hey guys, i just bought a 2000 4 runner a few weeks ago. i really love it and hope to have it for a long time. but already i have a little problem. everytime i hit a bump there is a loud clanking sound that comes from my left front wheel. it doesnt really sound like anything to do with the suspension, but it could be. it sounds like its coming more from my wheel. has anyone else had this problem? thanks a lot. brad

 

Could you have a rock or lug nut rolling around inside your centercap?

 

Welcome to the forum. I'm at Fairchild AFB... anyways I would take your wheel off, and stick your truck on jackstands and try to duplicate the noise. What you describe is not a common problem as far as I know. It might be something really simple such as what is described in the above post. It also may be something trying to tell you something. I know it took us a while to find a noise like that in the 2nd Gen's.. Jim Rockford figured it out and it ended up being a pretty major fix involving replacing some bushings behind the hub. Hopefully you can find an easy fix.

 

Is it a clank or a clunk? Could be a ball joint going out on you. Jack up left side till front left tire is off ground. Put prybar underneath and lift up on tire to compress suspension, listen for noises- easy way to test your ball joints.

 

its more like a high pitched clank.....like if you put a pebble in a tin can and shook it. i hear it everytime i hit a bump.

 

Pull your skid plates off and make sure you don't have a rock underneath thats just bouncing around...

 

A light tapping with a rubber mallet underneath the vehicle can work wonders in discovering unidentified clanks.

 

The bushing on my shock is worn out, so everytime I hit a bump it makes a clank. Could be possible you have a similar problem, grab your shock and see if it moves around freely, should be able to tell if the bushing is still solid or not.

 

I just had this. It was a tinny jingling. For me, it was the clip that holds the brake pads in place on the caliper. When I hit a bump, it was bouncing around in there and hitting my wheel weights. It is made out of thin steel and gets a little loose over time. I took it back to the guys that did my brakes recently, and they bent the clip a little to give it some more tension so it stayed put. All fixed now...

 

thanks a lot Cebby....that sounds exactly like what it could be. thank you