Fink

Alright,

I have replaced numerous things up front and tightened up as much stuff as I can think of and I just can NOT get rid of this rattle. It sounds kind of like a metal on metal but, its really hard to explain.

It's pretty much a constant noise as long as there are small bumps in succession on the road, so yeah pretty much all the time. The interesting thing is, when I go over big bumps, I either can't hear it because of everything else that is making noise or it just doesn't occur.

I have a new idler arm, that helped a lot, I have greased everything that could need greasing, I have a new steering stabalizer, my bumper was a little loose so I tightened it up really well and now I am just completely lost at what could be causing this noise. I'm about to turn it over to the dealer and just say FIX IT! It sounds like its mainly coming from the passenger side of the vehicle but I'm not positive about that.

If you guys know of anything I should check or something that is known for rattles PLEASE let me know!!

Thanks in advance,

Fink

nunsa

I'll give it a shot but rattles are a PITA, espacially trying to diagnose over the web. How about the sway bay bushings, did you lube them up? You have to either lube them or replace them. They make a good noise when dried out!
You can also jack it up and take a pry bar to each wheel and try to duplicate the noise. Don't go to the "Stealership" They'll give you a rattle in your wallet!

Good Luck!

Rick F.

Check your front shocks. My '90 had a rattle that I couldn't locate but disappeared when I replaced them. Had I been paying attention (since it never occurred to me that it might be the shocks), I MAY have noticed a loose nut and/or worn or torn bushings.

Sludge

did you check the heat shields?

4Hummer

Broke my Drivers side CV Shaft this weekend. and It rattles like a BIA. When I go over bumps..... !

Fink

Well I'm really hoping its not something like the CV shaft or anything that expensive.

I have not checked the heat shields but I don't think thats it, they have rattled before and it doesn't sound like the same type of rattle, but I will give them a look. The shocks were my next thing to replace, I'm pretty sure the shocks that are on there are stock from the factory so they may need to be replaced but I'm not sure. I guess there isn't any kind of test or something they can do on a shock to see if it needs to be replaced. My next option is to jack-up the front end and see if I can duplicate the noise by hitting things with a rubber mallet.

Speaking of jacking it up, whats a fairly good floor jack? I just have the stock jack that came with the Runner. Any ideas? I've searched but just found a BUNCH of different jacks but that didn't help me 'cause I don't really know anything about them.

Thanks for the help guys,



Fink

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Seat belts. Glove box. New roof rack? skid plate? it could freakin be anything Finkaroo! I'd root around some more before I gave it to the dealer and said "fix it!"

Good luck!

tombothetominator

my 94 p/u and my 91 runner both do this. Still havent figured out why.

az4x4runner

My 95 does it as well. I know the sway bar bushings can make a hell of a lot of noise. However I haven't had a sway bar for a long time and I still have some less annoying rattles from the front end.

UKMyers

Mine rattles too Fink...I'm pretty sure it is this in the front end

4Hummer

What about my old favorite fix for rattles and other weird noises. Drive the beast into a mud hole a couple times and problem solved for a few days.

Think of it as sound shield......

Fink

Sounds like the link that that Joey posted is gonna take a really long time and I'm not sure if I feel comfortable doing it. I'm gonna get the swaybar bushings replaced and see if that atleast helps...if not I will just ask my buddy up at the dealer to look for anything that might be causing the noise, he'll do it for free.

I'll let ya know if they find anything.

Fink

02Runner

You could check the shock/strut mounts.

On my 98 Cruiser I had a really strong metal on metal rattle or squeek. I decided to get under and use my legs to push the bumper up and re-create the motion (all four wheels were on the ground of course ).

I narrowed it down to my drivers side lower strut mount. I tightened it. It's been quiet ever since.

G' Luck

Doug M.

Fink

Good stuff guys, great ideas of things to look at. I will try and take some time this weekend to see if I can narrow it down.

I talked to my buddy at the dealer who knows the most out of anybody I have ever talked to at any stealership in this area and he said that he would bet that atleast part of the rattle had to do with my sway bar bushing but more likely my sway bar links. The bushings run 2 dollars a piece and the links I can get for 42 a piece. It will take about a half an hour of labor to do it. My dilemma is, should I spend the 8-9 bucks on the bushings plus the 30 dollars of labor to do JUST the bushings? Or should I just sink all the money into it and have everything done?

Fink

tombothetominator

i say try the bushings first, if that dont work then spend the extra

az4x4runner

I'd say that whatever you do, save SOME money and do it yourself. The swaybar endlinks and bushings are really easy to remove/install on a 2nd gen.

Fink

Well my real dilemma is if I should spend 30 bucks on labor now in addition to the bushings and see if that is it and THEN go back and spend the SAME labor and get the links done.

I may just have them put the links on too and get it all done. I won't have the time to do the work myself I'm gonna have to pay for it either way, my dilemma is whether to spend another 30 bucks and take the chance that just the bushings would work.

What do you think I should do?

Fink

az4x4runner

It doesn't seem to me that the links could be making much of a rattling noise, you could inspect them yourself though, they have a little grease boot at one end. If that looks worn/cracked then maybe get the links replaced too. A long time ago, when I still had my swaybar endlinks, I replaced the bushings and they didn't rattle anymore. But I've still got rattles without swaybars

Just an opinion though, if it'd make you feel better knowing it was all nice and new then go for it. I know how that can be sometimes.

Fink

Thats what I'm thinking, although the way my buddy described it, it sounded to me like they could atleast be rattling a good amount if it wasnt all of the rattle.

So it sounds like I'll just be springing to get all of those replaced so that can be scratched off my list.

A thought hit me the other day that maybe it could be by my bumper...although I just went through and used a breaker bar and tightened up all of the bolts and mounting points for it...anybody think the bumper might be rattling? It's kinda of weird though because the noise does seem to be louder on the passenger side when I have the windows down. For example, if I have just my driver window down I can barely hear it, but when both windows are down it sounds like something is gonna fall on my head.

I'm stumped...I really want to get this fixed because anywhere I drive it sounds horrible and I'm sure it sounds like my Runner is a POS.

Fink

Forerunner

My 1990 rattles too, but only when going over a washboard like bumpy surfaces. Does not rattle on mstly smooth roads, or over large bumps. It is really these small, numerous consequent bumps that bring it out. I am guessing it is either the swaybar or the shocks. Both you can do yourself, so check them out. Worn out shock bushings and lose mounts can be easy to detect. If bushings look good, try tightening shocks down to torque specs. If it was the shocks, let us know, I may get of my and do it myself too then