as-is and just not go to full lock.

edit: What wheels are you running? (A whee with a lower offset may help and would be a much better solution than spacers).

 

yes to check those you would need to get the wheel suspended in the air and the suspension at full droop (just that side is fine), then if you can take a prybar and pry up on the bottom of the wheel and it has a lot of play (you shouldn't really be able to lift the actual suspension with just a prybar) then there is a decent chance you need new ball joints

then to check the tie rods, put a hand on either side of the wheel, and try and rotate it back and forth as if you're turning the wheel, if there is a lot of play/its loose, then your tie rod (inner or outer) could be bad...

but I suspected it was more of a rubbing issue than suspension components and @sr5shark might have confirmed that

 

Sounds like a pretty solid diagnosis! One thing I'm confused about, what would be actually thunking? Does the sway bar have lateral play and I'm knocking it around on the other end? Obviously the rubber tire hitting the metal wouldn't make a sound I could hear in my cab. It's pretty loud - it makes you jump. You think it's the wheel? I'll check for signs of rubbing on the wheel when I get back to the truck.

It's a little bit embarrassing to have someone in this new (to me) truck that I'm so proud of and then it makes a sound like the wheel's about to fall off lol.

Running the TRD offroad wheels. I would definitely like to get some new wheels eventually, and I like the aggressive look of the low offset!

Maybe I'll take the swaybar off to test it out.

 

Thanks! Those are some solid tricks of the trade to test out those components. I'll try that too.

 

taking the sway bar off is a 10 minute job, so it doesn't hurt to try, if it really is a klunk then there is a high chance its a ball joint, when they wear out they make a klunking sound but its generally when accelerating/braking... so this is a little confusing

 

Tie rods are a good place to check of it's not the wheel rubbing your swaybar. You'll be able to feel a little wiggle in your steering wheel and it'll be more of a dull rattle/clunk rather than a loud thud.

Remove sway bar and if it goes away there's your answer if not put it back on and check tie rods and ball joints as @joseph_womack mentioned above

 

Some paint is chipping on the spring, so is the tie rod hitting the spring when at full lock. I mean the tie rod is shaped to be closer as it moves inward.

 

good catch, @W3agle have someone sit in your truck and hold the steering wheel at full lock, while their holding it, stick your head in the wheel well and take a picture or just tell us what you see:

coil spring hitting the tie rod? Tire hitting the swaybar? Both?

 

I’ve tried to find the chips you’re talking about but don’t see them. I did find one nick near the sway bar, but it’s not the sort of damage I’d expect to see from so many repetitive thunks. Looks more like a tool scrape…

I was able to recreate the thunk parallel parking on my street. Wheels locked full left. One thing I can’t remember, did the thunking happen when I completed the turn of the steering wheel or when I accelerated. I’ll try again.

In the meantime, these photos are from right after the thunk. I stopped in the middle of the road and climbed under the truck! Haha

 

Imgur is easier to share the rest of the photos. I couldn’t see any evidence of what happened to cause a noise.

https://imgur.com/gallery/2GxnFNB

Does the sway bar sort of pivot? Am I hearing it fall from one side to the other?

 

It’s ur right side tire hitting the sway bar, cause it to shift left

 

Tagging

 

Look at the back side of the tie rod end to see if there is any evidence of contact to the spring where I circled. Might need a mirror and light to see really well, not sure. Or just turn it full lock and take a look.

 

Don't see any bump stop extensions, do your shocks bottom out before you hit the bump stops? I sure don't see any contact marks on the lower control arms. That makes me think you might have a busted shock internally

 

After parking I took the wheel full lock to the left. Heard the thunk nearing full lock. Went back and forth 3-4 times and could not recreate the noise.

I should be able to see the different orientation then after it thunks, wouldn't you think?

I couldn't see anything at full lock but I'll get out my welding inspection mirror tonight and see if that gives me a better view.

I haven't installed anything for the bump stops up front yet. Agree they don't seem to be making contact. Hopefully they aren't busted, that would me a real bummer. I'm planning to get them serviced by accutune in the near future though, so they'll take a look. I don't think that would be responsible for the noise though, right? Because this morning I was totally parked and not even moving.

 

I've done all I can remotely, hopefully it helps you get it resolved. Still thinking bump stops are too far away from the lower control arms.

 

Bumpstops for this setup are not necessary. Installing them would neuter the up travel during compression.

 

How many miles? Have you inspected steering rack bushings?

 

75k on the truck. <5k on the shocks