I have had the "classic" clunk with my driveshaft on my 2004 4runner SE V8. To remedy this I put lube in the driveshaft and the dealer did the same at my request. This often seemed to remedy the situation but only in the short term. I haven't done anything drastic off-road so there didn't seem to be a cause there. It took almost 4 times at the dealer saying that something was wrong with no real solution. Here is what I said this time and here is what looks like the solution that worked.

My description for the dealership -
"Customer states the car is not downshifting correctly - clunk when take off from a stop"

Here was the response -
"Found clunk from take off, R & R rear driveshaft"

Here is what they replaced -
P/N - 37110-6A480, Shaft Assy, Probe

From my first drive home it seems like they solved the clunk. Anybody have any ideas on what happens to the driveshaft to cause it to fail? Anyone else have this happen?

Thanks.

 

My father has a 4th gen 4runner. He had the drive shaft replaced by Toyota also. The dealer said the new drive shaft was "new and improved", and would solve the clunking problem. The clunk came back a couple thousand miles later.





Craig.

 

My 3rd gen does the same thing and lubing only remedies the problem for a very short time. I belive one of my U-joints or something is bad...

It's kind of annoying, but I learned to deal with it until I find money and a shop to fix it for me (driveshaft shop).

I have to say though...I am very surprised that Toyota hasn't fixed this yet...

 

Mine does it, sadly, I'm at 65k and out of warrenty.

 

Interesting.... I haven't heard the clunk from my driveshaft for over 10k miles now. Of course, I lube it every 5k or so, so I may be just keeping it happy with all the grease.

 

My 2001 Taco did it for all of the 60,000 miles I put on the truck. My 2004 SE 'runner has done if for all of the 40,000 miles I have put on it so far..... It seems to "go away" for the first 1,000 miles or so after I lube the drive shafts.

 

same thing on my 99 3rd gen, funny how they havent fixed it though. i havent tried to lubricate it though but will try now! good luck

 

I have two of these 4th Gen shafts that "clunked" they will be great rock buggy shafts.

Anyway, no 3rd Gen guy is getting this, it's not the same thing, you have something else wrong as the 3rd gen has a double cardigan CV shaft and the 4th Gen has a standard 2 u-joint shaft.

Bottom line, the 3rd gen has a better shaft and it's not going to "clunk", something else is wrong.

This is only a 4th gen thing. FWIW, I can't get the "clunk" shafts I have to "clunk".

More on this:

http://www.sonoransteel.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=329

Buy a clunker.