Chattering/knocking/vibrating from rear suspension

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tpirman

New member
Not SOLVED: Chattering/knocking/vibrating from rear suspension

Hey all,

First real post here. I have searched high and low but couldn't find anything.

I have a 2011 TE w/ KDSS and all that stuff. When I take a left turn, slightly uphill, slightly on the gas, I sometimes hear and feel some chattering/knocking/vibrating from the rear. I am 99% it's outside the cabin and in the suspension. I am not going fast, these are just random, lazy left turns. I am 100% sure it's not the VSC, I had an FJ before and I know what that sounds like in both vehicles.

I have an appointment at the dealer tomorrow to have them look at it, but was wondering if anyone else has experienced this? If I am told it's normal, then it's fine, if it's not normal, well, then....

Thanks in advance.
 
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Ok, I did find the answer here when I was looking, but I thought I had checked all I could: It is in fact the seats in the back. I did a bunch of debugging which was basically me making changes and then driving around a park island in my neighborhood. I am sure my neighbors think I am crazy and they wouldn't be far off.

The combo of the steering wheel chattering just a bit and the sound of the seats made me think it was in the suspension. Glad to know the suspension is rock solid just as I had hoped and thought!
 
So it wasn't the seats. I can reproduce the sound/feeling easily now. It's only when I turn left and I am almost positive it's coming from the back undercarriage. Doesn't matter if it's uphill or downhill. I've been under the rig 10 times looking for things that could make the noise, but can't find anything.

I am going to get the dealer to look at it, but if anyone has any ideas, I am open to listening!
 
tpirman said:
So it wasn't the seats. I can reproduce the sound/feeling easily now. It's only when I turn left and I am almost positive it's coming from the back undercarriage. Doesn't matter if it's uphill or downhill. I've been under the rig 10 times looking for things that could make the noise, but can't find anything.

I am going to get the dealer to look at it, but if anyone has any ideas, I am open to listening!
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Try checking inside where your jack is store. Bottle jack could be sitting loose in there. How about the spare tire, is it all the way up? Have you tried having someone sit back there while you drive in circles to see if they can pin point where noise is actually coming from then switch he/she drives while you sit back there. Just some suggestions.
 
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Are you sure you are not in 4WD? The trail is not full-time 4WD and if you are turning on dry ground in 4H, you may feel something like that.
 
I have checked the spare tire, that looks good. I removed everything from the jack compartment when I ran my tests, so it can't be that. I am also not in 4WD, just little ol' 2WD.

I swear it's underneath, I can "feel" it. It's the kind of sound you'd hear on a 1987 Buick, not an expensive 2011 4Runner.

Thanks for the suggestions, please keep them coming!

(It's not the cargo tray either)
 
tpirman said:
I have checked the spare tire, that looks good. I removed everything from the jack compartment when I ran my tests, so it can't be that. I am also not in 4WD, just little ol' 2WD.

I swear it's underneath, I can "feel" it. It's the kind of sound you'd hear on a 1987 Buick, not an expensive 2011 4Runner.

Thanks for the suggestions, please keep them coming!

(It's not the cargo tray either)
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Ok, I know you are certain the sound(s) are coming from the rear. I too had similar things like this happen to me in other vehicles. A couple of times, the cause actually came from the front, but due to sound proofing etc. etc. it was things happening to the front. You gave me a clue when you said there was steering wheel chatter and it happens only with left hand turns. What size tires are you running? Could one of the tires, (passenger side front) be rubbing slightly on the inner plastic wheel well? If you look at the front wheel wells, you will see a plastic "ridge" about dead center in front or your tire. If your tire is a larger size OR, if your positive caster is so far forward on that side of the vehicle, the outer right hand side of your tire could actually rub against that plastic ridge when making a sharp left hand turn.

The fact that you feel it rubbing (steering wheel chatter), it does not happen when turning right, and the vibration travels thru-out the vehicle enough to rattle the rear seats (due to the flip down design of the rear seats, they WILL rattle more easily then the fronts), tells me it is either one or the other or both. Larger tires and positive castor, or just positive caster, or even maybe some other alignment problem with the right front tire.......ok, I am playing auto "House" here, but it was fun.

Thanks for the opportunity to give it a try. Let us know what you find.
 
For the past 10k, I've heard a similar noise/sound and have brought it to the dealer twice.

It only happens when I take a left hand turn, on slightly uneven terrain going uphill.

I thought it was my spare, or a broken rear shock/spring. My dealer swears it's my hitch. Well, I don't think it is and everything else appears tight.

Knowing that I have a 125k warranty (even though I have 21k on it in 10 months now) is peace of mind that if something breaks I'll finally know what it was.
 
This is all great feedback and great tips. I am running stock size Revos, so there is no rubbing, but that is good info.

My OCD is paying off I believe though. When I looked at the spare tire before I pushed and pulled on it as hard as I could, but it didn't budge. I assumed it couldn't be the culprit. Well, you know what they say about what it means to assume something.

I finally took the spare off completely and then wrapped some electrical tape around the chain. I ran, or drove, through my battery of tests and so far so good. I ran out of time, and the local gardeners started giving me funny looks when I kept driving around the block in circles, so I will try again tonight, just to really make sure. That damn OCD is going to make me do it.

I hope this is it, because it's not the sound that bothers me so much, it's the thought that my trusty 4R might not be as burly as I thought. This is pointing to the fact that it is indeed burly.
 
tpirman said:
This is all great feedback and great tips. I am running stock size Revos, so there is no rubbing, but that is good info.

My OCD is paying off I believe though. When I looked at the spare tire before I pushed and pulled on it as hard as I could, but it didn't budge. I assumed it couldn't be the culprit. Well, you know what they say about what it means to assume something.

I finally took the spare off completely and then wrapped some electrical tape around the chain. I ran, or drove, through my battery of tests and so far so good. I ran out of time, and the local gardeners started giving me funny looks when I kept driving around the block in circles, so I will try again tonight, just to really make sure. That damn OCD is going to make me do it.

I hope this is it, because it's not the sound that bothers me so much, it's the thought that my trusty 4R might not be as burly as I thought. This is pointing to the fact that it is indeed burly.
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I know it sounds a bit strange, but actually I am glad to hear it is not your front tires etc. I am, however, having a very hard time imagining how or why your spare tire or chain could be creating the symptoms you described.
If you have a chance, let us know how or why the spare was causing the problem.

Notwithstanding that concern, please excuse my ignorance, but what does "OCD" mean? Yea, I do not "text" and that may be the problem... and thanks for not "flaming" me for my uninformed diagnosis.....
 
Jtraskell said:
I know it sounds a bit strange, but actually I am glad to hear it is not your front tires etc. I am, however, having a very hard time imagining how or why your spare tire or chain could be creating the symptoms you described.
If you have a chance, let us know how or why the spare was causing the problem.

Notwithstanding that concern, please excuse my ignorance, but what does "OCD" mean? Yea, I do not "text" and that may be the problem... and thanks for not "flaming" me for my uninformed diagnosis.....
Click to expand...

I will let you know for sure what I find. I am hoping I can come up with something that I am 100% certain about.

OCD = Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I only have a slight case of it ;)
 
Just did some more testing and it's not the spare. So weird, sometimes the sound/feeling is more prevalent than at other times. Gonna hit the dealership in the morning, see if they can't figure it out.
 
tpirman said:
Just did some more testing and it's not the spare. So weird, sometimes the sound/feeling is more prevalent than at other times. Gonna hit the dealership in the morning, see if they can't figure it out.
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Ah my friend, it is not "OCD" it is, "It's mine and I give a sh*t" disorder! Good luck and I hope it comes out well.
 
Is the noise a metallic ticking or clicking sound? I had a noise that drove me nuts for months and I finally traced it down to the right body mount in front of the rear wheel. I loosened the body mount bolt then realigned it and never heard the noise again.
 
dcon said:
Is the noise a metallic ticking or clicking sound? I had a noise that drove me nuts for months and I finally traced it down to the right body mount in front of the rear wheel. I loosened the body mount bolt then realigned it and never heard the noise again.
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Wow, nice find. That must have felt pretty good to find that. Mind is not high pitched, it's more like a low pitched chattering. Chattering is the best way I can put it. Almost like something is loose underneath somewhere. I tell you though, I have almost pulled a muscle getting under there and yanking on anything and everything, just trying to see if anything is loose.
 
tpirman said:
Wow, nice find. That must have felt pretty good to find that. Mind is not high pitched, it's more like a low pitched chattering. Chattering is the best way I can put it. Almost like something is loose underneath somewhere. I tell you though, I have almost pulled a muscle getting under there and yanking on anything and everything, just trying to see if anything is loose.
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My old 2003 4Runner had a chattering noise, like something flapping in the wind when I drove it home from the dealership. It sounded like it was coming from underneath the truck but it turned out to be the roof rack crossbar wasn't tight. Noises in vehicles have a weird way of traveling.
 
How about the rear tire lug nuts. I had an old Datsun back in the days and when I turned left it mad a cluncking sound. 2 out of the 4 lug nuts were lose. I'm glad I found the problem before anything serious would have happened. I was like you driving around the block numerous of times. I didn't care what people thought, but I did find the problem.
 
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