I have a few questions in regards to my front end. 1984 P/U extended cab, 4x4 solid front axle, 3" rough country lift. I hear a clicking noise in the front end when turns are made at a slow speed. I say slow speed because I am basically turning the wheel end to end. I had my g/f turn the wheel end to end in the driveway and heard the clicking/knocking noise and did not see any movement in the spings at the yoke or in the knuckle area. I am thinking it is my birfs. The wheel bearings are not loose and happens when NOT in 4-wheel drive. I have not tried it when it IS in 4-wheel drive What can you guys tell me?

My last question is in regards to the drag link. How tight is tight on the drag link? I did rebuild the ends, tightened the end caps to a bottom-out stage and then backed off I believe 5 turns. When she was turning the steering wheel, I noticed some movement in the ends. No the clicking noise was not coming from there. Thanks everyone!

Oh! I wanted to ask, is wandering on a straight axle front end the norm or should there be no wandering at all. Sometimes when I hit grooved payment at a light, the truck wants to settle in those grooves.

 

I ran mine as tight as I could get them, especially with an aftermarket drag link:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/4R_suspension.shtml#PhaseI

 

What I meant by her turning the wheel is the steering wheel, not the wheel/tire. Also my drag link is not aftermarket. It is the stock version

 

Stock drag link specs are tighten till seated, then back off 1 1/3 turns. Closest hole for cotter pin. This is according to the factory service manual from toyota. I found a copy online and dl'ed that thing. VERY helpful! Chilton or haynes have nothing on this thing.

 

with a three inch lift you should get a hi steer set up that will take the wonder out of it alittle since factory steering is not doing as good of a job as it should . I changed mine to a hi steer did not have that problem. Also we are short track trucks driving in long track grooves so you will get a little tug and wonder ever once in a while specially deep groove freeways. Mine made the same popping sounds but since it was an old axle i rebuilt it and solved the cv sounding pops that were coming from the knuckles.

 

check your idler arm, mi truck look good but when i lift the truck up and move the tire found out that the idler arm have a play in it like a 1/4 inch play, it was making the same noise and was driving good until you make a slow sharp turn

 

for some reason I don't recall an idler arm on a Straight axle truck