Toyota Help me diagnose my toyota front-end clunk

[sixstringsteve]

I've got a weird clunk going on in the front end (I think it's the front end). It feels exactly like when you disengage the push-button 4wd. I can feel it through the brake pedal. the pedal pulses, a lot like ABS, but I don't have ABS. Brakes stop me on a dime, they feel great. It has nothing to do with suspension/bumps. I don't think it has anything to do with the steering. When I get a clunk, I get mumtiple clunks, like 5 in 3 seconds. Almost feels like I'm missing a tooth on the ring gear or something (pretty sure it's not this).

I'm having a tough time reproducing it consistently.

It doesn't seem to be tied to acceleration at all. In fact, I think it might happen more when I'm starting to decelerate. When the clunk happens, it jolts the car enough that it feels like I lost a little bit of momentum.


My brakes have also been popping every now and then when I apply them. I stop fine, but sometimes the pedal travels an extra 1/2" or so in a quick jolt. I wonder if Sixstates got air in my MC and it's related to that. I took apart one of my drums and found they put the spring in backwards, but it's still doing it even after I fixed it. I'm not sure if I have two different issues going on or if they're the same issue.

Details
- 222k mi 2002 tacoma
- auto trans. I've had a shift solenoid code for the past month or two
- rear brakes recently bled
- tie rods, ball joints, and UCAs have less than 20k on them
- steering rack is getting a little bit of play but I doubt it's that.
- front diff has a couple drips of fluid on it, but there aren't any spots/puddles below it.
- there's a possibility the MC ran low enough to introduce air into the system
- sway bar is gone, so it doesn't have anything to do with that
- steering rack bushings recently replaced
- wheel spacers
- tranny just flushed with new fluid (the clunk was occurring before this)
- front a-arm bushings replaced within the past 1000 miles


My guesses:

- something to do with the brakes
- bad or dry ujoint
- something on the electronic ADD is shorting out and it's shifting in and out of 4x4
- tranny shift solenoid freaking out


Any ideas? I've got a Moab trip this weekend and I'd love to fix it before then.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I also notice a slight clunk when braking to a stop. It feels like it's in the front end, but I'm not sure.

When I jack the tire up and shake it, I don't get any wiggle at 12 and 6 O'clock positions. I do get a bit at 3:00 and 9:00, but I think that's just the worn steering rack (it's been this way for 10k)

 

[Kevin B.]

This is the part that throws me:

When I get a clunk, I get mumtiple clunks, like 5 in 3 seconds

Makes me wonder if it could be something as simple as a worn bushing on an a-arm or a loose bolt or something.

 

[sixstringsteve]

A arm bushings are brand new, but keep the guesses coming. Its gotta be something.

Its not brake-induced. In other words, it'll start clunking on its own, without brake use. But then I get worried so I brake to slow down and I think I feel it in the pedal.

It almost feels like the car is held back a bit, like it lurches a tiny bit (though that could all be in my head).

 

[sixstringsteve]

Another guess: it has something to do with when sixstates took apart the rear axle to replaced the wheel bearings. They hot-dipped my rear drum brake internals. Ever since then the brakes haven't felt quite right. I'll get clunks and the pedal will drop an inch or so. I pulled the drum off on the drivers side and the spring was mounted upside down, so I fixed that. I'll have to check the pass side next.

All rear suspension bolts are tight.

Its an intermittent clunk. Its not continuous. It'll clunk 5 times then go away for a minute, then clunk a few times, then go away. Its very unnerving , especially at freeway speeds. It doesn't affect handling but I'm afraid I'm either destroying something or it will lead to a failure or crash.

 

[sixstringsteve]

ok, today it did it on the way to work, less than a mile from my house. So it has nothing to do with the truck needing to be warmed up at all. My speeds were under 30 mph and I was still getting it.

Would a bad shift solenoid do that? I wonder if the brake pedal is a separate or related issue.

 

[Kevin B.]

Do they come faster or slower depending on speed? RPM?

 

[sixstringsteve]

Nope, it's not speed dependent. Sometimes it's a single clunk, sometimes it's multiples a few seconds apart.

 

[chans]

U-Bolts loose on rear axle? Might be the CV axle is worn out. Are the 4 bolts on the lower ball joint tight?

 

[dutchman]

Broken sway bar end link? Those can clunk when turning.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I don't have a sway bar, it is removed (along with the links).

Lower BJ bolts are tight

Rear u-bolts are torqued to spec

CV is a possibility. All CV issues I've had in the past were more prevalent when turning. This issue happens when I'm driving straight


Keep the guesses coming guys!


I could be wrong, but I think it's only happening when I decelerate.

 

[SLC97SR5]

Dry slip yoke on the rear shaft?

I'm with Chan's on the loose ubolts, or, I had something similar and it ended up being 2 missing teeth off the ring gear.

Are the drums ever hot after this happens, like they are dragging?

 

[sixstringsteve]

the drums are slightly dragging. i'll have to feel for heat. The front rotors are hot after driving, but I'm not sure if that's normal or not.

 

[sixstringsteve]

it definitely feels like a chipped ring gear, but I have no clue how that would have happened. I've been taking it easy, and the only crawling i've done with it has been HITR. No towing or drag racing. And I would expect to feel it when I accelerate. I'm not saying it isn't the ring or pinion, it easily could be. I'm going to lube the rear driveshaft, double-check all the front suspension bolts, and check the other drum brake at lunch. Then I'll see if I can duplicate the issue.

 

[SLC97SR5]

The bed bolts and battery hold down are tight? I know its a reach but those would transmit a clunk.

I'm hoping its the rear shaft, as for ring gear condition a pull of the drain plug told me all I needed to know. My issues were from bad setup at a reputable shop. (Meaning someone other than Carl)

 

[sixstringsteve]

I wouldn't be shocked if my diff had a bad gear setup, as I didn't use Carl either.

I'll check the bed bolts. I can definitely feel it in the brake pedal though, so I think it's drivetrain related. At times it feels like abs is on (even though my rig doesn't have ABS). I feel the clunk, apply brakes, and the pedal pulses in time with the clunks.

Crossing my fingers that it's just a dry driveshaft. I don't think I've ever greased this one up. I've had too many toyotas, I can't remember which ones I've done and which ones I haven't.

 

[TRD270]

Since it's so random, could it be a chunk metal floating around in your 3rd's or Tcase?

 

[Box Rocket]

Steve, have you checked for slop in the carrier bearing? Yours might be worn out.

 

[mbryson]

I vote for driveline u-joint or carrier bearing....something similar. Not that I've ever even been under a Toyota before so I basically I have no idea and am talking out my ass with a nice run-on sentence that will make me sound like an e-expert

 

[Marsh99]

I vote for driveline u-joint or carrier bearing....something similar. Not that I've ever even been under a Toyota before so I basically I have no idea and am talking out my ass with a nice run-on sentence that will make me sound like an e-expert

I would grease the u-joints up they have zerk fittings. The carrier bearings are around 100$, but easy to check.