Light drivetrain clunk when releasing brake pedal

[AceSpades]

Im having a very light clunk when releasing brake pedal. It doesnt happen all the time, and i cant quite isolate if its a drivetrain issue or brakes issue. It feels like drivetrain but it happens during the release of the brake pedal. Any suggestions as to how i can at least narrow it down so i can concentrate on which it is?

**Just to note.. I recently tried to pull out a tree stump with the 4runner, I gave it about 4-5 good tugs with a 2-3mph rolling start and with some throttle, the stump was in good enough to halt the truck each time and never actually got it pulled out.

 

[eleven14]

Im having a very light clunk when releasing brake pedal. It doesnt happen all the time, and i cant quite isolate if its a drivetrain issue or brakes issue. It feels like drivetrain but it happens during the release of the brake pedal. Any suggestions as to how i can at least narrow it down so i can concentrate on which it is?

**Just to note.. I recently tried to pull out a tree stump with the 4runner, I gave it about 4-5 good tugs with a 2-3mph rolling start and with some throttle, the stump was in good enough to halt the truck each time and never actually got it pulled out.

Seems driveline-related and is consistent with my experience after harder-than-normal braking (need to lube mine, that's the fix). Sticky calipers are definitely a thing but don't believe they'd exhibit this symptom on release.

As for your tree stump note, 4L (if you have it) is your best bet to maximize torque and minimize the chance of any damage.

 

[aemravan]

well...was your clunk there before attempting to pull the stump or no?


I can't imagine anything brake related clunking while releasing brakes. Common brake clunk I hear is when you're reversing direction and hitting the brakes and having your pads or calipers shifting. If you come to a stop and keep going I don't see what in the brake system would possibly clunk, at least if all your wheels are on tight lol.

Have you greased your drive shaft any time recently?

 

[AceSpades]

well...was your clunk there before attempting to pull the stump or no?

Have you greased your drive shaft any time recently?

the clunk wasnt there before the tree stump pull, but it also wasnt there immediately after. Id say tree stump was 1000 miles ago, and clunk started 300 miles ago.

And I havent greased the drive shaft.

 

[Syr4RinNC]

Id start with greasing the zerks on the driveline. Also check all the calipers to make sure all the bolts are in place. I had a similar clunk when a bolt came out and my calipers were rocking back and forth

 

[MikeinNH67]

As suggested, I'd pull the drive-shaft and clean/grease it where it moves in and out. Pretty common complaint and mine does the same if I come to a stop on a decline or a hard stop. I haven't got in there to grease it yet but it's on my list.

 

[AceSpades]

Thanks guys. I will be checking caliper bolts and looking for where the grease points on the drive-shaft are this weekend

 

[ecally]

Also check to see if the spring that separates the front brake pads is missing from either side, which will cause more of a clack than a clunk.

 

[pjbrownva]

Thanks guys. I will be checking caliper bolts and looking for where the grease points on the drive-shaft are this weekend

Good call. There is a known issue with a "thunk" on the drive shaft when stopped. It's possible that this is the same issue you're seeing when you take your foot off the brake. The fix is to grease the propeller. Toyota also had a fix of putting in a re-engineered part, but that was some time ago.

One interesting note. The toyota lingo for this part is the propeller shaft. I guess since it propels the 4Runner.

 

[gaber6]

Im having a very light clunk when releasing brake pedal. It doesnt happen all the time, and i cant quite isolate if its a drivetrain issue or brakes issue. It feels like drivetrain but it happens during the release of the brake pedal. Any suggestions as to how i can at least narrow it down so i can concentrate on which it is?

**Just to note.. I recently tried to pull out a tree stump with the 4runner, I gave it about 4-5 good tugs with a 2-3mph rolling start and with some throttle, the stump was in good enough to halt the truck each time and never actually got it pulled out.

I can feel mine idle funny and it'll clunk sometimes as I start up as well. If I shift into Neutral at a stoplight for a second, it'll clunk and be ready to go. As if it is not going into 1st gear at a stop, and as soon as the car moves, the transmission shifts down.

 

[pjbrownva]

I can feel mine idle funny and it'll clunk sometimes as I start up as well. If I shift into Neutral at a stoplight for a second, it'll clunk and be ready to go. As if it is not going into 1st gear at a stop, and as soon as the car moves, the transmission shifts down.

[MENTION=171560]gaber6[/MENTION] that doesn't sound good. It sounds like your problem might be in the transmission itself. Your description doesn't match the symptoms that I'm aware of when your propeller shaft thumps and needs to be re-lubed.

 

[gaber6]

[MENTION=171560]gaber6[/MENTION] that doesn't sound good. It sounds like your problem might be in the transmission itself. Your description doesn't match the symptoms that I'm aware of when your propeller shaft thumps and needs to be re-lubed.

Well, it's just the feel. I do think it's just the driveshafts, but the car does have 200k miles on it, and I plan on getting the transmission fluid changed sometime soon anyhow. I do have the slight shudder around 50mph when coasting on an easy part of the highway.

 

[pjbrownva]

Well, it's just the feel. I do think it's just the driveshafts, but the car does have 200k miles on it, and I plan on getting the transmission fluid changed sometime soon anyhow. I do have the slight shudder around 50mph when coasting on an easy part of the highway.

OK. Good luck! and update us as you learn more about you

 

[thegame7]

The clunk is a result of a worn out slip joint in the rear driveshaft. If I grease the slip joint on mine, the clunk comes back pretty quick. I am attributing this to no one greasing it for a long time so its just worn out and needs to be replaced. No amount of grease will fix worn out metal parts.

 

[pjbrownva]

That sounds like a good explanation to me!

 

[Pilotmatt]

Im having a very light clunk when releasing brake pedal. It doesnt happen all the time, and i cant quite isolate if its a drivetrain issue or brakes issue. It feels like drivetrain but it happens during the release of the brake pedal. Any suggestions as to how i can at least narrow it down so i can concentrate on which it is?

**Just to note.. I recently tried to pull out a tree stump with the 4runner, I gave it about 4-5 good tugs with a 2-3mph rolling start and with some throttle, the stump was in good enough to halt the truck each time and never actually got it pulled out.

I did the tree stump thing with my 2003. When the tree stump decided to lose the battle it sling shotted about 100 feet past my truck. If it hit my truck it would’ve caused serious damage to my truck or my head.

The clunk, i tried to pull someone off a rear bottom out on a mountain road…my truck creaked. Transmission rebuild. Bent a gear. Every time id go from reverse to forward the truck would clunk? (Think someone hitting your driver door with a baseball bat).

 

[pjbrownva]

I did the tree stump thing with my 2003. When the tree stump decided to lose the battle it sling shotted about 100 feet past my truck. If it hit my truck it would’ve caused serious damage to my truck or my head.

The clunk, i tried to pull someone off a rear bottom out on a mountain road…my truck creaked. Transmission rebuild. Bent a gear. Every time id go from reverse to forward the truck would clunk? (Think someone hitting your driver door with a baseball bat).

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the differences between nylon and polyester tow straps, but if you aren't you would be well served to read up on them.


Nylon straps stretch, like a rubber band. That makes them good for recovery, like pulling out someone who's stuck, because the strap will give, and smooth out some of the jerks, loading up and helping to yank out a stuck vehicle.

For a tree stump, I would think you would want polyester, since it doesn't stretch as much, or maybe even a suitable "static" line -- I'm not a climber, but if my understanding is correct, it's a rope that hardly stretches at all.

A nylon strap is definitely a no-no for something like pulling a tree stump, unless, as you experienced, you'd like a sling-shot effect if the stump does come free.


For towing one vehicle behind another, you don't want nylon, because it can act like a rubber band, loading up, and then slingshotting the towed vehicle towards the one in front, so you have to watch that and the person in the towed vehicle has to be ready and handy with the brakes!

Forgive me if you're already familiar with the differences. Even if you are, this info may help other readers who aren't.

 

[Pilotmatt]

Good stuff to post.

We have to learn somehow! Not an excuse but the reason I didn’t know anything about it was I grew up in Florida and always drove sport cars. I bought my first truck when it came time to move up north. We were cleaning up our house for sale and I wanted to get rid of some tree stumps. I bought some straps and the cheaper the better! Lesson learned.

 

[Schnurd]

I have experienced the same thing from time to time. I have greased things a few times since picking mine up a year and a half ago. I think I might drop my driveshaft and try to clean it up sometime here soon.