Bear with me guys i'm on my iPod....
I have a loud "click" in the rear end of my 4runner.
It only clicks while i'm in a forward gear and while I'm giving it gas, doesn't make noise in reverse or while coasting.
What could this be?! I thought u-joints first, but they have no play in them...I even greased them to see if it would make the click not so pronounced and it's still loud.
It sounds to me like it's coming from the center of the rear axle, which kinda sucks....... I'm going to drain the fluid in the rear end and check for metal shavings...just thought I would ask the Toyota junkies if they have any input
Thanks guys!!

 

Ujoints need replacing. Telltale signs you describe.

:wabbit2:

 

i'll definitely give those a shot..i've heard u-joints "clicking" before...but this is loud..almost like a thump.




at about $10 a pop i'll try u-joints LOL


Thanks Brian!

 

Axle bearings? Jack-up the back and see if the rear tires move, kinda like checking ball joints in the front.

Mine did the same thing, and that was the problem.

 

My passenger side rear has SOME SLIGHT movement...but not much??

 

If it moves, take off the tire and brake drum and see if you can move the axle. If you can move the tire then its probably the bearing. That will make the noise you described. Check your U-joints also as stated.
But if you have movement in the rear tire usually means the bearing is going bad.

Hope this helps

Larry

 

It's VERY slight...and it takes my whole body weight to make it move lol

 

U Joints can give a grumble vibration at speed. Do you have any vibration or low hum through the floor at highway speed?

 

No I sure don't...just the loud click...

 

well guys...i replaced both u-joints in the rear driveline, took off down the road...and the noise is still there.

gets louder when you go faster.

it doesn't sound like it's at either end of the rear axle, sounds more like it's in the center....unfortunately.

i'm not sure how to go about fixing this as i've never experienced something of this nature.

i'm 90% sure that the truck has 4.56 gears..and that there are 2 4runners in the local junkyards with 4.56 rear ends...chances are one of them is good..one of them only have 10x,xxx miles on it.




what i would like to know is WHAT it is exactly?







P.S. this could be a chance to re-gear....i'm sure i could find a set of 4.88s in a yard somewhere (MIGHT be a set in the local yard..there was a couple of 4runners with some weird gear codes)

my highway RPM's at 65 is dead on at 3000 (in 5th gear) with my 285/75 Toyo's....and with 4.88's i'm thinkin it's going to be around like 3100-3200? which is going to give me a little more power....but worse gas mileage? i'm happy with my power right now but my mileage could be better lol so i think i'll just stick with 4.56's.

 

Any rocks stuck in the treads?

 

lol no it's not something that simple.


and it does it all the time now while driving...no matter if i'm goin in reverse or forward or coasting.

it's just louder while in a forward gear and giving it throttle

 

I'll suggest it one more time, then I'll quit. But it Is another spot that will make noise and cause a vibration, been there done that myself.

Take off your rear tires, remove the brake drums, grab the studs and see if you can move the axle. If they move, they are bad, its that simple. And they will cause a vibration.

I hope you find your problem


Larry

 

Also you might check the output nut from the transfer to the rear driveshaft, although if that was bad you should have noticed that messing with the U-joints.

Larry

 

AH! i knew i forgot about something...thanks Larry!

yea i thought about that nut, didn't check it honestly.....dangit

 

Onj my 87 I had this noise, it was from the pinion bearing. Made the truck sound like a ferrari at 35mph.

 

im going to throw out an educated guess from expirence. i bet when you pull the third you have a chipped or missing tooth on your ring gear

 

It's not a rumble peow, it clicks ONCE per revolution of something small like the driveshaft or an axle..guess I'll check a few more things this weekend...drain the gear oil too

 

Blake hit the nail on the head....



spreadin her legs so i can go to town on her

 

i'm going to also replace the bearings and seals on both sides..


Currently on the lookout for a 4.56 diff, theres 2 in the junkyard one town over...but i'm not sure if they're good or not.




what should i look for when buying a junkyard diff? Besides the obvious like a chipped tooth on the ring or pinion...or not spinning smooth lol