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80 Series knock in front suspension

Tech Talk for Cruiser owners.

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80 Series knock in front suspension

Post by Toy80Diesel »

I'm having some difficulty finding the problem with the front end on my 80. It has a knock that resembles a bad bush somewhere but neither I or my mechanic can find it. Its going on the hoist today for another look. Its got a 2inch lift with 30mm spacer and foam cell shocks, most of which has been in there for a few years now. I added the spacer about 4 months ago after installing a winch. The problem has started a couple of weeks ago.

What happens is if I go over a pothole or a situation where the front right wheel drops, there is a knock. It seems to resonate to where I can feel it under the drivers pedals and feet area. Since then, I suspected the sway bar bushes may be worn so the sway bar has been removed (replacement parts didn't arrive on time) and I drove it last night and it still does it. The main part linking to the chassis under there is the front trailing arm, but the bushes look good (OEM rubber). We have checked the steering arms (steering feels solid and the knock doesn't resonate to the wheel) and check the wheel bearings. Everything seems good including exhaust and mounts. I don't have a cracked chassis under my steering box (I remember this was in a previous topic). Any ideas on where to look next would be great! ;)

Thanks
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Post by Cyrel »

Sounds like it could be shocks, Bushes or valves.
The knock you feel will be traveling up the radius arm.

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80 winch bar

Post by MUD80D »

also try the spring as mine done the same thing after fitting spacers some times the spring moves and then it hits the chassis
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Re: 80 winch bar

Post by +dj_hansen+ »

MUD80D wrote:also try the spring as mine done the same thing after fitting spacers some times the spring moves and then it hits the chassis
This would be my guess, spring or spacer moving in the coil hat.
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Post by hudnut »

Mine did exactly this as well. 2 inch lift with king springs. No spacers.

I removed the springs and greased the ends of them, and the springs seats in the towesr and on the axle housing.

no more clunk.

I am guessing it was the springs friction binding on the seats.
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Post by Toy80Diesel »

hudnut wrote:Mine did exactly this as well. 2 inch lift with king springs. No spacers.

I removed the springs and greased the ends of them, and the springs seats in the towesr and on the axle housing.

no more clunk.

I am guessing it was the springs friction binding on the seats.
Interesting! I'll check it out. It seems to happen on one side of the car so maybe the spring needs some rotating within the spacer, you know how the spring ends need to line up in their correct position. Things look pretty dry under there, especially after the clean I had to do under there. Got stuck in some real sludge. I'll post up any results after I've had a look on the hoist.

Thanks
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Post by vSAHARAx »

AAAARRRGGHHH! Mine does the exact same thing. I can grab the drivers wheel and shake the car side to side and it makes the noise. just cant find it :(
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Post by dumbdunce »

have you fitted castor correction bushes? if so, there is a very good chance the bolts weren't done up tight enough. they will feel tight with a spanner but you need a good 18 inch breaker bar on them and really hook in to get them tight enough. they must be done up on whichever end has the washer, I don't remember without looking whether that is the bolt end or the nut end, but the end without the washer has teeth that bite into the plate to stop it turning.
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Post by taps »

I would also check your body mounts, you might have a busted/worn mount or loose bolt

Just a thought
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Post by dumbdunce »

another thing that can cause this symptom is a cracked chassis around the steering box, causing cracks around the body mount in the radiator support panel. get under there with a good light and have a look at the inside of the chassis around the steering box bolts.
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Post by V8 Hilux »

Have you done a castor correction? 2 inch plus spacer would probably need it. if you have rotated the diff back a bit too far the steering arm maybe can rub on the the radius arms. particularly if radius arms bushes lose or sloppy (iron man adjustable bushes?) Only a thought should be visable rubs on top of radius streeting arm tho. Mine only knocks when on streering lock and suspension travelled occurred.
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Post by Toy80Diesel »

V8 Hilux wrote:Have you done a castor correction? 2 inch plus spacer would probably need it. if you have rotated the diff back a bit too far the steering arm maybe can rub on the the radius arms. particularly if radius arms bushes lose or sloppy (iron man adjustable bushes?) Only a thought should be visable rubs on top of radius streeting arm tho. Mine only knocks when on streering lock and suspension travelled occurred.
It has 2 inch springs but they have never really lifted the car 2inch from when they were fitted, mainly due to weight (diesel engine, steel bar, dual batteries, winch) so the spacer was added just to level the car out. The spacer is 30mm. There aren't any castor correction bushes and I've had a wheel aligniment 2 months ago with good results. Refitted the sway bar with new toyota bushes but hasn't made any difference.

Only thing that has made a difference is: last night went offroad for a little play and the problem was occuring more frequently (more bumps). After going through some muddy water the problem is not so bad. This leads me to believe its possibly the bushes on the lower arms. I think they get lubricated and the problem isn't so bad. Again I mainly feel it under my feet where the arm mounts to the chassis.

Shaking the car around doesn't make it happen, it needs to drop the front right wheel and is more obvious when making a right hand turn!

I'm thinking to get the bushes looked at by a suspension or 4wd place over the break to see if they find anything. I can't see any cracks around the steering box, panhard rod bracing etc and the body mounts appear in good condition too.

Thanks again for all the advice.
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Post by Surfin Alec »

I know you dont have any caster bushes but mine was doing the same and I found it. I have the 3* caster bushes (Blue nolethane ones and the steel inner sleave also has an offset hole), what I found was the inner steel sleave was cracked in a few places and even had a bit missing. Bugger, only about 6 months old too. I had my doughts when they were recommended by a reputable shop as to how long they would last. Not long. I even commented on them looking weak but told " nah mate, havent had any issues" blah, blah. Should have stuck to my senses and went with the OME ones as they looked heaps stronger.

So after digging around in the shed, I found that the inner steel sleves from my old original front pan hard rod bushes were the same dimension. So I removed them (by using a hole saw as they are a bastard to remove from the rubber) and cleaning them up I slipped them in place and no more noise. But now I have a 2* bush on the drivers side and a 3* on the passengers side.

Anyone have any old original front panhard bushes kicking around I can have so I can match the passenger side??

Just incase anyone else has the same bushes and is also looking for a strange noise....
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Post by bigfella13 »

try checking the bolts on your panhard mine did something similar and found that i managed to tighten the bolt about a quarter (using a 18" breaker bar) of a turn and the knock stopped
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Post by udm »

It isn't a problem with the suspension, if as you said , it is felt on your feet, then the car's firewall has started to rust. Check where the mud guards bolt (2 bolts) onto the firewall.


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Post by duck »

mine dost it to, been getting worse over the last year, i went really looking for it the other day, i saw on my right shock tower the bush had been moving on the top hat, i was thinking it might be moving and knocking the pin on the edge of the hole, i tryed to tighten it but im not strong enough to hold the shock and tighten it, ill get my bro out today and see if he can give a hand.


i have also had a mate shake the car wile i was under it, the bolts inside my carster bushes move but im not sure if it will make the clunk as i have tightend them to the toque that toyota says.


more info would be good
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Post by dazlin »

i have the same problem with my 100 series. 2inch lift plus 30mm spacer at front. the knock was reduced after i replaced my front upper & lower shock bushes. this reduces that knocking noise heaps but i can still hear it slightly. Its got me buggered.
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