I recently had some front end work done, 4 new BJ's, new pads and bearings repacked. Today after a 45 minute drive on the highway once I got to town something started making a horrible smacking sound and I could feel a vibration on the floor every time it happend. It was similar to the cracking sounds our trucks make with worn bump stops. It seemed to be coming from the driver side.
At first it seemed like bumps and uneven pavement would cause the noise, and it would crack once every time it dipped. But it dident happen on all bumps.
Then as I has driving home it did it more often and in groups, when I had to stop at a red light it was like I had engine brakes!
It did that for about 20 minutes intermittently making one noise or a group of noise in a rhythm - bra bra bra......bra bra bra...... or sometimes while stopping. Then it did a huge one for a good five to seven seconds and it dident do it after that for the rest of the ride home.
As far as I could tell everything looked normal and nothing felt loose when I checked it out a few times.
What the heck could that be? I'm going to call the mechanic tomorow, but in the meantime untill he looks at it I would like to hear some of your guesses.

 

Who did your wheel bearings? You sure they are good to go? Might have screwed them up (too tight?)...

 

My mechanic works from home and used to be the head service guy at Toyota in Kelowna. It drove fine for the first few days for about 300 km before the noise started.

 

X's 2 on the bearings...

2wd or 4wd?

if 4wd, make sure both hubs are unlocked and didn't demolish a cv axle (assuming you have manual hubs)


nevermind, just read the sig...

 

I wonder, if while doing the work, the front axle was over extended and pulled the tripod joint loose (the inner CV) and somehow damaged it, or maybe pulled the shaft out of the diff, and the noise you're hearing is the inner joint being compressed (during wheel compression) and bottoming out in the joint housing.

 

I am happy to say I never heard the noise at all today driving to and from work. I called the mechanic and he thinks it was a rock or something that somehow got up into the wheel...I'm hoping it wasent some bolt or something that came loose. He's busy till friday then he's taking off for a vacation.
At least he is willing to guarantee his work.
Maybe tomorow I'll find some time to take off the wheel and check it out.