Noise in Front End

So I've noticed a noise in the front end recently. Best way I can describe it is a creaking/popping. Seems to only be at really low speeds when turning, like backing out of driveway or in parking lots. Thought I could feel it in the steering but tonight I heard it without feeling anything in the steering wheel.

Here are some things that may or may not be related to the recent noise:
1. Feels like the alignment may be a bit off as it's pulling slightly to the right, more than crown in road causes. Hasn't been realigned since lift install last December (Dobs IMS) because it's been tracking straight. I'm going to take it next week to get realigned
2. Temp has dropped recently and I'm wondering if cooler weather has triggered it
3. I took it offroad a couple of weekends ago but nothing crazy. Mostly forest roads with minor flexing (no boulder bashing) although did hit some sizable potholes at speed (dodged most but one section of gravel road looked like it had been carpet bombed and there was no dodging all of them). Slight sound had started before the trip though

After research last night, here are things I'm planning on checking out tomorrow:
1. Hood latch and rubber bumpers
2. Skid plate bolt torque
3. Suspension bolt torque (shock mounts, top hat, UCA, LCA)

Anything else I should be checking? I haven't identified yet exactly where it's coming from (left/right/center). I'm going to start by jumping on the bumper to see if I can isolate the location and if that does work, get the wife to back and turn to see if I can pinpoint it before I start

 

I should add I layed underneath the front end a couple of weeks ago and poked around without seeing anything obvious.

CV boots looked undamaged and weren't leaking. It's also not a constant clicking while turning - more of a one time creak/pop as if something is shifting.

I didn't install KDSS spacers when lifting so I'll look closely at the clamps to make sure it's not the sway bar either

 

Already had a response before even reading the post lol

Don’t waste any more time trouble-shooting until after you lube the hood latch.

 

Yeah, that's first on my list after researching posts last night! I did press down on the hood in the center, left, and right sides tonight to see if I heard anything and I did not. I just had it open yesterday to run the compressor and fill tires up now that's its cold, and to exercise the winch. Noise is still there.

Wish I had researched before I had the hood open - could have knocked that off the list yesterday. I was thinking suspension though since I could have sworn I felt it in the steering at the beginning but I heard it tonight without feeling it

 

I don’t hear any of the squawk sounds either just by pushing on it.

The sound likely happens due to the body flexing (over undulations in trails, or down driveways backing out-as usually one tire drops off the driveway first causing a little flex). The hood basically floats over the rest of the body, which flexes way more than what most people realize.

If you look at the metal-to-metal wear on the U latch on the hood, you can see the wear marks (shiney metal) are fairly wide, not just on the area where the striker hits. My wear marks are pretty wide, because mine gets pretty frequent “stretching” exercises lol.

I think that the dry metal areas are where the sounds originate, and the large cavity in the hood panel amplifies the sound into the common squeak/squawk sound that drives people to replace entire suspensions lol.

There really ought to be a placard warning somewhere on the hood to prevent people from going crazy figuring out this cruel sound lol.

 

So I greased the hood latch because it was pretty roughed up and rusty but that didn't fix it. In the spring I'm going to wipe the grease off, knock off the rust and repaint though.

Turns out it was skid plate bolts for the win. I thought when I torqued them down during install it felt a bit weak - the problem was two fold.

First, I tried going with OEM spec of 22.5 ft/lbs. I decided this time to go with RCI recommended 30 ft/lbs (I assume this wasn't a mistake as 30 newton meters is the OEM spec). Second, when I pulled out my torque wrench I realized I had set it to 22.5 newton meters, not ft/lbs, so I was way under torqued.

I snugged them all to 30 ft/lbs per the RCI recco and the mystery sound has gone away. Still wondering if the OEM 22.5 ft/lbs would have been enough but I'll let them ride for now.

 

I am also fighting one from the front left that has just recently gotten really bad with a drop in temp. Still investigating and started first checking for anything loose or rubbing.
The noise I am getting sounds like tapping a large eraser on the lower corner of the windshield when there is any body shift.
Will update if I find/locate the culprit.

 

Glad you found the problem. I’m sure that feels like a relief lol. I recently put on aftermarket skids too, and have found that they tend to make more noise than factory skids. The way my particular skids are set up, I decided some bolts needed some loc-tite and regular checks of snugness since they are really wide and end up taking some torsional forces as the frame flexes.

 

The plastic trim that covers the bottom corners of the windshield can make a noise like that. Easiest way to eliminate that as a possibility is to spray those corners down with water and take it for a drive right away to see if it’s gone.

 

Looking at that cowl area last night and can see multiple possibilities for some noise based off of how it is installed.
Another reason to hang out in the garage before!

 

Yeah, I'm glad it was due to my stupidity rather than an actual problem. I'm guessing the little bit of offroading I did over the summer loosened them up. I'll be sure to check them occasionally from now on

 

This happened to me also. Sounded like someone was tapping on the windshield when driving. If I remember correctly, it was worse in cold weather.