Clunk gone but how many fittings on the driveshaft on the 07 4X4 V8?

[Buckfever]

Well the clunk developed here on my 07 V8 4X4 so I went ahead and picked up a grease gun and some Mobile One synthetic grease and pumped some into the driveshaft fittings. The clunk is gone, we'll see for how long. However I could only find 3 fittings, 2 in the front and one in the back. Also on the outside fitting on the front, how do you know how much grease to use? I mean there's no where to see it express so that you know you got it.

Also the suggestions for the flexible hose and the pistol grip for the grease gun was brilliant. Makes easy work of it.

 

[juneau92]

I've not yet experienced the "clunk" on my `07 V8 4x4, but last month I went ahead and bought a grease gun and lubed it, just preventive measures. I also only found three fittings, two for back and one for front.

It is really dis-heartening to me to learn that Toyota STILL hasn't fixed this issue, even in their new 2007 model 4Runners.

 

[Buckfever]

It just started for me here around 8000miles. After I lubed it I applied the brakes hard to force the clunk and by the 4th time it was gone, both forward and reverse. Not sure how much lube to put in the slide yoke, I put twice as much as in the other fittings.

I was pretty sure that the issue was not resolved, based on the discussion here. When the clunk developed, I just took it as a sign that I needed to lube it and I didn't want to let it go, so I greased it up. I'm just going to pump some grease in there every 5000 with the oil change and not worry about it.

 

[Thai]

Lexus is running low on parts for their GX...this is probably why the "fix" has not migrated down the food chain to the 4runner.

 

[G.I.G.]

I just posted this in another thread, but does anyone have pictures of the grease zirks on the driveshaft, or are they real easy to find? Are they easily accessible regardless of driveshaft position? I'll be getting my 4R next week and I want to lube the driveshaft at my first oil change for preventitive measures.

 

[loner]

Well the clunk developed here on my 07 V8 4X4 so I went ahead and picked up a grease gun and some Mobile One synthetic grease and pumped some into the driveshaft fittings. The clunk is gone, we'll see for how long. However I could only find 3 fittings, 2 in the front and one in the back. Also on the outside fitting on the front, how do you know how much grease to use? I mean there's no where to see it express so that you know you got it.

Also the suggestions for the flexible hose and the pistol grip for the grease gun was brilliant. Makes easy work of it.

I don't know for 100% sure that things haven't changed for 2007, but there are fittings for two U-joints and a slip-yoke on each drive shaft, and there are two drive shafts. That makes 6 total.

The fittings on the slip yokes are easy to see, but each U-joint has a fitting that is hidden inside the joint. You may have to stick your finger in the joint and fish around to find it, especially if the driveshaft is rotated to where you can't see the fitting.

 

[mole177]

i grease until it oozes out of the crevices.

 

[Buckfever]

I posted up a pic. On the Ujoints yeah I go till it just starts oozing out but on the Slide yoke fitting, that ain't going to ooze out until you're seriously overfilled. I wish we had some guidance for the amount of grease compared to the U joints we should pump in there as a rule of thumb, that would be helpful.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28414

 

[TheBlueWave]

Lexus is running low on parts for their GX...this is probably why the "fix" has not migrated down the food chain to the 4runner.

I found the part for the GX, but its a little heavy in price so I'm dealing with the clunk (patiently) until I can get a freebee (hopefully).

 

[Buckfever]

I just drove it again tonight. I don't know how long this fix will last but the clunk is completely gone, feels real tight. It's probably illusory, but no doubt it feels like a much nicer ride without the clunk.

 

[Casper]

Lube helps..

I didnt get a grease gun yesterday but i just bought a tube of Valvoline Durablend Grease. I looked into the M1 grease but it was 2 bucks more and since the Valvoline stated it was formulated with a bunch of Moly, I got that. Greased the mess out of everything thing with my fingers. I guess i need to go get a grease gun to really goop it up.

Made a vast difference just by applying to the driveshaft joints...I was getting the clunk on nearly every stop lately.

 

[khaug]

O JEEZ!!!

Are the people on this forum so freaking dense that they're unable to realize:

-This is a maintenance issue - as stated in the maintenance booklet, this is maintanence that needs to be done at each oil change!!! If you maintain it the way Toyota tells you to, the "clunk" issue will never appear!

-The location of the U-joint and slip yoke Zerk fittings is so obvious that anyone unable to make the distinction should just take his truck to the dealer and hope that the dealer has the basic knowledge to do this right (okay, not a given)!

I mean, pumping some grease into a Zerk fitting isn't rocket science!

I think the fact that this issue surfaces over and over again, year after year, speaks to the level of cognitive functioning of some 4Runner owners - and not in a flattering way! RTFM, people!

Sorry, folks, I'm outa here. After 9 years of 4Runner ownership, I've bought something else.

So, enjoy your 'Runners, but above all, learn to maintain them!!!

 

[Buckfever]

If it's just a maintainance issue then why is there a TSB on the Lexus GX?

From what I've gathered proper maintainance may help eliminate or alleviate the symptoms of the problem which, it would seem, is the most reasonable solution presently.

Finally, the sharing of information here for me has been and continues to be invaluable, on a level which to my lense is exceedingly more obvious than locating a zerk fitting. ;-)

 

[Buckfever]

Toyota's response:

"We apologize, but we are not structured to offer on-line technical evaluation, diagrams, or further repair or diagnostic information. To obtain the greatest level of technical service from Toyota, we recommend you contact the Customer Relations Manager at your local Toyota dealer. Our dealerships possess specialized technical knowledge in the areas of diagnosis and repair, and would have the opportunity to review you vehicle first hand.

You may also wish to purchase a repair manual by calling our Material Distribution Center at 800-622-2033. They are available from 7AM to 5PM, Pacific Time.

If we may be of further assistance, please contact us via email or by calling 800-331-4331. We are available from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday."

So I contacted the local Service Department explained to him how the driveshaft clunking had developed and how by greasing up the driveshaft alleviated the issue. He helped me with the locations of the zerk fitting locations, it was pretty clear that I'd only hit the three on the back shaft. And then I asked for guidance on the amount of grease to pump into the slide yoke fitting. First he offered "a couple of seconds worth". Then I explained on the U joints how I go till it just starts to express, should I go double that amount on the Slide yoke? He said that what he does is he watches for the first sign of expansion of the driveshaft and stops right there.

I tried to observe for that expansion, when I was greasing up the front slide yoke zerk, I couldn't see anything after pumping a good amount in so I stopped. I don't have a good rule of thumb on that.

Definitely approach from the driver side and rotate the shaft so the zerks are facing that way.
Here the rear of the front shaft:

Here the front of the front shaft:

That's all 6.

Anyway that's all I got.

 

[loner]

O JEEZ!!!

Are the people on this forum so freaking dense that they're unable to realize:

-This is a maintenance issue - as stated in the maintenance booklet, this is maintanence that needs to be done at each oil change!!! If you maintain it the way Toyota tells you to, the "clunk" issue will never appear!

[...]

Sorry, folks, I'm outa here. [...]

Don't you love it when someone spouts off about something in an insulting way, and it turns out that THEY are the one who is FOS? My 4Runner is maintained at levels that far exceed what Toyota recommends, but my driveshaft does the same thing.

 

[Buckfever]

Just a follow up the Clunk came back after 3000 miles. I hit the Slide Yoke fittings with 20 pumps each, I'll see how long it goes before this time and report back. If it comes back in 3000, I'll up the amount of grease I pump in there.

 

[Baba Booey]

I've read here and other places that the slide yoke needs to be able to move, and filling it with too much grease will not allow it to compress.

I've been putting only three or four pumps of grease from a full-size grease gun into the slide yoke every 5k miles, and I have minimal or no clunk.

 

[Buckfever]

Baba makes a good point. Maybe it only takes a small amount at regular intervals. At some point maybe I'll try only 5 pumps of grease and then see how long that lasts. I wish we had a more definitive answer. The most direct advice was from the service department in which he said that he puts just enough to see expansion and then stops. That's a whole lot more than I'm putting in.

 

[Baba Booey]

I'm not sure, but it seems like those with the full-time 4WD V8 models have more issues with the clunk. I have the V6, which I mainly drive in 2WD, and this may also help explain why my clunking has been minimal at best.

 

[Jacobzky]

is the clunk you referring to is the sound that it makes when you shift your gear from park to, say, reverse? i notice i dont hear it anymore.