Revisiting the driveshaft clunk(At 36,400 )

[Buckfever]

Just kind of following up here on this. The last time I lubed the driveshaft was at 20700. At that time I lubed all 6 fittings. I put 2-3 pumps into the u-joint fitting just till I could hear the grease starting to express and on the slip joint fittings enough to just observe expansion of the joint. At the 30,000 mile oil change the clunking had not returned. It was not until around 32-33K that I started to notice the clunk again.

Here at 36400 I changed the oil and greased up the shaft again. Once again it only took 1-3 pumps to fully lube the U-joints. On the front slip joint it took 21 pumps and on the rear slip joint 24 pumps to just observe a very slight expansion of the joint.

I recently spoke with another Toyota mechanic about it and he too cautioned me about not wanting to put too much grease in the front slip joint, qualitatively describing the amount as a little more than what he'd put in the U-joints. Guidance from the local Toyota service department of just to the point of expansion was the protocol that was bring followed. I think that this gives us a framework as to an approriate range. Moreover,I think that based on the discussion, the procedure that I'm following is about as aggressive as one should get.

That said, anecdotally I can tell you that the lower amounts do not keep clunk at bay nearly as long as taking it to expasion and my inclination is towards the aggressive regiment.

And probably not for any better reason than, I don't like the clunk.

A more resonable man would probably do well with a proportion of 1-2 pumps in the u-joints, 6-7 in the front slip joint and 7-8 in the rear slip joint with every oil change.

Still absolutely loving this vehicle.

 

[TeCKis300]

I've heard of at least one incident where someone got a cracked transfer case due to too much lube in the slip joint. They reasoned that too much lube does not allow the slip joint to properly compress which transfers too much thrust force into the transfer case.

I'd err on the side of a conservative 3-6 pumps which is usually what I put into the slip joints. I usually do 2-3 pumps on the U-joints.

 

[Climb14er]

I've got both the driveline clunk and the harmonic vibration in my 2007 Toyota Sport V8 4Runner.

After paying 36K cash and having virtually much less than half resale value after eighteen months I've told the service manager and the regional service advisor that I highly doubt if I will ever buy another Toyota again!

You would think that in the fifth year of the model, the Toyota engineers would either come up with a solution to the clunk or the vibration!

Toyota has offered no TSB's for either in the 4Runner version and frankly, for a vehicle of this caliber and price, Toyota can go 'you-know-what' from now on!

It should NOT be up to the consumer to squirt whatever into the driveline to make things right.

Toyota engineers screwed up big time in the drive shaft design... period!

The way my 4Runner sounds with the clunk and the feeling of the harmonic vibration, this version of the 4Runner is quite frankly,

not that good!

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I've got both the driveline clunk and the harmonic vibration in my 2007 Toyota Sport V8 4Runner.

After paying 36K cash and having virtually much less than half resale value after eighteen months I've told the service manager and the regional service advisor that I highly doubt if I will ever buy another Toyota again!

You would think that in the fifth year of the model, the Toyota engineers would either come up with a solution to the clunk or the vibration!

Toyota has offered no TSB's for either in the 4Runner version and frankly, for a vehicle of this caliber and price, Toyota can go 'you-know-what' from now on!

It should NOT be up to the consumer to squirt whatever into the driveline to make things right.

Toyota engineers screwed up big time in the drive shaft design... period!

The way my 4Runner sounds with the clunk and the feeling of the harmonic vibration, this version of the 4Runner is quite frankly,

not that good!

I understand your frustration. I hate that you are not able to enjoy your 4Runner as much as most of do.

1)

 

[Climb14er]

I understand your frustration. I hate that you are not able to enjoy your 4Runner as much as most of do.

1)

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I hear ya', you've definately done your homework. I can't imagine the Cross-Terrains causing any issues. If you had Dunflops then I'd focus on tires and beside that it sounds like you have the vibration narrowed to RPM more than speed.

Oh well, I was trying for you:biggrin2:

Being mechanically inclined I would love to read the specifics of the LC service bulletins. If incorporating the bulletins was $300 worth of parts I'd suck it up and do it. Maybe a wrecked '06 or '07 GX470 would be a good source of parts. I am assuming beginning at some model year the service bulletin is built-in to the new ones.

As you say $36k isn't chump change; if that made it right I would consider that worthwhile even though Toyota should do it.

Good Luck!
:cheers:

 

[Climb14er]

I hear ya', you've definately done your homework. I can't imagine the Cross-Terrains causing any issues. If you had Dunflops then I'd focus on tires and beside that it sounds like you have the vibration narrowed to RPM more than speed.

Oh well, I was trying for you:biggrin2:

Being mechanically inclined I would love to read the specifics of the LC service bulletins. If incorporating the bulletins was $300 worth of parts I'd suck it up and do it. Maybe a wrecked '06 or '07 GX470 would be a good source of parts. I am assuming beginning at some model year the service bulletin is built-in to the new ones.

As you say $36k isn't chump change; if that made it right I would consider that worthwhile even though Toyota should do it.

Good Luck!
:cheers:

Toyota has told me that the front end of the Lexus and Land Cruiser differential and steering column is a different design fit than the 4Runner. Therefore, the re-design for the harmonic vibration 'fix' on those more expensive models is different than the 4Runner. I asked them at length if a similar retro-fit would work and they emphatically said no. I also asked them if they would separately redesign a new fix for the 4Runner and they had this glazed look in their eyes... signifying, NO from corporate.

I cannot for the life of me see why Toyota would not just go ahead and replace the current driveshaft with a new one that basically 'fits' better, and doesn't have the 'play' like the current one which goes clunk, or the unloading of energy.

Unless, and this is not something I've examined... they have not designed the driveline from an engineering perspective in the V8 model, to dissipate the energy like most vehicles do. And the driveshaft which is incorrectly machined/designed to the less than optimal length, currently gets unloaded upon causing the clunk.

I've basically given up fighting Toyota's system re: the harmonic vibration.

I will be asking Toyota for a new driveshaft, one that will be manufactured to the optimum length, to eliminate the energy 'unloading'.

As a longtime Toyota customer, I should NOT have to go to them and ask for these design problems to be fixed.

While I like the 4Runner a lot overall, these two problems simply take away a lot of the pleasure of the driving experience!

 

[Thai]

According to Lexus TSB (for GX470 clunk), the "fix" is more than just a new driveshaft. It involves new suspension arms too. So, the clunk is more of a less optimal suspension design along with faulty driveshaft. I would believe that the "fix" is too costly for Toyota to include 4runner owners.

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I understand. Is there some year where the fix comes buit-in with the GX?

I guess the V6 is subject to this unless being driven in 4HI, does that sound right? Do all V8 T4R's suffer from this or just an unlucky few?

Climber14 I hate it for you. The cool thing, to me, is that you're an enthusiast, still enjoying the T4R (albiet not as much as you should) and you've totally done your homework. Not only did you do your homework you've shared it with us, thanks.

Based on Thai's description it is a huge deal to fit the GX fix.
:cheers:

 

[Thai]

I understand. Is there some year where the fix comes buit-in with the GX?

I guess the V6 is subject to this unless being driven in 4HI, does that sound right? Do all V8 T4R's suffer from this or just an unlucky few?

Climber14 I hate it for you. The cool thing, to me, is that you're an enthusiast, still enjoying the T4R (albiet not as much as you should) and you've totally done your homework. Not only did you do your homework you've shared it with us, thanks.

Based on Thai's description it is a huge deal to fit the GX fix.
:cheers:

I think that 2007-8 GX does not suffer from this clunk.

What i would try is go to your local Lexus dealer and ask them if you can BUY the "fix" for the 4runner. However, Lexus may be limiting the "fix" parts to only Lexus owners, which were on backorder for a while last year.

As for the dissimilar parts between GX and 4runner, i have my doubts....

 

[Thai]

BTW, here is the Lexus TSB fix: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=975&perpage=15&pagenumber=18

BTW, apparently, the Lexus TSB was re-named...see Toto post on page 32.

 

[KimoSan]

Driveline clunk

I had my driveshaft replaced at 2500 miles because of the clunk. I was able to point out the Lexus TSB and able to duplicate the clunk to my service rep and he had no problem replacing the drive shaft at no charge. However, when the clunk was still there after the drive shaft replacement I pushed to have the suspension components replaced as well to complete the Lexus TSB. Unfortunately, when my service rep ran that request up the chain of command, he got a big fat NO.

So, bottom line, I've still got the clunk at 24000 miles and have learned to live with it.

 

[eskimochaos]

I dont know why it is such a big deal, toyota 4x4's have been experiencing this since day one, even the Lexus lx470 and land cruiser experience this....its just something that Toyota's do....let's face it as well we own Ford's of Japan regardless of $$

 

[Climb14er]

I dont know why it is such a big deal, toyota 4x4's have been experiencing this since day one, even the Lexus lx470 and land cruiser experience this....its just something that Toyota's do....let's face it as well we own Ford's of Japan regardless of $$

TMC addressed the issues only with the higher priced Lexus and Landcruiser 4WD/V8's.

The 'lowly' 4Runners, they never issued any TSB's.

My recently sold 1993 Toyota 4X4 extra cab pickup, V6, with 140K miles, driven extremely hard, had a drivetrain and front end that was far more tight and problem free than my 4Runner with hardly any miles.

That's the big deal in my book!

 

[Thai]

My brother's 2001 LX470 does not have the clunk.

 

[CdeFabio]

According to Lexus TSB (for GX470 clunk), the "fix" is more than just a new driveshaft. It involves new suspension arms too. So, the clunk is more of a less optimal suspension design along with faulty driveshaft. I would believe that the "fix" is too costly for Toyota to include 4runner owners.

Thai,

I had the fix done on my GX and the bill was in the range of about $2000 - very expensive! But covered under warranty. It does fix it - I have only had the clunk 2 or 3 times since it was done a few years ago, before the fix it was a daily occurrence.

 

[Thai]

Thai,

I had the fix done on my GX and the bill was in the range of about $2000 - very expensive! But covered under warranty. It does fix it - I have only had the clunk 2 or 3 times since it was done a few years ago, before the fix it was a daily occurrence.

Cool...thanks for the update.

 

[Climb14er]

Received a call from the dealer's Service Manager whom I've come to like and respect.

He said that Toyota will under NO circumstances do anything to correct the 4Runner's driveshaft clunk! The regional service manager will not talk about it nor will they address the situation with the customer.

Seems as if they have been receiving a lot of complaints re: the clunk and Toyota wants to avoid a recall and possible fix.

I asked the service manager why has Toyota only addressed the issue in the Landcruiser and Lexus vehicles and he said to me 'you hit it right on the head... they cost much more than the 4Runner, there's more profit there, and they seem to take 'better' care of the owners of the more expensive vehicles'.

My 4Runner as mentioned has both of the issues, harmonic and clunk and I will remember this very well that Toyota Motor Corp has failed in its customer service.

The service manager will be removing the driveshaft next week and using a special high temperature General Motor's grease to see if this will work. It could be a temporary fix... we'll see.

TMC as a whole, and not their local service managers, has gone the way of American manufacturers... leaving their customer behind! :bash:

 

[Thai]

Seems as if they have been receiving a lot of complaints re: the clunk and Toyota wants to avoid a recall and possible fix.

TMC as a whole, and not their local service managers, has gone the way of American manufacturers... leaving their customer behind! :bash:

There is no way Toyota will spend $2000 on every 4runner sold to date to fix this clunk...this and the piss poor sales of Sequoia and Tundra would probably bankrupt them!

Yeah, Toyota is no different than other manufacturers in terms of supporting their customers. Yet, some people still put Toyota above everyone else in customer support.

 

[Climb14er]

There is no way Toyota will spend $2000 on every 4runner sold to date to fix this clunk...this and the piss poor sales of Sequoia and Tundra would probably bankrupt them!

Yeah, Toyota is no different than other manufacturers in terms of supporting their customers. Yet, some people still put Toyota above everyone else in customer support.

Of course...

However, my 2007 is in the fifth model year of the 4th generation and they had five years to address and fix the problem... with the harmonic and driveshaft issues.

FIVE YEARS.

Not doing anything about this leads me to believe that they're selling DEFECTIVE product!

And no, there's no whine here, just disappointment!

They could have addressed this prior BEFORE they sold all the vehicles.

I got 'caught' and trust me, this will NOT happen again with Toyota. :

BTW, the clunk is not once or twice a day... it's virtually ALL the time. Imagine coming to every stop and hearing and feeling clunk-clunk-clunk!

Or feeling the harmonic vibraqtion every time I go past the 1600+RPM on the tach or keep it there at 55 mph.

Just the facts!