Clunk Over Bumps

SureShot516

New member
here we go, my 2005 V8 4runner with 122K seems to have developed a odd hollow sounding clunking (not a clicking sound) when traveling over bumps (i can hear it at low speed), seems more of an issue if the truck has some flex side to side due to road conditions (hearing it mostly on a dirt road) i don't offroad with the vehicle

I can not determine if it's coming from the front or rear, although i'm leaning towards the front.

best i can describe the sound would be if you hit your tire with a crowbar, it's almost a hollow sounding clunk
 
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here we go, my 2005 V8 4runner with 122K seems to have developed a odd hollow sounding clunking (not a clicking sound) when traveling over bumps (i can hear it at low speed), seems more of an issue if the truck has some flex side to side due to road conditions (hearing it mostly on a dirt road) i don't offroad with the vehicle

I can not determine if it's coming from the front or rear, although i'm leaning towards the front.

best i can describe the sound would be if you hit your tire with a crowbar, it's almost a hollow sounding clunk

There have been alot of us with this clunk, and it has been contributed to several different things such as, wheel bearing, upper control arm bushings, ball joints (upper or lower), brake caliper, loose/broken body mount bolt, CV boot torn and missing grease, worn sway bar bushings, loose wheel, or a wrench left under vehicle after work was done...

if you are at 122k and have not done upper ball joints, that may be a good place to start, the lower control arm comes with ball joint and bushings but its not cheap.

Check wheel bearings for up and down slop.

Check wheel for loos lug nuts.

Check the end links on your sway bar (if you still have one) they always make noise if they are worn out. Easiest way to check is to remove it and drive without it it and see if the noise goes away, if it does, get a new link and bushing kit and re-install everything.


you are going to have to check several things to narrow it down.
 
you will get a million replies.

with wheels on ground, take out your bolts on your panhard rod. lube with a little grease. re install. can do one bolt at a time if you like. wheels on ground makes it much easier.

I am willing to bet this will fix your issue. its almost free too.
 
took the truck for a ride at lunch and noticed i get the same sound if making sharp "S" sway turns at low speed,

only way i can describe it is like you hit a tire with a bat

checked to see if the spare was loose (was convinced that was it)

negative...
 
2005 v8 with 103k.

recently developed same exact issue. has no symptoms other then noise that I can find. I only hear it around town at low speed like you said. I feel like it has gotten louder over the last few weeks. I too believe its coming from the front..

Drive over a curb really slow and listen, it sounds alot like the front drivers side. Its been to cold for me to really start digging into it.
 
Finally after being annoyed for a few months the hollow sounding clunk from the front was the Sway Bar bushing... changed the sway bar bushings with poly ones and replaced the passenger side end link that was shot.... no more clunk
 
I had a similar issue with my 2008 Sport and it turned out to be the XReas. It had completely leaked all the fluid out. Tragic I know, finally and excuse to upgrade the suspension...:)
 
I had a clunk over speed bumps and offroad, and the shop said they couldn't find anything other than the sway bar end links, so they replaced those and it went away, but I haven't tested it offroad since.
 
I have had the same issue on my 04 sr5. I just put new tires on it and asked them to look into it but they couldn't find an issue. It sounds like it comes from the front and also happens at low speeds on older gravel roads. So where would you suggest starting the search for the issue, the away bar? It also makes the car feel a bit unstable in my opinion but it could just be me.
 
Ppilar. Sounds like the same clunk I had best I can describe it was a hoolow soundong clunk as if someone hit the tire with a crowbar

When you hear it make the noise pull over climb underneath and grab the sway bar where it connects to the end link near the tire on the side you suspect and give it a good shake you should replicate the clunk.
 
Well, I just installed a Toytec ultimate lift and the clunking sounds like it got louder when I lifted my 4Runner. I have checked wheel bearing when my 4Runner was up in the air and Tie-rod are good. Before my lift with my stock setup stock suspension/height it wasn't as loud going over speed bumps but now it got louder to a point im scared of speed bumps. Is replacing the sway bar bushing a guarantee it would go away? If not, what other issues has someone fixed to get rid of the clunking?
 
As ridiculous as it may seem, (and perhaps ignorant on my behalf) I too was experiencing a clank noise whenever doing any kind of off-road driving, and especially over speed bumps.

Turns out, the wheel jack in the rear left compartment was just loose enough to be hitting up and down.

I thought it was my suspension for the longest time!
 
As ridiculous as it may seem, (and perhaps ignorant on my behalf) I too was experiencing a clank noise whenever doing any kind of off-road driving, and especially over speed bumps.

Turns out, the wheel jack in the rear left compartment was just loose enough to be hitting up and down.

I thought it was my suspension for the longest time!

^^^ THIS happened to me, Drove me nuts for the longest time.
 
Could the clunk be my ball joints? I know the boots are ripped and everytime I go over uneven roads I hear a loud clunk. Only happens when I'm going straight over 20 mph.
 
Mine was the lower ball joints. I got a clunk, clunk, clunk over rough roads. 25 buck moog ball joints from amazon and the big ball joint kit from Advance Auto. The clunk is gone.
 
I was getting a clunk when turning the wheel at slow speeds, example, turning into a parking spot...Like somebody else mentioned earlier I had replaced the sway bar bushing (one was broken) and the noise went away...while I was at it I replaced the end links at the same time
 
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Clunk type noise on higher mileage rigs are very common I'd venture to guess. I'm able to reproduce my clunk on the right front by hitting a bump ONLY on the right side. Walmart speed bumps are a good way to test since the bumps are open in the middle. Since my end links are new, I may have a BJ that's going bad and noticing this sound AFTER I installed FJC spring/shocks combo up front.

One more thing added to my list!
 

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