Dude, that lightbar is badass! Also, sway bar end links are a pretty common wear item and they make a noise like the one you describe. Easy way to test it is just disconnect them and go for a drive.
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My mind went straight to sway bar stuff. I second a thorough inspection there of end links and bushings.
Light bar looks great. Blends right in with the front grill. And those night shots are great on that phone…really solid comparisons.
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Thanks fellas. I’ll see about spraying the sway bar bushings tonight. And I think I’ll pressure wash the undercarriage before I do any more work under there.
I also thought sway bar. I like the spray white grease for eliminating squeaks. I also used it under that boot for the actuator rod that shifts into 4wd. Mm one was sticking before. But not after.
“sound might actually be coming from the front driver side hub under cornering loads”
Have you ever had the hub apart? Boy I don’t miss the gen3 integrated, non-profit serviceable hub - gen2 is so much easier to service.
Did you try checking its temperature? A worn/noisy bearing should show more heat then the other side.
Re light bar… LOVE IT. Stealthy install too. Me likey.
One last thing. That battery tie down… You’ve gotten rid of the awful wet battery. Isn’t it time to paint that rusty boat anchor and put the whole caustic business behind you? 
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GOOD NEWS! (For now…)
I went out to air up the bike tires for tomorrow. Since I had the compressor out, I decided to check Fezzik’s tires. Only one had more than 30psi. The fronts were at 25psi.
I aired the fronts to 32psi and the rears to 37psi. Now I might get better than 14mpg, eh?
While my little Viair was chugging away, I hit the sway bar end links and cross bushings with WD-40. When I rocked the truck side to side by pushing on the fender, the creaking was still there on the front passenger side, but when I did it again after airing up the tires, it had almost gone away. Still, it sounded like the noise was coming from behind the wheel–torsion bar, maybe? I’ll have to drive it tomorrow sometime to find out.
Added bonus, after reinstalling Audacity, and doing some googling, and typing workaround stuff in freaking Terminal since Apple’s Catalina update blocks non-Apple programs (assholes), and recorded at least 30 takes of my intro, I finally got episode 60 finished and uploaded.
Oh yeah.
And then this happened.
Seems like it should be an easy fix, but I can’t get it back in there and engaging the AC.
I’d really like to avoid opening up the dash to replace the HVAC controls…
Quick Update: I posted the above picture on Instagram and good guy Ryan Yantzer pointed me to this jobber:
Should show up just in time to be necessary, though I’ll still tinker with the old/busted one to see how it works.
I also found a few threads on Aussie Pajero boards talking about front end suspension noises. While the torsion bars don’t really move, they’re supposed to be well-greased under the front boots. Something tells me mine could use a shot of spray silicone grease. If not, looks like indexing them shouldn’t be more than an hour’s work with a “rattle gun” (impact gun).
Something to do this weekend…
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You have a link to the switch?
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223,670 (359,962km)
- ADD fuel tank armor install
- topped off rear diff
- tcase fluid change
- fuel filter change
- pressure washed undercarriage
Adventure Driven Design Fuel Tank Skid Plate Install
I’m kinda weird. I’m not a rock crawler. But I’m not an overlander, either. I’m just a guy who wants to get a little bit further away from the crowd. Without lifting the truck or fitting bigger tires (still thinking stock skinnies after the BFGs are spent), protecting Fezzik’s soft underbelly becomes something of a priority.
Sliders are on my radar, but first—armor.
I’ve got the complete set of four skid plates from ADD. They’re beefy as hell. And since I had the rear up in the air to top off the rear diff (I forgot a quart on the shelf last weekend, meaning the rear diff was a quart low), I figured I’d install it.
First thing I did was pull up @racedinanger and @BradD’s excellent install video:
I was a little nervous about not having a second set of hands or fresh hardware, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t go in fairly easily.
The install went quite smoothly with the exception of one of the bolts being bent forward almost 30° from The Camry Incident. After trying to bend it back into place with vice grips, a variety of implements on a floor jack, and a sound beating with the mini-sledge, I ran a longer bolt through from the top and worked my way around to the back. Boom. A righteous skid plate to protect the ol’ fuel tank.
Changing Transfer Case Oil
After topping off the rear diff, I set my sights on replacing the tcase oil. Like the diffs, there was a magnetic drain bolt. Does anyone know if this is factory stock? I mean, I’m glad I’ve got them, just not sure if it was something nice the previous owner did right for once. Just look at all the sludge on that thing. (The rear diff was the same way.)
Here it is all cleaned up. That’s a lot of sludge.
Not Pictured: Fuel Filter Replacement
What a pain in the ass. I had the tools. I had the filter. I had fuel everywhere. I mean, I could have disconnected a relay and run the pressure out, but I feel like the tank just drains out by gravity, so there’s likely no neat/clean way to do it.
Also Not Pictured: Further Front End Creaking Investigation
After pressure washing everything under the truck, I took another look at the front end to see about resolving the creaking noise. Torsion bars appear well-greased under the boots, so it’s looking like lower control arm bushings.
We’re all getting stimulus checks, right?
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From what I gather, aside from the one pressed-into-the-chassis bushing being a royal pita, replacing the upper and lower control arm bushings is just a 6-hour job–assuming everything goes according to plan.
Finding the right OE bushings might be harder still. I don’t want to do this job for another 200,000 miles, so I want to get the OE bushings. I’ve dug into Partsouq but can’t seem to find what I’m looking for or, at least, not with any amount of confidence.
Also, since this job is easier with a press or at least a bench vice, it looks like I’m stuck with a noisy front end until after the pandemic, when I can get over to the shop. 
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I can help you find it in partsouq if you like. Better if we did it while on a hangout methinks. But first… Look in right rear wheelwell and take a pic of your chassis ID. It’ll help.
Partsouq isn’t shipping right now… Just in case you didn’t know.
Meanwhile… get some white spray grease, put the little straw thingy on it and focus that spray where you think it should go. Use a pry tool if you need to to get that stuff in there…
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Thanks Phil. Probably take you up on that offer. Maybe sometime this week?
And I’ve sprayed WD-40 down into that joint, but hadn’t thought about using a pry bar and grease. Maybe I could crack the bolt loose and do that?
You can borrow my press if you want, and my service tools. Let me know.
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I’ll deliver and pick up. Just let me know.
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Thanks, Rob. I’m still a ways out from this job. Need to truly isolate the noise first. I kinda feel like it might also be torsion bar, but can’t be sure.
Either way, parts are waiting on money, so it could be a while. Might be a nice project to do in the garage once it’s hot outside.
The rear skid is easy to install, I too would like to add sliders before I go “off road” because IIRC I’m only running 31". I use my truck for doing domestic stuff, so building it into a total off road rig is not in the cards.
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The rear skid was indeed easy to install.
I don’t have a rivnut gun, so I’m apprehensive about installing the trans plate. I’m also hesitant to invest in such a thing for two bolts.
See also, I need to re-inspect the transmission post-pressure wash. I suspect I might have a few leaks toward the rear; namely at the tail housing and the roughly square, vertical plate on the passenger side. Both appeared to have gray RTV remnants at the seams and there were drops of fluid on the lower bolts.
You say TWO bolts, but you’ll find yourself using it on other projects.
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I second this, I have one at work and I’m always finding reasons to use it. Such an awesome tool!
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