2004 4runner steering clunking sound when turning

[chadoll]

I have a 2004 4runner with 228K highway miles. When I am driving slow and turn the wheel all the way to the right to try to park, it makes a clunking sound? Could this be the steering rack? or the tie rod or ball joint? I have no idea.

When driving there is no play in the steering wheel so I'm thinking that its not the rack. Any ideas?

 

[wnelax04sr5]

probable tie rod end, thats a simple fix and is less than $100 in parts for both, id start there and see if it persists

 

[maxcaster91]

I would check the steering stops. Our 05 did the same thing. I just coated the stops in grease and the noise completely stopped.

 

[Minn3sota]

I had a similar sound under the same conditions, slow right turns and "pop". I greased my bump stop, and I have not heard it since.

I'm not entirely sure if the bump stop was the culprit, but it takes under a minute to grease up both sides and it might work for you.

Cheers

 

[peebee]

With that mileage you should probably have the entire front end checked thoroughly. Ball joints wear and would be my first suspicion of clicking/clunking sounds while turning. Get it checked by a good mechanic. You don't want ball joints failing while you're driving down the road. You'll destroy much more of your truck and possibly injure/kill someone.

 

[Cornelius]

x3 on the steering stops. It'll take less than 5 minutes and is free if you've got some heavy grease lying around. If that fails, then I'd definitely say look into the tie rod ends.

I had the same problem about 3 months ago. Greased the stops, and haven't had it happen since.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/125918-clunk-noise-turning-left-right-2008-toyota-4runner.html

 

[V8RUNN]

sway bar links

try taking off one front sway bar link to see if the noise goes away, have see this in several high milage trucks...

-doug

 

[fdbyrne]

I plan on doing that same thing this weekend. Hoping it's the sway bar ends.

 

[CAN-03runner]

Greasing the steering stops helped mine for a while. But that is probably masking the real problem.

But what really fixed the problem for me was replacement of the lower control arm bushings. Actually I just replaced the entire arms. It was cheaper and quicker than to remove old bushings. I don't think the metal sleeve is sold separately and if you try to chisel it out it messes up.

Replacement of the LCA bushings was the fix on a couple of my buddies FJ Cruisers as well.

 

[fdbyrne]

Which LCA's did you go with? I'm prepared to replace the ball joints and bushings (or entire control arms) but I've got to rule out the sway bar first.

 

[CAN-03runner]

It's been some time. But I think they were Mevotech. I believe that Moog might also have a version now.

Prior to this replacement I also replaced the ball joint and tie rod end(too much fun sliding around on ice....slid into a sidewalk) Ball joint and tie rod end and alignment did not eliminate the clunk.

Here's a video that someone else made around the time I was trying to diagnose my clunk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aawh9ko8cDU

 

[fdbyrne]

Wow. Thanks for the video. That's crazy. If removing the sway bar doesn't change anything I'll find somebody with a GoPro that I can borrow and start trying to figure it out.

 

[fdbyrne]

I pulled my sway bar completely out today while I was replacing the driver side CV shaft (for the 3rd time in 3 weeks... long story). After driving it around for about half an hour the thing rocks like a boat at sea but the clunking noise appears to be gone. I'm going to drive it a day or two to be sure and then order up some end links and bushings. I'm pretty happy it was the sway bar that appears to be causing my noise because it's the easiest (cheapest) fix by far.