I installed bj spacers 10k miles ago and also have aisin manual hubs. I've gone through 2 cv axles since the bj spacer install (one prior to that). I've retorqued everything and anything that was loose got thread-lock blue. I put the truck on the lift last week to rotate my tires and all the ball joints looked good.

I could not budge the tire shaking from the 6 and 12 o'clock position but when I try at 3 and 9 o'clock.... I can see the whole steering linkage moving. It's slight but it looks like the steering stabilizer is moving? Oh, and this is with the steering wheel locked.

I've also tried to budge the cv axle on either side and it doesen't move so I think my spindle bearing is good.

My wheels move good and I don't hear any noise unless I go over bumps. So I think that eliminates the wheel bearings.

The noise started soon after the bj spacer install when I got the alignment done which required me to replace the tie rods which were frozen. I used Moog parts (maybe a mistake?). The rattle has gotten much worse and now I can hear it over every bump. It sounds like clunk-clunk.

I've checked the a-arms for worn bushings but I can't see anything there.

I've also beat on everything I could reach with a rubber mallet and nothing seems to move.

I've tried turning the steering wheel while watching my tire and it moves as soon as I turn the steering wheel.

I've thought it could be the steering wheel and I've tried to jerk the wheel left and right but it doesen't seem to cause any additional noise and none when I'm driving straight with no bumps.

The noise is there in 4wd or not with hubs locked or not. Offroad now it seems an almost constant rattle over every bump, even the smallest. Currently I'm planning on taking it to the alignment shop to see what they can tell me. Any other ideas?

 

bad bearing in the side-shaft axle tube maybe? Or... rock stuck up in suspension? (that actually happened to me)

 

fthertime666, how would I check to see if it was that bearing?

Here are some pictures of my steering linkages (the one that moves when I shake the front wheels):

head-on view of suspension:


passenger side:


driver's side:


close-up view of driver's side:


When I beat on the blue bar, it rattles. Is it supposed to have daylight at the yellow and red arrows? That seems strange to me...

 

Well, I can't say whether or not yours, or mine for that matter, is normal, but here's a pic of the same parts on my truck and they look just like yours...

 

Btw, are you sure it isn't the brake pads rattling in the calipers?

 

its probably your idler arm, the bushings inside have probably worn out and you are hearing it rattle. mine is being torn off to be repaired, the rebuild kit is available from the dealer at a pretty good price. my kit was less than 10$cdn iirc.

hope this helps.

lee

 

Ovrrdrive, I don't think it's the brake pads as I can still hear the noise when I'm braking. Thanks for the picture of your truck, though. It's good to know that it isn't those parts.

Will rebuilding my idler arm be a waste of my time if it isn't the source of the rattle? When I was beating on it with the mallet it sounded a lot like the rattle I hear offroad (and now onroad if I hit even the smallest bump).

 

if it sounds like that when you beat it, then thats prolly what it is Remove that sucka and disassemble. the bj spacers put a good load on that idler arm when they flex, its pretty easy to remove and take apart/ inspect the bushings. Goodluck!

 

Do you by chance have a part number on this? I have a strange rattle also, for a decent price may as well try it.

 

Well, I got someone to move the steering wheel while I watched the idler arm and I couldn't see any play before movement occured. I'll probably still go ahead with the replacement as it has to be pretty beat up.

 

Here's a dumb question. I'm pretty sure the rattle is from the driver's side where the pitman arm is. That rebuild is different from the idler arm rebuild, correct?

 

This may sound pretty stupid, but have you checked your shocks? When my '88 was still IFS it would eat lower shock bushings every 6 months or so. The shocks would then rattle around A LOT, and make a ton of noise.

 

Yeah, both front shocks are brand new with locktite on the threads. Shock bushings were replaced with the shock and are new as well.

 

these are the pt #'s for the rebuild kit i purchased:

90304-31012 dust seal, 1
94184-61400 nut, 1
45497-28010 cap, brkt, 1
90386-19005 bushing, 2

these are for a 93 runner 4x4 v6 auto and should work on most runners and trucks.

lee

 

You are a genius! I finally took the truck to the guy that did my alignment hoping he would test drive it and tell me where my rattle is. He didn't and instead put it right on the lift. He pushed the front end up and down and immediately showed me my rattle. The driver's side shock bushing was loose which really ticked me off. That thing had come loose 4 months ago so I put locktite on it and torqued it down with everything I had. Anyway, he used an impact wrench on it and did the other side. Sure enough, on the ride home, I didn't get any rattles!

So I found my rattle and he didn't charge me for a thing. The name of the shop is Joe's Alignment in West Ashley (part of Charleston). He does awesome work on suspensions and isn't afraid to work on lifted trucks like most places around here... I've been thoroughly impressed with his work and he even let me get in the bay when he was messing with my suspension to show me the rattle.