1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Newbie here. About to loose my mind

Discussion in 'General 4Runner Talk' started by crashEMhard, Jan 24, 2022.

  1. Jan 24, 2022 at 10:49 AM
    #1
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out
    Hello gents.
    I have a 2012 Limited. And it has the famous clunk. It’s coming from the DS and it’s been to the dealer 6 times. Then a Lexus dealer and a independent. No one can find the clunk. Here is what has currently been done.

    New shocks and struts all around. Normal.
    New brakes, rotors, calipers , pads
    New lower control arms
    New steering rack
    New intermediate shaft assembly
    New steering column assembly
    New tie rods ends
    New sway bar links and main bushings

    All factory Toyota parts.

    it did this before I did a 3” lift and it’s didn’t get better or worse. Took off all the shields. Checked for loose bolts. Feels like you can feel it in the floor board and it drives me bonkers. Small bumps small noise. Bigger bumps bigger noise.

    Anyone else have this issue? Everything is new and professionally installed and rechecked by other dealers. It’s a blank!!!


    Otherwise it’s been a bulletproof machine

    thanks.

    59947BDA-3238-47FD-B74D-3FDD0E2B8C25.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2022
  2. Jan 24, 2022 at 10:53 AM
    #2
    Jynarik

    Jynarik I like boobies

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2019
    Member:
    #10510
    Messages:
    2,183
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin Texas
    Vehicle:
    2019 trd pro voodoo
    Lose not loose
    Please and thank you
     
    importman likes this.
  3. Jan 24, 2022 at 10:55 AM
    #3
    Jynarik

    Jynarik I like boobies

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2019
    Member:
    #10510
    Messages:
    2,183
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin Texas
    Vehicle:
    2019 trd pro voodoo
    This noise started before replacing all of those parts? Factory parts? Just over bumps? Not on stops/take offs?
     
  4. Jan 24, 2022 at 10:57 AM
    #4
    iamincrediboy

    iamincrediboy New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2020
    Member:
    #18551
    Messages:
    527
    Gender:
    Male
    South FL
    Vehicle:
    2005 V8 4Runner Limited - Silver
    UCA balljoint or bushings worn out?

    Do you have a GoPro or something to stick under there and try to get the noise first hand?
     
    5HARDKIDZ likes this.
  5. Jan 24, 2022 at 11:00 AM
    #5
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out
    Upper control arms were replaced on it about 15000 miles ago. All the new parts have 1000 miles on them. Only makes the sound over bumps. Don’t notice anything on breaking. And yes all Factory Toyota parts. I bought this used 1 owner from Toyota and you can say the used car warranty was well used. Receipts for over $7500 cost me $100. Guess it’s worth a clunk maybe?
     
  6. Jan 24, 2022 at 11:02 AM
    #6
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out
    I even took off the stock 20” wheels and tires to put on more sidewall to see if that helps. Same thing.
     
  7. Jan 24, 2022 at 11:10 AM
    #7
    Jynarik

    Jynarik I like boobies

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2019
    Member:
    #10510
    Messages:
    2,183
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin Texas
    Vehicle:
    2019 trd pro voodoo
    Possibly hitting body mount with oversized tires?

    bumpstops good?

    double check uca torque, it’s not unlikely that they undertorqued them. Bottom flange nut, too.
     
    LandCruiser likes this.
  8. Jan 24, 2022 at 9:42 PM
    #8
    McSpazatron

    McSpazatron New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #19810
    Messages:
    4,612
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 4runner OR
    Dobinson IMS Warn Bumper CaliRaised Sliders 285/70 K02s
    Also, have you taken absolutely everything out of the interior to make sure it’s not some ventriloquist noise from the inside. Have you checked the tightness of the factory bottle jack, a loose 4 D cell Maglite in the jack cubby, the tightness of the spare tire against frame etc?
     
  9. Jan 24, 2022 at 9:48 PM
    #9
    Mtbpsych

    Mtbpsych New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2018
    Member:
    #7922
    Messages:
    1,887
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2018 SR5
    Was the sound happening even before UCA’s? Are they aftermarket? Mine had a squeaking type noise due to a bad bushing, and when they get low on grease in the ball joint they start to clunk on bumps.
     
    LandCruiser likes this.
  10. Jan 25, 2022 at 1:41 AM
    #10
    suaveflooder

    suaveflooder New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2021
    Member:
    #23264
    Messages:
    568
    When does “the clunk” happen? When you put it in drive, hit the gas, brake, let off gas, ect…
     
  11. Jan 25, 2022 at 3:54 AM
    #11
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out

    The clunk happens just driving. When your driving down the road, you can hear it. Go over a bump you can hear it. Down the interstate you don’t really hear it at all unless you hit a bump. It’s pretty weird.

    checked for cracks in the UCA. All the bolts are tight. U joints seem tight. No clunks shifting or stopping or accelerating.
     
  12. Jan 25, 2022 at 3:55 AM
    #12
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out

    Everything is out. I don’t keep much in it ever to worry about people breaking in to it.
     
  13. Jan 25, 2022 at 3:56 AM
    #13
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out

    Right now they are just stock Toyota replacements. I may looking into aftermarket UCA to try.
     
  14. Jan 25, 2022 at 5:16 AM
    #14
    DogoPilot

    DogoPilot New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2021
    Member:
    #24666
    Messages:
    165
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kyle
    St. Paul, MN
    Vehicle:
    2022 Black ORP w/KDSS
    Clunks over bumps in my old Audi always seemed to be one of the control arms (there were 8 up front if I remember correctly) or a wheel bearing, although the wheel bearing would usually come with additional noises.
     
  15. Jan 25, 2022 at 5:35 AM
    #15
    alittleoff

    alittleoff New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2016
    Member:
    #1882
    Messages:
    2,371
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    406
    Vehicle:
    '16 TP
    Possibly motor mounts, trans/transfer case mount or the front differential mount.
    Missing or loose exhaust hanger mounting bolt.

    Also, hate to say it though. A distraught factory worker putting a large marble in a tight spot so when it rolls against something, it clunks.

    When I used to work in the collision repair field, we would find beer bottles or other things in the rocker panel cavities.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2022
    Tmiesowicz likes this.
  16. Jan 25, 2022 at 5:57 AM
    #16
    Jynarik

    Jynarik I like boobies

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2019
    Member:
    #10510
    Messages:
    2,183
    Gender:
    Male
    Austin Texas
    Vehicle:
    2019 trd pro voodoo
    “Tight” doesn’t mean torqued.
     
    K-Paul and newlife like this.
  17. Jan 25, 2022 at 10:09 AM
    #17
    trlhiker

    trlhiker Lazy Bum

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2019
    Member:
    #11913
    Messages:
    2,267
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    1992 4Runner SR5 V6 4X4
    Had a friend who had a clunk on his Nissan truck. After 2nd trip to dealer, they found the cause. A can of soda under his seat. Needless to say he was quite embarrassed. So check under your seats, and any cubby hole thru out the vehicle and under it for lose items as mentioned by McSpazatron.
     
    jester243 and BionicRandy like this.
  18. Jan 25, 2022 at 11:32 AM
    #18
    PhantomTweak

    PhantomTweak New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2019
    Member:
    #12402
    Messages:
    1,200
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Patrick
    OREGON
    Vehicle:
    1999 4Runner, bone stock
    None. Bone Stock. EXCEPT: Brushguard, tow hitch, both welded to the frame. It's good to have friends and a fully equipped garage!
    I would guess the spare lost air (they do that over time), loosening it in it's mount, and now it's clunking against something going over bumps. I may well be wrong, though. I usually is.

    Good luck, and please, let us know what you finally find!
    Pat☺
     
  19. Jan 25, 2022 at 11:58 AM
    #19
    iamincrediboy

    iamincrediboy New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2020
    Member:
    #18551
    Messages:
    527
    Gender:
    Male
    South FL
    Vehicle:
    2005 V8 4Runner Limited - Silver
    Loose 'connection' of an exhaust hanger? Heat shield of exhaust piping loose? Stock skids loose - engine, trans, tiny thing under transfer case, fuel? Something rattling in a wire hanger, a la hard brake line?
     
    ChessGuy and PhantomTweak like this.
  20. Jan 25, 2022 at 2:03 PM
    #20
    McSpazatron

    McSpazatron New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #19810
    Messages:
    4,612
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 4runner OR
    Dobinson IMS Warn Bumper CaliRaised Sliders 285/70 K02s
    This. Especially for any suspension components. 160ft pounds or there abouts is needed for some if the bolts. That is really hard to guess at since it pretty much requires all your strength, and a torque wrench to let you know you hit it. Also the LCA has to have weight on it before tightening and torquing.
     
  21. Jan 25, 2022 at 4:10 PM
    #21
    Commited

    Commited New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2020
    Member:
    #13140
    Messages:
    578
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Oscar
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2019 Silver Metallic TRD ORP
    Tinted fronts, blacked out overlays.
    I used to own a 2002 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab that I purchased brand new. After a year I added a lift, On occasion the passenger side when someone would ride shotgun I would hear a clicking sound, so I started investigating looking everywhere for something loose or broken couldn’t find anything. One day after washing it, I was cleaning the inside jumped in the passenger side I stepped on a particular spot on the floorboard and there was a spot that my best definition of it was like a “clicker” sure enough every time I put weight on that spot you would hear the Click. Don’t know if it was because of the lift or maybe I just hadn’t noticed it before the lift but there was a weak spot in the sheet metal of the floor board that made “that” sound whenever anyone riding shotgun would put weight on it. Not saying that’s what the OP’s vehicle sound is but could be some flaw in the build of the vehicle that has eventually over time shown up, or maybe it’s just those pesky Gremlin’s…
     
  22. Jan 26, 2022 at 5:07 AM
    #22
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out
    Thanks guys. I’ll have to make a spot in my garage to get it in and go over all the bolts myself. Figured multi trips to Toyota they would find it or look harder to get rid of me, but I guess not. They know I am
    Very picky on my runner. They said they never seen one so clean for the miles.
     
    4runGirl88 likes this.
  23. Jan 26, 2022 at 7:43 AM
    #23
    Overland WT

    Overland WT Grumpy Old Guy

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25317
    Messages:
    638
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bryan
    West Texas
    Vehicle:
    2017 TRD Off Road
    Many with many more to go
    Had the same clunk when I bought my new to me 2017 Off Road. It was the jack. Wasn't secured correctly. Didnt notice it right away, took me taking it out and repositioning it. No issues since.
     
    K-Paul and McSpazatron like this.
  24. Jan 26, 2022 at 8:03 AM
    #24
    glwood54

    glwood54 Stop making me buy stuff!

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2019
    Member:
    #10964
    Messages:
    5,536
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Gary
    Albuquerque, NM
    Vehicle:
    2019 OR, KDSS, RSG sliders, Eibach shocks, 265/70 Falken Wildpeaks
    If you're convinced (as much as possible) that it's underneath the truck, a camera under there while you're moving might be the only viable way to pin down the noise, it seems. Good luck, though, on the loose bolt search.
     
  25. Jan 26, 2022 at 8:29 AM
    #25
    crashEMhard

    crashEMhard [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2022
    Member:
    #25313
    Messages:
    8
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nick Z
    Vehicle:
    2012 limited
    3” lift. Blacked everything out

    Seems very very prominent in the DS front. It’s been there since they day I bought it hense the dealership tossing parts at it. Lol. Good for me I guess.

    i removed all the skid plates as for its a limited so they were thin and rusted. Only rust on the truck. Took the running boards off, so went under and checked the bolts that hold the rocker on. Not a wiggle or a jingle in the exhaust covers. Body mounts look solid and all there. Exhaust tight.

    Weird thing is, it drives great. It’s just annoying at times. If I have to when the weather is better I’ll take apart the front end and look harder.

    I’ll let people know what I find. But with everything near brand new or new. This is baffling.
     
  26. Jan 26, 2022 at 11:48 AM
    #26
    McSpazatron

    McSpazatron New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #19810
    Messages:
    4,612
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 4runner OR
    Dobinson IMS Warn Bumper CaliRaised Sliders 285/70 K02s
    Oh lord, it just dawned on me….

    Could this be the dreaded rubber splash shield in the front wheel well? Aka, The Maker of Mysterious Phantom Noises
     
    BionicRandy and 4runGirl88 like this.
  27. Jan 26, 2022 at 11:50 AM
    #27
    banjos-n-beer

    banjos-n-beer New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2021
    Member:
    #23686
    Messages:
    677
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Steve
    Maine
    Vehicle:
    2018 Pro
    or hood latch
     
    4runGirl88 likes this.
  28. Jan 26, 2022 at 12:49 PM
    #28
    mcat707

    mcat707 MURDERED TRD

    Joined:
    Dec 6, 2019
    Member:
    #12235
    Messages:
    330
    Gender:
    Male
    NOR*CAL - Solano County
    Vehicle:
    2015 TRDPro - Attitude Black Metallic 218
    Do you have a moon roof? If so, then it’s a good chance that is causing the clunk noises that you are hearing.

    The Car Care Nut describes this issue in one of his YouTube videos. (Don’t remember which video)

    A bushing or washer needs to be installed or something to eliminate the noise. Costly for a dealer installation for such a small part.
     
  29. Jun 8, 2022 at 8:27 PM
    #29
    4runGirl88

    4runGirl88 Get a little mud on the tires!

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2019
    Member:
    #11817
    Messages:
    451
    Gender:
    Female
    Vehicle:
    2018 Black SR5 Premium (AKA Black Betty)
    What ended up happening??? I read every post hoping the source of "the clunk" would be found! This was almost as good as anything on Netflix right now! Don't leave me hanging!

    Also...your rig is awesome!
     
  30. Jun 14, 2022 at 7:15 AM
    #30
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    Does it do it in 4 Hi and/or Lo too? If it “feels” like it’s in the drive shaft, maybe it is.

    @4runGirl88 I agree! lol
     
    4runGirl88 likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top