Since I bought my 4runner, the front end has been making an awful squawk. The squawk can be replicated by simply adding weight to the vehicle (i.e., passenger added) or the slightest imperfection or bump in the road. It's so loud, I can be heard almost an entire block away. Embarrassing to say the least.

I knew that the front end was shot and finally got around to the following which I was certain would kill the noise:
-NAPA ball joints upper and lower
-ProThane poly bushings and sway bar kit
-Bilstein shocks, all 4 corners
-Greased the torsion bars where the meet the keys on the frame

I should also add, that the noise is definitely suspension, not steering. It does that make a sound when turning the wheel lock to lock standing still.

I did all of this and there's not one bit of change in the squawk. What am I missing? This sound is so irritating.

 

If you've lubed / replaced all the moving parts, I'm at a loss to explain it. You lubed the crossbars the uppers pivot on, and the adjuster bolts on the bottom arms? End link bushings? Tie rod, idler and pitman? (Just thinking of parts you wouldn't have changed yet.)

Are you sure it's not in the rear? Sometimes my 88 squeaks from the urethanes I have in the rear leafs when I jump in the cab.

 

Thanks for your reply. The idler is new and the tie rods seem fine.

I'm starting to think that maybe it's the exhaust creaking as it seems to be only on the driver side and it sounds 100% just like this video I just found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C92dhN0zeB8

It's too late tonight to go play with it but I'm going to check it out tomorrow. May explain my prior cracked exhaust manifold too.

 

Having one cause the sound whilst you roam around searching its cause can't be bad.

 

Definitely not the exhaust. Back to square one. Wondering if the wheel bearing can make this noise?

 

control arm bushings. Try spraying what you can with an aerosol based lubricant/grease and see if you can kill it.

 

Thanks for the tip. I've been saturating them with wd40, silicone spray and even bike chain lube. No chage in sound between the old bushings and new ones.

 

check your lug nuts? ...swap wheel, front-back?

 

Updates:
-Lug nuts secure.
-Control arm bushings have endured almost an entire can of both WD40 and aerosol white lithium grease.
-Ball joints have been all been greased
-Removed sway bar links - sound remains and just as loud
-Removed shocks - sound remains and just as loud
-Exhaust is secure - no squeaks

Wondering if the aluminum ball joint spacers may be the cause? Even if they were, what could I do about it?

I've dropped $1k into parts and labor on the front end in the past month. It's driving me insane that I still have issues.

 

Is a mount for something broken? Crack in the frame?

 

As far as I can tell, all mounts are solid and no cracks in frame. It's definitely a suspension related sound. Sounds like metal on metal and is constant throughout any and all suspension travel.

When I had the alignment rechecked the shop said they thought it was the poly bushings. I haven't had much time lately to play with it (I've been driving it a lot). I'm thinking I may try putting zerk fittings on the control arms to pump them full of grease and see if that does it.

 

See you removed shocks. I am wondering if the surface of the bushings are rubbing where you cant get the spray.

As far as your spacers, maybe dropping them coating and giving them a light coating.

 

since you replaced the shocks this probably isnt it but a tweaked shaft or seizing one on the shock absorber will make that noise

 

I finally got back to my friend and backyard mechanic that put the poly bushings in for me. We confirmed that the noise is indeed the upper A-arm bushings. It seems that the front collar on the upper bushings is thicker and a flat surface versus the thinner, tapered collar on the factory rubber bushings.

The outer washers on the bushings do not move with the bushings, causing them to drag and we believe it's where the noise is coming from. He tells me that there a notch on the washer that prevents it from rotating with the bushing. He's going to do some massaging of the washer and some extra lubing to see if that fixes it.

Thanks for all of the replies!

 

SOLVED!!! Switched from tapered washers to flat washers on the upper A-arms (should is different on the poly bushing than OEM) and backed the torque off just slightly on the upper arms (they were too tight with the poly). Quiet as can be.

No more stops and stares from the sidewalk as I pass by!

 

Nice! At Least you solved yours. I have a phantom pop-bang! in the front of mine

 

Is yours IFS?

 

scribed, coz I'm hearing similar sound when making (even wide) left turns. Maybe just coincidence, but started after I sprayed rear shackle and shock bolts/nuts with PB blaster to prepare for Zuk mod. Haven't had the chance to get close to parts while someone loaded the truck.

 

Lol it sounds like your poly bushings are making noises. they do that when they're too cold. but you figured it out.