its been happening for sometime now but i decided i should ask after reading all the articles I could find on this. My 3rg gen 4runner is making a clunking noise and it doesnt necessarily happen when i turn full all the way. it happens ever so often when i hit a bump or something. I can even feel it underneath my feet when it happens. So how does one know exactly what to do? If its a possibly driveshaft lubing issue how do I know? I have cchecked underneath my vehicle no leaks yet near the steering section or on cv joints. nor is there any play when i try wiggling them.

 

Unfortunately, a 'clunk' doesn't help with description... I would guess perhaps bump stops or something... Or maybe shocks?

 

it feels like something is moving like maybe a bar or soemthing.

 

Is your swaybar loose?

 

Could be the inside the steering rack going.

 

checked the sway bar bushings ok

 

I have the same issue with my 2nd gen. It has nothing to do with the steering as the sterring is different between the 2 & 3rd gen. It occurs when I am driving and I go over bumps. It almost feels as there is a loose bar bouncing and hitting the truck under the drivers seat area. It kid of bounces like it is under load. I have checked everything underthere & it is all tight. Any ideas?

Matt

 

....bump

 

check ur upper ball joints, mine went bad, found out when i pulled on the tire and it had 1/2" of play

 

I don't believe this is the issue as the last time I had it checked the ball joints were fine and I have had the thumping since I bought the truck 7 years ago. I will check them again but any other ideas?

Matt

 

Maybe something to do with your torsion bars??????

 

no torsion bars on my truck

 

take off the wheels with the front of the truck supported, have a friend slowly turn the wheel back and forth with the truck off

check for worn out, broken parts

I would bet on sway bar end links, bad rack mounts, rack failure

 

well my clunking was my upper driver balljoint and i put all pro's upper A arms on problem solved, all i can say is jack up ur vehicle and check the wheels for anything, theres just so many variables in a ifs susp. with all the connections, joints, etc.

 

Check your rear shocks, you could have busted an upper mount or one is loose. .......

 

The clunking noise on mine was caused by loose lower control arms and a loose frt skid plate. check those out. I could hear and also feel the clunk through the floor board but not in the steering wheel.

 

so it seems that its most likely in the sway bar, steering rack,& upper ball joints. could it be anything else taht i could check like transfer cases & drifeshafts if so do I just shake the item to see if there area any play or are there more symptoms I should be seeing for those items. How would I know its the steering rack?

 

ed, bring it to the wrench a thon next saturday. i am bringing mine as well, as i have a clunk/bang myself. mine happens in the pedals and right under the drivers floor board. mostly...after rolling back, even if a few inches, then slowly moving forward (even a foot), and then applying the brakes. no idea what it is. doesn't happen all the time. just every so often. i am thinking rear brakes (145k on original rears)?

 

sounds good to me

 

i heard someone talkin at church today about a clunk under their truck and it was something had snaped but u could only see if if you jacked the truck up and took the weight off the wheel because where it wuz broken it was hidden by the A arm when there was weight on it. or something like that. he wasn't talking to me so i'm not sure but maybe someone will know what he was talking about