Popping/Clunking noise

So I searched and didn't seem to find an answer for this question. I don't want to take it to a shop just yet, so if you guys could help me narrow it down a bit I would really appreciate it.

Since winter hit and the cold temperatures really set in, I have noticed a loud popping noise coming from the rear of the truck, and sometimes the front. It only happens if the truck has been sitting for a while, like overnight. It does not matter if the engine is warm or cold, but if the truck has been stationary for a long time, it makes a loud pop/clunk sound and I can feel it in my feet when I let the truck roll forward/backward or when I initially hit the gas.

It does not appear to be axle wrap, because it does not happen when coming to a stop and then accelerating again. Just happens after a long rest. I greased my driveline before we got any freezing temperatures in October if that helps narrow it down any. This is the first winter I've owned the truck so this is new to me.

One more tidbit. If I lose traction on ice and start to slide to the side, as soon as I get traction again on pavement there is another loud clunk noise/feel coming from what I think is under the center console, or around there.

That was kind of lengthy, sorry!

 

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/178564-clunking-noise-question-maybe-brakes.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/178564-clunking-noise-question-maybe-brakes.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/178564-clunking-noise-question-maybe-brakes.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/178564-clunking-noise-question-maybe-brakes.html

 

Way to give a link to 4 different 2nd gen threads. They maybe helpful, but try to keep your navigation within generations!

 

got some ideas for you to check.could your brakes be freezing,as in actualy frozen from water.you park for night brakes wet from road conditions then freeze at night ,start out in morning they must brake loose ice to get rolling.have had/repaired many toyotas and experienced this .have a garage you could park in for a night and see if problem is not there next morn,or try driving foward a foot and see if you can see a frozen image of brake pad on your rotors thru rims in morn.the rear shoes you can not view,but know that water gets in there as well. you cant do much about it in winter but knowing what it is might give you some comfort. the sliding then clunk may be somthing differant though.check your tranny/tcase mount ,rubber may be week and causing thump when wheels get traction suddenly.same for carrier brg on drive shaft[ctr support].no cracked leaf springs ?good luck

 

mine is making a noise just like that. haven't really figured it out yet. I know my center support bearing is toast so it might be that. Is your truck a manual or auto?

 

Yeah I was wondering if the breaks were just freezing but it honestly doesn't feel like it is coming from there. I did park in a garage to thaw it out and drove it out 6 hours later and it did not make the noise, though. If it is just the break pads sticking, I am happy, as long as it is not something in the drive line. I'll check to see if I can see any indication of freezing on the rotors in the morning.

As far as the sliding/clunking, are the tranny/t-case mounts easy to spot? I haven't really looked at them much. The feeling does sound like it is directly below me, so that could be it. And it almost sounds like something is wobbling, so that kind of makes sense. The leaf springs need to be replaced badly, but they are not broken. I get a lot of noises coming from the rear end when I sit in the truck in the morning, but I think that is ice between the springs crunching.

Thank you for the help, that will give me something to do with my day off tomorrow.

 

It is an auto.

 

my 2000 is a manual.

 

I've had the same thing starting happening to me about 2 days ago. It's getting pretty cold around here also. Now, everytime I hop in the truck when its been sitting for a while its making a first clunk and then when I let off the clutch either in reverse or forward its makes another clunk. Like you said its only happening when its been sitting for a while.

The sound I hear seems to be coming from the passenger side either at the back or under the seat...

 

I checked to see if the brakes were causing it but I couldn't find anything there. I looked at the transfer case and tried to see if it had any sort of movement, but it looked solid. I had no idea where to look for the tranny mounts.

 

I have the same issue. I get a clunk with a slight sucking down feeling from the ass end. Turns out its the carrier bearing.

 

your tranny mount and tcase mount are one and the same. it lies in the middle of cross member that runs under tranny.with truck tires blocked or locked[wont roll on you] grab rear drive shaft at t case and try too sort of bench press it up .if tranny/tcase moves up the mount may be bad or hardware securing may have come loose.while down there do the same at the carrier brg[ctr support]on drive shaft .when you greased shaft were you able to see grease coming out all the cups in u-joint.you may have one dry one thats not taking grease and binding /popping.to check u joint best to jack up rear or it may be difficult notice play.wish i were back home in homer i would have you come down and help sort it out for you.guessing its the ice,i had a tundra that drove me crazy with that, sounded like a junk box till it got moving.

 

Thanks for the tips. I will check into that tomorrow. It is currently -1 outside so this will have to wait until tomorrow. Hopefully it will get above freezing. As far as grease coming out of the U-joints, yes I saw grease come out on each zerk I greased except for the slip yoke which I guess does not expel any, so I put in a few pumps.

 

look for the grease to come out around the seals of the cups[there are 4 round that make up the u joint].thats how i know when i have pumped enough grease in each one.-1 i guess i am not glad im back in homer.it was 60 and sunny with a slight breeze today in the catskills.although i will be raking leaves for the next week,east coasts dirty little secret.i have always thought its ok to defer maintenance when below zero.stay warm

 

Well, it is still 0 degrees but I went out and found there was about 1/8'' play when I pushed up around the carrier bearing. Should there be no play at all?

Also there was a crack in part of the bearing. On the rubber lip you can see. I don't know if that is bad or not, but it was the first thing I noticed.

 

If the carrier looks weathered, old and crack you might as well replace it. There should be a little play but not more than 1/4". I was getting some vibes and womp womp noises before i changed mine.

The clunking sounds like your brakes could be sticking. I was having the same issues with them locked up in the morning. I had to drag them for a few feet before they disengaged. I cured the problem by relocating the BPV bracket.

 

How involved is changing it? I'm OK with paying a shop to do it, but if it is fairly easy to do, I'll do it myself.

 

I had my mechanic at work do it cause i didnt have the time. You have to take the drive shaft apart and seperate it in order to put the carrier bearing in. It would make it alot easier if you have a lift.

 

to change that you need to take a large 27-30mm nut off that is often locktited on there[1/2 impact]the flange has to be marked in its position so that it goes back on the same splines it came off or you may have vibration when finished.the flange somtimes will come off easy other time a puller may be required.now to the bearing ,a bearing splitter is best ,and a puller/press to grab it and pull it off drive shaft.these can go either way hard or harder.is the shaft hanging low in the carrier or is it still sort of centered there.it doesnt sound like you have tons of play there from what you described.bad ones to me are the rubber all blown out and brg loose and rolling in steel cage,you grab it and can duplicte a thump by moving it up and down.at zero degrees that brg is gonna be one with that shaft.i wont tell anyone they cant do somthing but bringing just the shaft to shop/machine might be less painfull on you,maybe the shop as well because they wont have to schedule space for whole truck just some bench space,how worn are those rear springs again?you'll get it .

 

Hmmm...I will probably just drop it off at my mechanic. Seems a little too involved for me, plus I have zero time to get it done anyway. my springs look like this. Probably worse after running on the bumpstops a few hundred miles after this pic was taken.