Front Suspension Noise

[Firefly]

Hi there to All,
Titled this thread "Front Sus Noise"......but maybe noise could be something else.!!!!! When transversing (some washouts - rough rocky sections) a LOUD snapping sound is expelled from the front end of my 09 D22. You can "feel" it thru the car......but all seems to be well - steers ok - sits ok re ride height......drive on to next rough section and....snap again. The ute is fitted with EFS uprated torsion bars - EFS shocks and leaves - with about a 1:5 to 2" lift. Just for the aguement....I am aged 51 - been around 4WDs for round 30yrs - hold accredited 4WD quals thru Govnment and private - and have been an accredited 4WD club instructor. My point of this is to say when this "noise" happens the vehicle is at crawling speed - with the soothest line picked - not attacked like some gooses we ALL see out there who just "point and shoot......and hang on."
Moving on...contacted EFS yesterday and the guy said there shouldnt be any noises (such as I described) - and contacted the business who fitted the suspension - who said they will look into it. So...............(finally) wondered if anyone else with a D22 has had the same experience.
PS.......Aidos' desciption of the Thai built D22s is PRICELESS.......and I thought getting rid of a heavily modified 3 LTR 02 GU- (in case it blew up and left me stranded) was a good move.........there's one born every day!!! Take care all.

 

[maddogrc]

go under your car and check the steering limiting bolts (the ones that determine how far each side can turn until full lock).

if they are bare metal then apply a good dob of grease on the ends of those bolts and also onto the plates where they meet on steering full lock.

problem solved...

from factory there are plastic caps on those bolts to stop the noise, but these wear stupidly quick and nissan want $42 for a set of 4

 

[Dion]

Worn CV joint? (09 model... Already???) With worn CV joints, when torque is applied to a joint operating on an angle, the joint can bind. The release can be quite violent and is what gives you your 'snap', and will be felt to some extent through the vehicle. I imagine when traversing washouts you're lifting wheels and lock to lock steering, putting your CVs at their max operating angle.

Stretched transfer chain is more of a bang than a snap so I won't go into that.

That's all I can think of that would snap.

 

[Dion]

go under your car and check the steering limiting bolts (the ones that determine how far each side can turn until full lock).

if they are bare metal then apply a good dob of grease on the ends of those bolts and also onto the plates where they meet on steering full lock.

problem solved...

from factory there are plastic caps on those bolts to stop the noise, but these wear stupidly quick and nissan want $42 for a set of 4

Did you read the post? I made the same immediate assumption as you when I read the title but then I read the post and it's not the question that gets asked daily... luckily.

 

[Firefly]

Hi to all,
Thanx yet again for replying to my post. Re the steering limiting bolts...they still have the caps on them.....however from past info gained from this site...I regularly clean them and re grease them with a good smear of moly di. I try not to hold my steering at full lock and would rather do a 3 pt turn than force it to turn on full lock...am aware of the pressure applied to the pwr steer pump / lines etc. Re the CVs...being aware that a CV -extended and with the steering ( fully ) turned is under the greatest stress - I am concious to be very conservative re pwr application when the components are in the stressed position. My front diff is also fitted with a Lokka Diff centre. I tend to be very gentle with this Thai built s%^tbox.......( in approx 16000k dont think the engine's been over 3000Rpm) - Has had 5 oil changes and factory oil filters (incl the 5000 and 10000ks) and is serviced by Hi Tech 4X4 at Penrith NSW. Hi Tech want to investigate any movement (rotation???) of the torsion bars they fitted.........meanwhile ...........Tread Lightly doesnt just apply to the enviroment...!!! Take care all.

 

[dan04]

Did ya end up working out what was causing the noise?
I have just installed EFS gear in my 04 D22, shocks and leafs, kept standard torsions.
I too experience a snapping noise. On road and 4x4ing over flattish terrain no dramas at all. Although once it has been flexed close to limits, once it all straightens/levels, thats when i get the snapping noises. Mostly from front, but sometime from rear end also. Never use to do it with standard suspension setup. I have greaseable shackles, but not greaseable front pins, would this be causing any noises when at full flex?

I did notice that when I jack up the front end, wheels off ground, the upper control arms make contact with the rubber boot on front shock. It sits bloody close to the shock housing, although i dont think it actually hits/would dint shock as it has not cut through the rubber yet.

Cheers.

 

[Al]

You'll find its the torsion bars not seated right. after you work out which side it is that is making the noise, remove the torsion bar and then put it back in the correct depth. (ie make sure it goes in far enough!). In the mean time be careful offroad as you are likely to strip the spline when they let go becasue there isn't enough holding it. Also you did put the circlip back in right?

 

[will]

Is this the sound you're thinking is the torsion bars?

you'll hear it within the first 10 seconds in this clip.

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2UFj83J9Q0[/YT]

 

[Al]

yeah that was what mine sounded like. i didn't even have to go offroad. it would just clank if i backed down a driverway and turned etc. quite a loud noise and you could feel in in the floorpan on the passenger side. redoing the torsion bars on the left fixed her and has not been a problem since... was quite some time ago too. had you had your torsion bars out to reindex or replace?

 

[will]

I've never had them out, but maybe i should re-index them and see if it fixes the clank. Mines happening on the drivers i'm pretty sure.

so whats the process & how do i index them correctly? how'd you do yours?

 

[Al]

http://www.navara.asia/d22-suspension-steering/415-winding-up-torsion-bars.html#post3577

if your not winding them up just put them back in the exact same alignment. mark them before you pull them out.

 

[will]

Yeah, when i fit my lift i just wound them up. I had thought of re-indexing them when i did it, but laziness got the best of me.

I'll have a go over the Christmas break at doing it.

i had posted the question and had thought all along that it'd be the torsion bars. i guess we shall see. http://www.navara.asia/d22-suspension-steering/3955-suspension-drive-clunk.html

cheers mate.

 

[Aido]

I also have EFS bars and do the same as described. Not so much recently but when new.
Possible that the splines are not meshing together with the adjusters (?). They have settled and obviously worn they're own groove now. Besides I really don't give a crap anymore and I am just going to drive it like I don't know any better. Done all I can to improve it and its still a pile of pus.

 

[dan04]

I didnt re-index my torsions. Only wound them up.
As said, i have no troubles on driveways, or anything to do with normal driving, only when it flexes right up then goes back to normal. Might have a look at them, can you notice if they arent sitting in properly without pulling apart?

 

[T.Griff]

Hey,

Mine makes the same noise aswel. What do you guys mean by re-indexing the torsion bars?

Cheers

Tom

 

[dan04]

Has anyone tried anything/found anything else recently?
Cheers

 

[FatBoy89]

Have you all got standard shocks or aftermarket?
have a look at the side of your drivers shock.. They bang against the UCA's

 

[dan04]

Yeah i've got EFS shocks.

Its pretty close on both sides, rubs against the rubber boot, i dont think thats whats making the noise though, only sounds when its on full flex, and once its coming back to standard height/stretch thats when it clunks, like whens its re-positioning itself back to normal. Could be rubber bushes binding or something not sure.

 

[rickp78]

ive had the same problem with mine and nissan has replaced the lock stop caps they tell me they wear out quick my nav is only 13000 kays old and just had a second set put in.service manager has put it on the computer to change mine at every service that way i dont get charged the labour

 

[Peteyen86]

ive had the same problem with mine and nissan has replaced the lock stop caps they tell me they wear out quick my nav is only 13000 kays old and just had a second set put in.service manager has put it on the computer to change mine at every service that way i dont get charged the labour

How much they charging you for the new caps all the time? Most guys on here just put a glob of grease on the end of the caps. They last longer and dont make the noise.