Transmission Clunk Felt Rolling from a Stop

[jeremyc74]

I'm having the same exact issue but I'm having to accelerate from a complete stop to 1300 rpms to get going. This all happened about two days ago and just this morning I noticed the clunk. For a second I thought it was my tranny that was about to grenade then reading this gave me some relief. LOL

I will have to grease the the driveline tonight and see if that works if not, I'll have to check if my rear brakes are sticking or if it is time to change out the u-joints like previously posted. Is anyone having to accelerate a bit more from a complete stop to go?

I'd say you have another issue going on. The thing that causes the clunk he's talking about wouldn't cause any kind of acceleration issues. It's just the slip yoke not relaxing after braking.

 

[Joshv4runner]

I'd say you have another issue going on. The thing that causes the clunk he's talking about wouldn't cause any kind of acceleration issues. It's just the slip yoke not relaxing after braking.

Hopefully the clunk doesn't come back here when I leave from work. I'm going to grease my driveshafts tonight and see what happens tomorrow morning.

 

[mtbtim]

I'm having the same exact issue but I'm having to accelerate from a complete stop to 1300 rpms to get going. This all happened about two days ago and just this morning I noticed the clunk. For a second I thought it was my tranny that was about to grenade then reading this gave me some relief. LOL

I will have to grease the the driveline tonight and see if that works if not, I'll have to check if my rear brakes are sticking or if it is time to change out the u-joints like previously posted. Is anyone having to accelerate a bit more from a complete stop to go?

Your issue sounds like your brakes are dragging. My truck rolls fine at a idle. Like another person has suggested on this thread, one or both of your rear wheel cylinders might be bad causing your brake shoes to drag. I imagine your front calipers could be sticking and causing the front pads to drag on the rotors, but I would start with taking a look at the rears. Chock the front wheels, jack up the rear end, put the trans in neutral and have the parking brake off. You should be able to turn your wheels. If not, your brakes shoes are definitely dragging.

I've also heard if you have had the unfortunate rear axle seal leak like I just got done dealing with, and the brake shoes have been affected, the pads can sometimes swell from soaking up the gear oil and also cause the brake shoes to drag against the drum.

Hope this helps.

 

[Joshv4runner]

Your issue sounds like your brakes are dragging. My truck rolls fine at a idle. Like another person has suggested on this thread, one or both of your rear wheel cylinders might be bad causing your brake shoes to drag. I imagine your front calipers could be sticking and causing the front pads to drag on the rotors, but I would start with taking a look at the rears. Chock the front wheels, jack up the rear end, put the trans in neutral and have the parking brake off. You should be able to turn your wheels. If not, your brakes shoes are definitely dragging.

I've also heard if you have had the unfortunate rear axle seal leak like I just got done dealing with, and the brake shoes have been affected, the pads can sometimes swell from soaking up the gear oil and also cause the brake shoes to drag against the drum.

Hope this helps.

Thanks mtbtim. I'm definitely going to be checking this tonight. I will have a report tomorrow. I hope I don't have that rear axle seal leak :gun4:

 

[gamefreakgc]

Thanks mtbtim. I'm definitely going to be checking this tonight. I will have a report tomorrow. I hope I don't have that rear axle seal leak :gun4:

When an axle seal goes, you'll see reddish-grey fluid specks on your wheels. Ever seen a Dodge or Ford with one red-grey wheel and the rest look clean? They bust axle seals quite often and a lot of people don't fix it. Pretty sure you would notice it if you had.

 

[mtbtim]

When an axle seal goes, you'll see reddish-grey fluid specks on your wheels. Ever seen a Dodge or Ford with one red-grey wheel and the rest look clean? They bust axle seals quite often and a lot of people don't fix it. Pretty sure you would notice it if you had.

My first indicator I noticed when I had an axle seal leaking was my truck was pulling to the left pretty bad when I braked. I did my front brakes because the pads were worn and then decided to check the rears. When I pulled off the right rear drum, I saw everything was coated in gear oil. Then it made sense why the truck was pulling to the left because the right rear brake wasn't doing much due to the shoes being coated in gear oil.

But yes, a tell-tale sign you have an axle seal problem is the gear oil spray on the inside of the wheel of the affected side.

 

[Joshv4runner]

Your issue sounds like your brakes are dragging. My truck rolls fine at a idle. Like another person has suggested on this thread, one or both of your rear wheel cylinders might be bad causing your brake shoes to drag. I imagine your front calipers could be sticking and causing the front pads to drag on the rotors, but I would start with taking a look at the rears. Chock the front wheels, jack up the rear end, put the trans in neutral and have the parking brake off. You should be able to turn your wheels. If not, your brakes shoes are definitely dragging.

I've also heard if you have had the unfortunate rear axle seal leak like I just got done dealing with, and the brake shoes have been affected, the pads can sometimes swell from soaking up the gear oil and also cause the brake shoes to drag against the drum.

Hope this helps.

Well I took my 4runner to my friend's shop and we jacked up the rear and both tires would spin.
He suggested that my tranny maybe going out?

Edit: we had the rear jacked up but the tranny was in park instead of neutral. Would that make a difference?

 

[mtbtim]

Well I took my 4runner to my friend's shop and we jacked up the rear and both tires would spin.
He suggested that my tranny maybe going out?

Edit: we had the rear jacked up but the tranny was in park instead of neutral. Would that make a difference?

That sounds weird to me. I wouldn't think you could turn the wheels if the transmission was in park but I guess you can. I did a quick google search and the wheels will turn in park if both wheels are off the ground. I learned something new. It wouldn't make a difference if it was in park or neutral. You were just testing to see if the brakes were dragging bad which could be the explanation why you have to accelerate up 1300rpm from a stop to break free of the friction of the brakes.

Have you checked your trans fluid level? Maybe it's low or just really dirty. Are you noticing any other symptoms? I would think you would see your trans slipping while driving if it was going out, especially if you were going up a steep grade.

Do you have to accelerate up to 1300rpm at every stop or is it intermittent? Maybe the wheel cylinders are bad but sometimes they stick and sometimes they don't.

Hopefully you don't need a new trans. How many miles do you have on it?

 

[Joshv4runner]

That sounds weird to me. I wouldn't think you could turn the wheels if the transmission was in park but I guess you can. I did a quick google search and the wheels will turn in park if both wheels are off the ground. I learned something new. It wouldn't make a difference if it was in park or neutral. You were just testing to see if the brakes were dragging bad which could be the explanation why you have to accelerate up 1300rpm from a stop to break free of the friction of the brakes.

Have you checked your trans fluid level? Maybe it's low or just really dirty. Are you noticing any other symptoms? I would think you would see your trans slipping while driving if it was going out, especially if you were going up a steep grade.

Do you have to accelerate up to 1300rpm at every stop or is it intermittent? Maybe the wheel cylinders are bad but sometimes they stick and sometimes they don't.

Hopefully you don't need a new trans. How many miles do you have on it?

Yeah, I thought that was wierd as well. The fluid in my Trans is a little dark and just smells like normal tranny fluid. I bought some new fuild and will be doing a drain and fill sometime this week when it stops snowing. After I took my truck to my buddy, it drives fine just like it did before from a complete stop..I'm confused??

My truck has about 162k right now. I will try to post some pics.

 

[jeremyc74]

I'm going to take a better look at that transmission mount. I have a GoPro camera and I was thinking it would be cool to somehow mount it under the truck to see how much the transmission is moving while driving and during a hard stop. I could also point it at the rear propeller shaft and see if the the slip yoke is binding and then releasing causing the clunk.

There's a Youtube video of a guy who did that with the steering rack, and it was very revealing how badly the bushings were worn. I happened to find it while I was looking at tie rod replacement videos, and turned out mine had the same issue.

Back to the driveshaft issue.....I happened to be under mine yesterday to do the rear O2 sensor, and I took a look at the driveshaft. I'm now seeing a little bit of grease being pushed out around the bottom of the slip joint, and I hadn't had that until now. As I said earlier I just greased it for the third time and the clunking stopped. I also changed the transmission mount while I was under there, and haven't noticed much difference at this point. I couldn't see anything visibly wrong with the old one when I got it out. I think the transfer case shifter is moving around a little less, but I haven't driven it a lot yet.

 

[mtbtim]

There's a Youtube video of a guy who did that with the steering rack, and it was very revealing how badly the bushings were worn. I happened to find it while I was looking at tie rod replacement videos, and turned out mine had the same issue.

Back to the driveshaft issue.....I happened to be under mine yesterday to do the rear O2 sensor, and I took a look at the driveshaft. I'm now seeing a little bit of grease being pushed out around the bottom of the slip joint, and I hadn't had that until now. As I said earlier I just greased it for the third time and the clunking stopped. I also changed the transmission mount while I was under there, and haven't noticed much difference at this point. I couldn't see anything visibly wrong with the old one when I got it out. I think the transfer case shifter is moving around a little less, but I haven't driven it a lot yet.

I was able to affix an adhesive mount under the differential and connected my GoPro. I drove around my neighborhood doing multiple stops at different speeds. On a hard stop, the backend rises and extends the slip yoke out of the propeller shaft a bit. After the suspension settles, the slip yoke slides back into the propeller shaft. I'm thinking my slip yoke isn't causing the clunk or movement in the shift lever as I come to a stop or just rolling from a stop. I really think it's just the transmission dropping into first gear. At least that's my best guess.

 

[jeremyc74]

I was able to affix an adhesive mount under the differential and connected my GoPro. I drove around my neighborhood doing multiple stops at different speeds. On a hard stop, the backend rises and extends the slip yoke out of the propeller shaft a bit. After the suspension settles, the slip yoke slides back into the propeller shaft. I'm thinking my slip yoke isn't causing the clunk or movement in the shift lever as I come to a stop or just rolling from a stop. I really think it's just the transmission dropping into first gear. At least that's my best guess.

Well, to test that theory you could pull it down into first gear and do a hard stop and see if it still does it. If you're holding it in first then it shouldn't have to drop down a gear.

When I'm stopping I don't notice this transmission downshifting at all, so I'm skeptical that's your problem. Can you video the back of the transfer case to see what the mount is doing?

 

[mtbtim]

Well, to test that theory you could pull it down into first gear and do a hard stop and see if it still does it. If you're holding it in first then it shouldn't have to drop down a gear.

When I'm stopping I don't notice this transmission downshifting at all, so I'm skeptical that's your problem. Can you video the back of the transfer case to see what the mount is doing?

I didn't think about shifting into the lowest gear and testing it. That's a great idea. I'll try that out. If it's still doing it, it would either have to be movement in the transmission mount or the slip yoke is causing it. I imagine I could find a place to affix another adhesive mount to and get a good shot of what the mount is doing.

 

[techno]

Came across this thread while looking into my clunking sound and thought I'd throw in my findings so far.

I tried the 'greasing the crap out of the prop shafts' thing and it stopped the sound, but only for a few months. However, when I was doing this, I noticed that with every pump of the grease gun handle, the transfer case/transmission/engine physically moved at the same time. When I was doing the rear shaft, everything moved forward. When I did the front shaft, everything moved backwards. The movement was more than the mounts should ever allow, so I looked carefully at the transfer case mount and found that rubber had separated from the metal and the mount was bad. I'll be replacing this next week. I suspect the engine mounts may be broken too.
I believe the only reason the grease packing thing worked was because the grease filled the voids and held everything in place until it eventually worked it's way out through the slip joint over time.

 

[gjbiren]

Frontier719 started a thread describing an issue I've also been experiencing with my Automatic Transmission. I decided to start my own thread with a title labeling the issue so maybe we would get a better response on the thread.

Please read below what we are experiencing and what I think is happening. Let me know what you think could be causing this. Thanks!

Frontier719 wrote:
I've never had a transmission go out on me so I don't know what the signs are, but I think mine is starting to go. After sitting at a red light, I'll let off the brake and feel some kind of clunk as the transmission engages.

This was my response:
You know Frontier719, I bought a 2000 4runner 4x4 with 111,000 miles on it last September and it makes the same clunk you are experiencing with yours. I also have changed my transmission fluid and all my u-joints and slip yokes are well-greased.

I've spent some time trying to diagnose what's causing this, and I think it's just the fact that sometimes the transmission hasn't dropped into the lowest gear before coming to a stop. After you left off the brake and start rolling forward, the transmission finds the lowest gear and drops in giving you that clunk feeling. What I've noticed is I experience the clunk after letting off the brake if I come to a stop quickly and didn't give the transmission a chance to make it into the lowest gear yet if that makes sense. To see if my theory made sense, I would drive through residential streets and come to a slow stop giving the transmission a chance to drop into the lowest gear before coming to a complete stop and I wouldn't get the clunk after letting off the brake. I keep my hand on the shift lever and I can feel the transmission dropping into gear when I experience the clunk.

I understand some think it's a driveline issue but I truly believe it's just a situation where the transmission hasn't dropped into the lowest gear yet. The lowest gear on these automatic transmissions is pretty darn low. I detect it shifting up into second at around 10mph. That means when it's downshifting, it's not going to drop into that gear until you slow back down to around 10 mph. If you come to a complete stop quickly, I just think the transmission didn't have a chance to shift into the lowest gear yet. Taking the foot off the brake and rolling forward allows the transmission to finally drop in.

I've never experienced this with an automatic transmission and it possibly means that maybe we both might be having to do a transmission rebuild or replacement at some point. My transmission has no problems shifting or downshifting and I don't detect it slipping at all. It's just that weird clunk I feel rolling from a stop sometimes. As long as the transmission isn't slipping, I'm not too concerned about it but it would be nice to get a definitive answer what exactly is causing this. Since my 4runner had very low miles for it's age, I think most of it's miles were around town and the transmission probably got a lot more shifting through the gears than one that was driven on the highway mostly.

Does anyone else have any theories on what we're experiencing?

I am experiencing a similar issue. 1997 SR5 182000. After coming to a complete stop, I get the "clunk" but I am actually get two, a small one then a second when it engages. First time it happened I thought I had been rear ended. It is degenerating to where after moderate to hard braking, the drive train disengages (?) If I am going to make a turn and have to brake before hand, I just kind of roll as if in neutral, then drive train engages all at once lurching forward. Has anyone else had this experience and what would they suggest for diagnostic?

 

[mtbtim]

It's been quite a while since I started this thread and I forgot to comment when I finally concluded for myself the bump I was feeling is coming from the transmission shifting down into first. Sometimes I feel it while rolling to a stop and other times I feel it after stopping and then removing my foot off the brake allowing the truck to roll forward and it falls into gear because it didn't do it before the complete stop.

I know many think thinks this is a slip yoke lubrication issue but the one test that proved it to me it wasn't the slip yoke binding and then becoming unbound was someone mentioned on a similar thread to put the transmission into neutral before coming to a stop. I did this many times and I would never get the bump after stopping and then releasing the brake allowing any supposed tension in the slip yoke to release. The slip yoke binding might be the problem for some experiencing this weird bump feeling, but it's definitely not the cause for my situation.

Another sign that this is the transmission shifting down into first is the bump feeling is always accompanied by the shifter lever lurching forward. I know some might think it's bad tranny mounts but I've inspected mine and they look fine.

I have done Google searches on the net and there are other threads on other websites that have discussed these symptoms and the same theories come up: Axle wrap, Slip Yoke Binding, Transmission mounts, and the Transmission Shifting Down into 1st Gear.

I'm fairly new to owning a 3rd Generation Toyota 4runner but not new to automatic transmissions. I've never had an automatic transmission act this way but I'm hoping it's just a weird thing with these transmissions and not a symptom that my transmission is going to fail. The previous owners took good care of the vehicle and changed the transmission fluid at the suggested maintenance intervals. I know they never towed anything, because the hitch was obviously never used. Since becoming the owner, I've changed the trans fluid several times to renew the fluid instead of doing the more involved trans flush. The transmission shifts great with the exception of the weird bump experienced going from second to first and there's no signs of slipping even when hitting long hills with the truck loaded down with gear and pulling a motorcycle trailer.

So, I'm just going to drive and enjoy my rig and hope the transmission lasts for a long time to come. I love this truck and plan on using it for lots of adventures.

I hope people found this thread helpful.

 

[mtbtim]

It's been quite a while since I started this thread and I forgot to comment when I finally concluded for myself the bump I was feeling is coming from the transmission shifting down into first. Sometimes I feel it while rolling to a stop and other times I feel it after stopping and then removing my foot off the brake allowing the truck to roll forward and it falls into gear because it didn't do it before the complete stop.

I know many think thinks this is a slip yoke lubrication issue but the one test that proved it to me it wasn't the slip yoke binding and then becoming unbound was someone mentioned on a similar thread to put the transmission into neutral before coming to a stop. I did this many times and I would never get the bump after stopping and then releasing the brake allowing any supposed tension in the slip yoke to release. The slip yoke binding might be the problem for some experiencing this weird bump feeling, but it's definitely not the cause for my situation.

Another sign that this is the transmission shifting down into first is the bump feeling is always accompanied by the shifter lever lurching forward. I know some might think it's bad tranny mounts but I've inspected mine and they look fine.

I have done Google searches on the net and there are other threads on other websites that have discussed these symptoms and the same theories come up: Axle wrap, Slip Yoke Binding, Transmission mounts, and the Transmission Shifting Down into 1st Gear.

I'm fairly new to owning a 3rd Generation Toyota 4runner but not new to automatic transmissions. I've never had an automatic transmission act this way but I'm hoping it's just a weird thing with these transmissions and not a symptom that my transmission is going to fail. The previous owners took good care of the vehicle and changed the transmission fluid at the suggested maintenance intervals. I know they never towed anything, because the hitch was obviously never used. Since becoming the owner, I've changed the trans fluid several times to renew the fluid instead of doing the more involved trans flush. The transmission shifts great with the exception of the weird bump experienced going from second to first and there's no signs of slipping even when hitting long hills with the truck loaded down with gear and pulling a motorcycle trailer.

So, I'm just going to drive and enjoy my rig and hope the transmission lasts for a long time to come. I love this truck and plan on using it for lots of adventures.

I hope people found this thread helpful.

Ok, I'm eating my words here. I discovered that I was wrong with my thinking. I took my slip yoke off the driveshaft yesterday, lubed it up really good and reassembled. The symptoms seems to be gone for now. It was really the slip yoke binding all along.

Here's what I said on another thread I started, "Slip Yoke Binding Fix".

I bought my 2000 4runner a couple years ago and it always had that occasional weird thump or clunk coming to a stop or rolling from a stop. I really thought it could be just the transmission finally finding first gear but now I'm thinking different. This subject has been covered on multiple forums and many people believed it was a case of the slip yoke binding as the suspension compressed on a stop and then as the suspension would decompress the slip yoke would unstick and give you that clunk feeling like somebody rear-ended you.

I have greased that slip yoke zerk fitting multiple times but my theory is the grease was never getting back far enough in the slip yoke to prevent the binding. I decided to finally do something about it and just take the slip yoke off, grease the crap out it and put it back together. I drove around the neighborhood doing multiple hards stops and I haven't been able to recreate the clunk. So, I think taking the slip yoke off and greasing it really well might be the solution for some of you out there that have been experiencing the same thing with their 4runners.

The bolts that attach the driveshaft to the differential are on there pretty good. I'm glad I had an impact gun to make it much easier to take apart. I made a video of the repair and I hope it helps somebody out. I was solo so I was relying that I had the camera on my head pointed right. I think the video came out pretty good and I hope to do a better job on the next one.

If you have any comments or suggestions on how I can do a better job in the future, please comment and suggest away.

Here's a link to the video I uploaded to YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKX5UeE2Txs

 

[mtbtim]

Well, I guess I spoke too soon. I'm still getting a bump feeling every now and then. I thought I might have shot too much grease into the slip yoke, so I took it out, bounced up and down on the rear bumper to escape some of the grease and put the zerk fitting back in. Now, the symptoms have reappeared.

So, I think I'm going to take a suggestion from another member and take a better look at my transmission mount and maybe my motor mounts as well.

 

[Bstrom]

Another common cause and what happened to my 2000 4R Ltd was the rear brakes grabbing. The clunk is the brakes releasing.

hard to imagine this would be it and I fought this explaination tooth and nail but it seems when Toyota wheel cylinders start to go the sort of freeze in the out position. Weird.

A test is to at a stop, idling, see if you roll forward by just letting your foot of the brake pedal. Also after a few miles feel the drum, it should be rather cool, not hot. If hot….. If so don't fight it; replace the wheel cylinder, springs and shoes. Less than $100 at NAPA for good quality. Turn them drums too! Makes no sense I know but the only cure IF brake grab.

I tend to agree with this explanation and here's a way to 'test' it. When you come to a stop, do it veeeeery gently so you don't feel any 'inertia' in the rearend - so softly you can't feel the vehicle physically come to a halt. (I try to drive this way as a habit when I can with plenty of off-throttle coasting to stoplights and stop signs - maybe half the time.)

Now let go of the brake pedal to accelerate and you won't feel any 'release' of pressure from the drive train during takeoff. If you brake hard and hold it, you have a lot of brake pad area under heat clamped onto that drum. The pad release afterwards feels like hydraulic decompression that is amplified by the heat generated during braking - a binding action of sorts. You don't feel it up front cuz the pad area is so much smaller.

I really don't think the slip yoke is even being felt as it moves a very short distance. Unless it were really gummed up - and then it would actually feel worse than a rear brake pad letting off the drum. Would be a harder sound with a definite lurch in the drivetrain. And you would feel it during driving as it articulated poorly over road surfaces

Just a guess...I'm not an engineer.

 

[mtbtim]

I tend to agree with this explanation and here's a way to 'test' it. When you come to a stop, do it veeeeery gently so you don't feel any 'inertia' in the rearend - so softly you can't feel the vehicle physically come to a halt. (I try to drive this way as a habit when I can with plenty of off-throttle coasting to stoplights and stop signs - maybe half the time.)

Now let go of the brake pedal to accelerate and you won't feel any 'release' of pressure from the drive train during takeoff. If you brake hard and hold it, you have a lot of brake pad area under heat clamped onto that drum. The pad release afterwards feels like hydraulic decompression that is amplified by the heat generated during braking - a binding action of sorts. You don't feel it up front cuz the pad area is so much smaller.

I really don't think the slip yoke is even being felt as it moves a very short distance. Unless it were really gummed up - and then it would actually feel worse than a rear brake pad letting off the drum. Would be a harder sound with a definite lurch in the drivetrain. And you would feel it during driving as it articulated poorly over road surfaces

Just a guess...I'm not an engineer.

I believe this could very well be the case with some people experiencing similar symptoms but I'm tending to think it's something else for me. I can get the bump from a totally cold start with the brakes completely cool. Also, my brakes shoes have been replaced and the drums turned. However, I don't think the wheel cylinders were replaced. I never feel any hesitation when I let my foot off the brake after a stop. It seems to roll freely at an idle, but something is definitely releasing causing that bump feeling.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I will report back to this thread after I investigate into the transmission mount.