92makes loud sound when wheel is turned all the way left!

My 92 4Runner makes very loud sounds when i turn the wheel all the way to the left, i try not to turn it all the way that way and it only happens when it is turned ALL THE WAY that way and i easily avoid it but i want to make sure its nothing big. it sounds like something is either rubbing (tire wise) or something with my shocks or something with metal hitting metal, but i just dont know, its loud and sounds like something is gunna break off, i've had a few people look at it but they didnt see anything cause they werent sure what to look for...? any help, thanks in advance.

I had that happen with a Celica I had once - it turned out there was a crack in the power steering fluid reservoir and the fluid had run out, so the belt was making the sound. Since on the Celica the pump is mounted to the engine, it was hard to find a used one and I didn't have the money for a new one, so I put that Gunk brand leak stopper in the it and it pretty much did the trick to stop the leaking.

The other thing to look at would be the ball joint; I understand it makes a bad "cracking" noise too if it's going bad.

Last thing I'd look at is the lower control arm. I had a Pathfinder that did the same thing your 4Runner is doing, mostly when I was going in reverse though (and cranking the wheel all the way to the right). I subsequently found out that the lower control arm brackets were basically shot - there were bolts missing and the bushings were just blown or had crumbled to just plain missing. The lower control arm was actually just resting in the bracket, nothing really holding it in but gravity. Scary. I had both brackets replaced, the lower control arms replaced as well, and the problem went away.

First thing I'd do is check your power steering fluid, make sure you have enough in there. Next is to take it to a shop and have the CV and ball joints looked at, and while it's on the rack, have a good look at the lower control arms.

ball joint or something is rubbing

My 92 4Runner makes very loud sounds when i turn the wheel all the way to the left, i try not to turn it all the way that way and it only happens when it is turned ALL THE WAY that way and i easily avoid it but i want to make sure its nothing big. it sounds like something is either rubbing (tire wise) or something with my shocks or something with metal hitting metal, but i just dont know, its loud and sounds like something is gunna break off, i've had a few people look at it but they didnt see anything cause they werent sure what to look for...? any help, thanks in advance.



4 wheel drive????If so the noise may be your CV Joint on axle (usually outer)...more likely it is just *dead* stopping.Look on back side of lower control arm and and on back side of spindle and find what looks like a bolt with a plastic nut on it (which may have fallen off and replace and/or grease as case might be ,as well as stop on back side of lower control arm.... goodluck :o)

Man, some of you people take noises way to seriously!!! First off when you hear this noise is the vehicle moving?? If so this also means that the suspension is probobly flexing as well. The second gen 4runners have steering stops that are nothing more than bolts with a locknut. To silence the noise when the stop is met, they used little nylon caps on the heads of the bolts. These are ALWAYS falling off and wearing out. the dealer sells them very cheap and they simply snap on. This is most likely your problem. The reason it wont't do it when turn to the right is that cap most likely has not fallen off yet!

Hey Scrobocop, In addition to the other posts (especially Forest Grump, listen to him, he knows what's up....) you may want to check out this link. Sounds like this is what you need??????

http://www2.toyautoparts.com/parts/parts1/toyautoparts/wizard.jsp?year=1990&make=TO&model=4RU-V6-003&category=M&&part=Groan+Stopper+Bolt+Cover

Hey Scrobocop, In addition to the other posts (especially Forest Grump, listen to him, he knows what's up....) you may want to check out this link. Sounds like this is what you need??????

http://www2.toyautoparts.com/parts/parts1/toyautoparts/wizard.jsp?year=1990&make=TO&model=4RU-V6-003&category=M&&part=Groan+Stopper+Bolt+Cover

Is that the same guy that said to grease the bolt head??????

There is a *dead stop* bolt on spindle that when you turn wheel too far will make contact with a *stop/dead stop* pad on a-frame and the bolthead/head of bolt has a plastic/nylon cap on it to keep from making metal to metal contact...when it wears thru you can smear a dab of grease on it to lessen that terrible screeching nail on chalkboard sound til you can pick up another set of caps from local Toyota dealer.

YES forrest we covered that, BUT the whole object is to keep the nylon cap from comming off again, DO NOT GREASE THESE. Clean the bolt head aqnd the caps (even new caps) with denatured alcohol and apply JB WELD epoxy, and then install caps. I found that doing this makes them last twice as long. When The caps wear thru, just use a wire brush to remove the small amount of JB WELD and repeat install. BY the way forrest, hows jenny???

I still got her number

Not to muddy the waters but as I've got 5 of these things on the road most of the time and too many friends that drive these things, and I do all their work and the nearest dealer is 250 miles away at $6 a pop and Alaskan winters are really tough on plastic parts and blah blah, I have had real good luck with shoving an inch or so long piece of 1/2" heater hose over the stud and fillin it with grease. By the time it starts screechin again, it's usually time for chassis and ujoint lubes. Or not.

Hey madbodger GREAT ADVICE! I have had the same problem and have just used grease to lesson the noise.
BOTTOM LINE guys is a power steering system should NEVER be held against the stops, ("hit the stop & back off!) or you will be back here whining about PS leaks and worn out linkage parts. Ever wonder why your plastic idler arm bushings wear out faster than everyone else’s?
REALLY, madbodger, thanks for the "farm boy" fix, it will work for me, BTW they don't just "fall off" they are broken off from abuse so unless you cure the cause the symptoms will return. Speaking in generalities, I would tell my customers how to prevent the problems but I would be there for them if it happens again.
Lubrication is always your friend. As long as it doesn't melt off in the desert sun.
(Properly applied JB will NOT come off with just a wire brush)