denverbikeguy

Interesting... I washed my runner yesterday too (been a while) and pretty thouroughly cleaned everything out - whaddya know, the noise has subsided a bit. I'm pretty sure it was dry by this morning and I didn't hear it then, but it could be I was just drivng nicer too. I will see if I can hear it on the way home tonight, if so I'll squirt it with water and try to drive again. However it doesn't sound like parts rubbing, it sounds like parts banging - not sure how a little water would stop that, unless undue friction is causing something else to move when it shouldn't maybe?

I still have not taken the rubber mallet to the underside of it, but have gone through the interior very carefully, and nothing is lose in there. I can't think of anything behind the paneling that would be loose either...

I'm almost wondering if getting the new suspension stuff put on under the SSC will magically make this issue "go away"...

swerks

ANY THING NEW HERE???

keisur

I popped the lift gate panel to check things out this weekend. Toyota uses these idiotic fat rivets to hold the windows roller upper mechanisms in there. These things get loose after a while and need to be ripped out and replaced. I found 3 or four of them loose and rattling so I got the vice grilps and persuaded them to come out. Then replaced them, I happened to have some big enough in some parts bins I had laying around but you may need to go to the homo depot first so you don't have to go in the middle of it. I think they are 3/16" inch rivets or something big like that, not your standard house guttering rivets. The have a 1/2" flange too, I think it is 1/2 inch. I used one with about a 3/8" flange and it seems to work. the loose rivets were a major cause of some rattling I would hear even when the windows was rolled up. I still have a light clank in the tail section somewhere, I think it is in the rear passenger side wall/panel around the wheel well or something. It's not the junk in the storage pocket because I cleaned it out while I was installing a new stereo and running wire two weeks ago. I think I'll take the panel back off and see what I can figure out.

swerks

Did ya take that panel off yet ? did ya find any thing new???

Cebby

Those of you with nerf bars, check for tightness of the bolts. I had a problem with my Smittybilts a long time ago. You really need to crank those bolts down - use some locktite too.

RgrChu

Cebby,

I've been meaning to check my Nerfs.....I was thinking about all the things I've done and when the sound appeared. The sound did not appear until after a 4X4ing trip. This was about a month or two after my accident.....Which was about a month after I installed the Nerfs.....hmmm

I've got some checking to do.....I've also wondered about my springs that I had installed.....That and my nerfs were the only mods to that area of my 4R....I've also thought that maybe a rubber hanger from my catback broke loose and my muffler piping is banging around.....I'll check those items over the wknd, since we are getting some nice weather here......

keisur

Nope, haven't had time yet. my wife is an adventure racer (eco challenge type crap) so we've been traveling every weekend to various races for the past month. her last race is 3 days the weekend until march so I may get a chance to check it out next week.

that's quite interesting about the nerf's. I still have the stock step plates on but I plan on removing them soon. I guess I'll find out then if that is what I keep hearing. It's only on really bumpy roads, not just small bumps and rocks.

denverbikeguy

Still searching for answers... On the 4runner too.

I've gone as far as I can on this without removing components. It's currently cold as hell outside with ice in the driveway, and my garage is too messy to pull it in right now, so I'll need to wait for the driveway to melt before I can crawl under there with a mallet.

The extreme cold as of late has been not without merit however - the noise is way more prominent in the morning, when it's been sitting overnight. Ambient moisture doesn't seem to affect it, but by the time I get to work the noise usually disappears, or at least quiets significantly. Usually. Or I'm just imagining it.

I'm going to focus my search under the car (i.e. not inside body panels) first because of this, I'm hoping to find a hanger or suspension part loose or worn. I want to locate the source before I get the rear suspension TSB done though, in case that fixes it.

keisur

Have you ever replaced the rear shocks? since it was brand new I mean? depending on the number of miles you have on their, that could be causing the sound. when I replaced mine I found that the normalized prosition was nice and spongy but if I compressed it or extended it I could feel the plunger hit the unworn id of the cylinder and then move smoothly. I remember I could hear a little something when I would hit small bumps in the road, I figured that the plunger was banging against that worn ridge and making the sound.

I found the source of my clank, it was inside, one of the fasteners was unpopped from around the quarter window on the passenger side. also, the passenger side rear fold down seat back was loose and the latch was clinking on the loop that it is supposed to latch too. a couple turns with a ratchet on the hinge bolts and pushing the fastners back in fixed it for me.

denverbikeguy

I maybe found it!!!

This came to me by accident. I had my rear seats folded down so I could carry a shelf, and left them that way overnight. Got back in the next morning to go for a drive, and of course that old familiar clunk came back - but sounded a lot different this time. I think the seats were muffling some of the sound. This time it definitely sounded like it was under the back area of the vehicle. Anyway...

I think it might be the rear tire! Hear me out on this: AIR, the stuff we breathe and what your tire is filled with, tends to expand when hot, no? Let's assume that you probably had your tires mounted when it was warm. Or if you put the spare back on (after say a flat tire) it was after it sat in a shop for a little while. Could be that you've never used it either, so it has lost a bit of pressure.

What runs directly around the tire? The nice hot exhaust pipe! Remember how at least a couple of us said it only happens when it's cold and you just start out, and it goes away after a while? Well, I felt the tire after about 15 mintues of driving, and it was a bit warmer on that side than the non-exhaust side, meaning the air inside could be heating and expanding, causing the tire to "firm up" to the frame, until it cools down again allowing it to become loose again. When I first heard it I stopped and went back there to try and move it - the tire was not completely solid against the frame, and under a big bump or body movement, could probably move around.

I'd recommend this: Drop your spare tire when it's cold. Do not start the vehicle beforehand. Check/refill pressure to the recommended cold tire value making sure you don't heat it up during this process, then remount it nice and snug. Now as the tire expands from heat it will just compress against the frame, but as it cools it should stay tight.

Comments? Ideas? I tried to think about what could change with temperature but go away as you drove, and this seems to make sense the more I think about it...

keisur

I had mine down last week to cart the old tires and wheels to work to sell them to a dude here. That turned out to be my problem, the seat back's hinges and latch were loose. A couple turns with a ratchet helped that. My spare was also loose. I gave about a 1/4 turn on the reel crank and I havent' heard that clunk for a week now.

Fahrenheit 451

Could it be the tailgate support? There are small plastic clips that holds the tailgate supports in place when the tailgate is shut. When the tailgate is shut the clip presses the metal bars between the clip on the quarter panel and on the tailgate. If it is missing, every time you hit a bump or turn it could cause the supports to hit against the tailgate or the side of the truck. It will give a definite thud and metallic sound. They are really flimsy and it wouldn't take much to break them off.

keisur

Hey fahrenheit, any way you can post a small pic of this piece? mine may be missing and I don't know what it looks like.

swerks

Are we talking 2nd gen or 3rd gen?

Fahrenheit 451

If one of them was missing, there would be a small hole where the clip normally clips in. It is pretty easy to tell on them. Look for small plastic pieces on the side of the tailgate and and on the bed by the latch. They will be right around the point where the metal straps hinge in the middle when the tailgate is in the up position.
I'll try and borrow a digital camera this weekend and get pics. I think mine are good on side and broken on the other and I definitely get the thump and rattle sound.

99serunner

I have the same noise I noticed it about a month ago, it almost sounds as if the passanger door is not closed all the way. It has really agravated me. I am going to check some of the things posted and see if that clears up the problem

keisur

Are you talking "truck/tacoma" or 4runner (2nd or 3rd gen?) I am talking 3rd gen 4runner so mine doesn't have those since I have a lift-back type rear end instead of a tail gate truck type swing out or swing down one. I wish I had a swing out spare tire carrier though instead of the under carriage one, would make carrying the 285/75r16 spare a little easier and less space consuming.

keisur

I had this type of sound too. I found that the grey plate that springs up when you pull the change box (ashtray) out was lightly tapping the tray frame. I pulled it out about an inch and the rattle went away, push it back in and it comes back. I actually got into an argument with the "head of the household" (wife) about where it was coming from. it seems that from my seat (the drivers seat, she realizes who sits there now) it sounded like the passenger door and from her seat (passenger) it sounded like it was coming from the driver door. finding the nominal position I located the culprit in the tray. just a thought. I also used to think it was just the change clacking together in there so I lined the inside with some moleskin but it was still rattling. I will be trying to figure something out to tighten it up since the little bulb glows the whole time it is open.

StingRay

Hi I'm a new guy here and I know this thread is pretty old now but I just bought a 98 4Runner and am having this same clunking problem. The first thing that immediately comes to mind is that the spare tire is not supported by anything on the front. The tire is compressed against the tire winch cross member and two pads at the rear. When I give the tire a little kick it rocks up at the front and then clunks back down on the rear pads. I looked at a couple of others here at the dealer on the used lot and found it to be that same on similar years. At some point 2000 or later (not exactly sure) Toyota has added an emissions canister above the spare and has added front supports so that the tire can't rock. I believe this to be the source of the clunking and will be making up some supports for the front of the tire. Anybody else figure that this is the cause of your clunking?

keisur

welcome newb!

That's what my rearend clinking turned out to be. another half-turn on the crank it is gone!