80's suspension creaking and groaning ???

[80's_delirious]

My 80 has developed a strange creaking groaning noise that I cant figure out. Seems to come from the front suspension.

I only notice it when first releasing the clutch or when applying the brakes when moving at very low speeds. in low speed, stop start traffic every time I edge forward or ease on the brakes I hear the noise.

sounds a bit like the springs moving on the seats or control arm bushes.

I checked the bushes and they all seem fine. Ive tried moving springs and control arms with a crow bar to see if I can recreate the noise, but I cant.

seems to be something to do with rotational forces on the front diff, doesnt happen if coasting slowly over uneven surfaces

anyone got any ideas?

[sloshy]

Yet to find a lifted 80 or gq that doesnt clang, bang and groan in the suspension

[vSAHARAx]

Yet to find a lifted 80 or gq that doesnt clang, bang and groan in the suspension

X2

My 80's front end loves to talk to me when going over speed bumps

[80's_delirious]

the noise I have is different from the clanging, groaning etc from speed bumps or articulating offroad

Have owned this truck for 18months and its only done this recently

When I shifted it out of the garage tonight on a flat driveway it groaned the instant the clutch was released(no brakes) as it rolled out the garage at about 1 or 2km/hr (clutch in) I hit the brakes a couple of times. it groaned every time.

has got me farked!!

dont think its related to the clutch or brakes
Ill be very surprised if its related to the crack in the chassis. scenario above was with front wheels pointed straight on flat driveway, so cant see there being any significant load put on steering box

cant hear it once travelling at speed

[dumbdunce]

Yet to find a lifted 80 or gq that doesnt clang, bang and groan in the suspension

you haven't driven one that was done right, then. my 5" 80 is as silent as a stocker in the suspension department.

in answer to the question anyway, solve one problem at a time; fix the chassis cracks, and then start looking for the noise. may have to disassemble and reassemble the whole front end which is a fun way to spend a saturday. loose bolts on the control arms or panhards may be the culprit.

[80's_delirious]

Yet to find a lifted 80 or gq that doesnt clang, bang and groan in the suspension

you haven't driven one that was done right, then. my 5" 80 is as silent as a stocker in the suspension department.

in answer to the question anyway, solve one problem at a time; fix the chassis cracks, and then start looking for the noise. may have to disassemble and reassemble the whole front end which is a fun way to spend a saturday. loose bolts on the control arms or panhards may be the culprit.

Ahhhhh..
Its all silent again.
took your suggestion DD and checked and tightened control and panhard bolts. Made no change.
today I removed the control arm bolts that were supplied with caster plates (which I have removed) and replaced the original toyota bolts.
Got the verniers out, the toyota bolt is 15mm diameter, tough dog bolts are a frag under 16mm. both fit no worries, Phuck nose why but the thicker bolts were making it sqeek.

cheers for suggestions.

[dumbdunce]

Yet to find a lifted 80 or gq that doesnt clang, bang and groan in the suspension

you haven't driven one that was done right, then. my 5" 80 is as silent as a stocker in the suspension department.

in answer to the question anyway, solve one problem at a time; fix the chassis cracks, and then start looking for the noise. may have to disassemble and reassemble the whole front end which is a fun way to spend a saturday. loose bolts on the control arms or panhards may be the culprit.

Ahhhhh..
Its all silent again.
took your suggestion DD and checked and tightened control and panhard bolts. Made no change.
today I removed the control arm bolts that were supplied with caster plates (which I have removed) and replaced the original toyota bolts.
Got the verniers out, the toyota bolt is 15mm diameter, tough dog bolts are a frag under 16mm. both fit no worries, Phuck nose why but the thicker bolts were making it sqeek.

cheers for suggestions.

the difference is probably not the diameter but the pitch of the thread on the bolts; for the same spanner effort, the finer pitch on the factory bolt pulls the plates in much tighter. are they long enough for the plates? the reason bolts are supplied is that the extra thickness of the plates means the bolts become too short. if the nut does not have a couple turns of thread right through, the bolt is too short.

[80's_delirious]

I cut and rotated steering knuckles a while back so caster plates are no longer on the car, at the time it was easier to refit the bolts from the caster kit than to look for the originals.

The thread pitch on both bolts I would say was probably the same, both are a fine pitch anyway. The only difference I could see was the diameter.

110kg leaning on a 18" breaker bar gives pretty good spanner effort I reckon

there was no unwanted noises today it was driving me crackers. seems its just one of those things thats hard to explain?

[dumbdunce]

I cut and rotated steering knuckles a while back so caster plates are no longer on the car, at the time it was easier to refit the bolts from the caster kit than to look for the originals.

The thread pitch on both bolts I would say was probably the same, both are a fine pitch anyway. The only difference I could see was the diameter.

110kg leaning on a 18" breaker bar gives pretty good spanner effort I reckon

there was no unwanted noises today it was driving me crackers. seems its just one of those things thats hard to explain?

fair enough, the bolts that came with my caster plates were a coarse thread, have to do them up hella tight.