oldManTan

so i recently changed my rear passenger knuckle and half shaft (didn't feel like changing the bearing cz something else could have been the problem and i got the whole piece for a steal) so when i turn right the rear of the car, either underneath or inside, makes a click noise. i can even make the noise by lifting the car with my hand by the wheel arch. i can feel it on the body of the car, not the wheel or axle and it happens absolutely every time. i checked all the controls arms and ball joints all rods, everything is tight, coilover is tight as well. this only happens when i lift that side up, not when i push it down, or do anything to the other side, only when i lift the passenger side of the car up. this only started when i changed those parts so i have no idea what it could be.

i never touched the diff, subframe, or any of the body bolts holding the control arms or rods in place, i only took the half shaft and knuckle out, left everything in place and stuff the new parts in.

here's a quick video of the sound, me just repeatedly lifting the car by hand

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

It sure looks like the bushing/bolt you've got the camera focused on has play in it. I could be imagining it, but the play seems to perfectly coincide with the knocking noise.

Edit: When you push down, the weight of the car is already loaded on the loose bit. It makes sense you wouldn't hear anything then.

oldManTan

Hmmmm idk why that would be loose, i never touched it. I'll go through all the bolts i can see and tighten them anyways just in case.

Edit: that's the LCA so i would expect it to move, whatever the piece is, it has to have downward tension on it because when i lift the car, the piece seems to smack against the body of the car, hence why i feel it on the body of the car if i put my hand on it.

oldManTan

it's the UCA, i took a look at it today, it clicks at the ball joint, is that bad? i'm guessing it's from hammering the ball joint into the knuckle. anything i can do to remedy it? it's just annoying nothing else.

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

That definitely sounds like a bad ball joint.
Typically hammering a ball joint shouldn't do any damage to it though, as they're made to handle much more.

When you removed the ball joint from the old knuckle what tool did you use to separate it? Did you have an arm puller, or were you using a pickle fork? Also why did you have to hammer it in to the new knuckle? Shouldn't the connecting bolt have just fell into the knuckle and then you just used the nut to tighten it into the new knuckle?

I'm just curious, I've never replaced an entire knuckle before so I don't know the process, but it really does sound like a bad ball joint, it's possible the boot was torn if you used a pickle fork and the joint grease has leaked out, or maybe the boot was already torn and some contaminants have gotten in and the joint is partially seized... or it could be something completely different entirely. I'd definitely thoroughly inspect that ball joint though.

oldManTan

i used a torch and hammer to get the ball joint out, joint puller and forks do not work with old joints like these, i tried, and i could get a joint puller in because of the driveshaft being in the way. i hammered it in because when you try to tighten the nut on the ball joint, the ball joint spins with it, so i tightened, and put tons of pressure on it with a pry bar so it wouldn't move, which is usual procedure i think? the noise wasn't there before i did this installation so i doubt the ball joint just went bad from a few hammer knocks.

i have a feeling it's not even the ball joint because if it was, it's very unlikely that i can feel the vibration on the body of the car since it has to through 2 bushings which i'm pretty sure would absorb a small click like this. i'm pretty stumped, there's nothing else i can think of. i looked at the subframe, the diff, driveshaft, hung my body weight on everything and nothing even moves a bit. maybe there's some slack in the ball joint that appears when the weight is loaded or something, i gotta really pin point the noise which is hard because when i feel for it, everything basically clicks, the vibrations reverberates through the entire suspension.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

An exhaust shop might be good at isolating the source of the noise.

oldManTan

Found it!!! Lower sway bar end link, the boot on the was broken and not lubricated, sprayed some white lithium grease on it and tried to tighten it more but could really, but the grease fixed the problem for now, gonna rebuild some new links that I've seen DIYs for and maybe get a supra sway bar. Thanks for the help guys.

eknine9

iTrader: (8)

Yeah that would've been my next guess...

Props on finding the cause of the problem, have you considered going with aftermarket endlinks? Which DIY are you talking about BTW, I'd love some more options as I'm intending on changing both my front and rear endlinks soon as they seemed pretty close to shot when I replaced my coilovers.

oldManTan

I don't remember the exact thread but it was on one of the supra sway bar threads. Just search supra sway bar on sc and you'll find it eventually, it involves some simple bolts and ball joints and it's slightly adjustable as well.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

There was enough play in the end link to cause all that clunking? I would assume that means its ball joint is pretty much toast, but I suppose it's possible it's only the packed in grease making them firm normally. Unlikely, but possible.

Be aware that our end links face a different direction than the Supra ones. It has been reported otherwise in the various rear sway bar swap threads, but the Supra ones I received absolutely will not fit on a SC, whereas the SC ones work fine with the orientation of the Supra bar.

Not knowing the exact DIY method you're referring to, that may or may not matter. You may be able to pivot the eyes around the adjustment bolt to get everything to line up.

oldManTan

this is the thread i'm talking about
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sus...end-links.html

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

^ I actually have that thread saved already, from when I was looking into replacing my rear end links.

oldManTan

yep exactly lol.