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-   -   Yet Another Clunk Thread (https://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/293995-yet-another-clunk-thread.html)

axel1 01-15-2021 03:43 PM

Yet Another Clunk Thread
 
Hi everyone!

I promise this is a bit different than all the other "what's this clunking sound" threads on here. I've done my homework and read through most of them but I have yet to come across anything that makes me go "aha!"

So a little background - I had the usual front-end suspension clunk on my 2014 SR5. In November I finally got around to replacing the sway bar end links and bushings. I upgraded all the bushings front and rear to the greaseable Prothane poly bushings that have been mentioned in a few threads, and went with generic end links from RockAuto for the new links front and rear. Afterwards I went wheeling on a few trails, but nothing super crazy, and everything was silent throughout the whole trip.

The silence was not long. Come December and I've got the same exact suspension clunk again. That in and of itself is extremely frustrating. Additionally, I have another new and exciting noise that I've never seen mentioned on the forums.

When going over speed bumps/dips/anything where the entire body pitches up and down sharply, I hear a loud metallic clunk coming from the middle of the body, somewhere underneath. Not a soft-sounding suspension clunk, but something that sounds like a loose skid plate jumping up and down (imagine the sound of driving over a manhole cover - very similar). It only happens when the entire body moves up and down, so it's nothing to do with the suspension or one side in particular. I've checked all the bolts on the front skid and it's perfectly tight, so that's not it. As far as I can tell there's nothing large and metal in the middle of the body anywhere that could even be making that noise!

So I'd love suggestions from you wonderful people for both my issues:
  1. What could've caused my suspension clunk to come back so quickly after new sway bar hardware fixed it the first time?
  2. What on earth could be jumping around underneath the body that's making such a solid thunk over bumps/dips?

I'm hoping I can find a time in the next month or so when things are dry and relatively warm to crawl under the truck to get a closer look. Not having a garage of any kind really is a pain in the winter. In the meantime I'd appreciate any brainstorming or quick items to check that could be a possible source of my noises.

EDIT: should also mention that I'm running Billy 5100's all around. 0.85" in the front with 1" Cornfed spacers in the rear. Not a big lift by any means, and I don't think it has anything to do with the issues, but I figured someone would ask.

axel1 03-31-2021 02:28 PM

I have another update - partial success!

I must be blind, oblivious, or high 24/7 to not notice the very obvious reason why I was getting a loud clank from the rear end:

https://i.imgur.com/TM8WIX4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/lnD2yZO.jpg

I'm honestly amazed that the track bar being completely disconnected didn't manifest itself as anything more than the occasional "hmm the rear end felt like it moved a bit too much there" when going over some bigger bumps.

I'm guessing that slowly worked its way loose over the past year, from back when I installed my 5100s. We took the track bar out to drop the rear axel and evidently we didn't torque it down enough when we put it back in. Rest assured, with some new hardware it's now torqued properly to factory spec.

However,

The frontend clunk remains. I'm still looking for any ideas on this one. I double-checked the torque on all the sway bar components and re-greased the new bushings but the clunk remains. Any time I hit hard bumps, even small ones, I get a very well-defined "loose, soft" clunk noise coming from either side of the front. It's not hard and metallic like a skid plate (which are all torqued down tight). I'm wondering if it's something like the rubber bushings on the top of the shocks being loose. Any suggestions on things to check would be appreciated. I don't think it's control arms, because I had an alignment done last year after the lift was installed and they didn't mention anything wrong with them.

spartacus 03-31-2021 02:33 PM

Mght be a good idea to do some rust prevention also.

axel1 03-31-2021 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spartacus (Post 3622521)
Mght be a good idea to do some rust prevention also.

Already done - I took the opportunity while it was up on the lift to fluid film the crap out of everything with any signs of rust. Been doing it twice a year in the spring & fall since I got the truck two years ago.


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