Brake clunk, It really doesn't sound/feel "normal"

Ive been noticing that there have been some strange clunking noises while i drive in the last few weeks but yesterday I got my truck back from repairs after I hit a rock big enough to be described by some as a boulder in the road and i was driving and i finally pinpointed where the noise was coming from. It was my passenger side brakes. There was a clunk when I depressed the brakes and another when I released. The more times I do it in a row, the louder it gets, but it will only do it while in motion and if I hold my brakes to stop, once I stop it will make one final clunk when I release the brake. My guess as to what is actually happening based on the sounds and what I'm doing when they're made is the brake pads are closing on the disc and hitting it with enough force to make a sound, then they are released and hit their outside stop and making a second noise.

From what I have read this seems normal but the issue I'm having is that it is so loud (about the same volume as a well swung hammer hitting a solid block of metal) and whenever I tap the brakes my steering wheel is pulled about 5-10 degrees to the right and as soon as I release my brakes, the wheel will go back. Same with when I come to a stop, except in addition to the wheel returning, my entire truck will shift slightly.

Even if this is normal, what can I do about it? It is beyond annoying already and the clunk has only been notably loud for a day.

 

When you apply the brake pedal , its not normal for the truck to shift to one side . Thats an indication that the brake caliper is sticking or the hardware that supports the caliper is bent / worn out . As the brake pads get older , you can visibly see the wear points from the pads moving every time you hit the brakes .
I would pop the wheels off and do a general inspection . Maybe time for pads / rotors and calipers with new hardware . The rock may have done more damage than you think .

 

X2

 

I hit the rock on the driver's side, this is all passenger's side, but Ive decided to take it into the dealer this week

Thanks for the replies. whats the average/expected milage for brakes? I don't think I've ever done mine and I've had the truck from 85k-160k miles over the last 3 years

 

OEM ceramic pads can last 100k miles, and rear shoes even longer. If they're no OEM, probably less life

 

I also had a bad clunk at every stop and sometimes when i release the brake to go. I found it out to be axle wrap which can be cured with a new leaf packs. I just used u bolts to clamp the overload to the rest of the pack and it works great.

 

What this guy above me said ^^^ typically axle wrap is that odd clunk you are describing. I had that problem on my '12 brand spanking new (piece of shit stock leafs) then I added a deavers 3 leaf AAL and problem solved and the bed can handle so much more weight now! All around the truck is so much more drivable now on the new adding of the rear end leafs.

 

Wonder if sway bar got nailed. Brakes on my truck last about 60,000. I do downshift alot which probably extends brake pad changes.

 

Not to get OT, but what is the usual milage/life for rear rotors? I replaced the front pads ans rotora when I got my taco. Truck currently has 156k

 

Look at the video in post #2 in this thread:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/271838-strange-tink-sound-front-brakes.html

Is that what you hear or is it louder?

If your truck pulls, something is not right. Un even wear, a lot of air in the lines on the opposite side, or something.

I would service the brakes.

 

I meant shoes lol. I corrected the original post. OEM pads and rotors are known to go 100k+ miles. Rear shoes can last a very long time, sometimes the life of the truck as they don't get as much use as the front. You can go through 3-4 sets of front pads before the rear shoes need to be changed. Drums rarely need changing cause they don't overheat like rotors. What's more important is making sure the rear stays adjusted correctly. That'll save your front pads and rotors, and you'll stop better to boot

 

check the torque on your lower control arm bolts. A loose bolt would cause your arm to shift and clunk when braking/accelerating, and maybe cause that pull in the steering wheel? Worth a shot...

edit: Torque rating on those is 100 lbs I think

 

That noise in the video is not the noise I hear. It's much louder and lower pitch. Less ting, more clunk. It is likely axle wrap and something to do with my brakes. When someone said axle wrap I thought to pay attention for the signs of it and sure enough whenever I'm on bumpy terrain, I hear frequent clunking as well as when I change directions even when I don't press the brake, the brake clunk is another problem. So new leaf packs will solve my axle wrap? the brake noise is still unsolved but I'm going to the dealer for that

 

I replaced the rear brake drums 1 time in 280'000. I'm sure it was from my neglect. Let shoes wear down to far and trashed drums. Also had problems replacing with after market drums. Went back to oem 140,000 miles ago.

 

Loose or possibly missing caliper shims?. Rear brake shoe was shook loose off the spring hold down?. I think your problem is twofold it sounds. A bit of axle wrap and some funky braking clunk.

If a rock jumped up and bit,,it might have bashed a brake hard line by the firewall area or ?. In turn, it pinched off that line and is now making the truck pull to one side and causing a stuck caliper situation,,when it is actually not.

I thought about the sway bar also,,but the end links are about the only piece there that could get damaged, and they are on the backside of the lower arm. I guess if the rock ricocheted around it could get it,,or if you backed up on a boulder. Only happens when brakes are applied,,so that kinda rules that out. Not completely tho'.

 

I've owned 5 different tacomas over the years. All of them have had axle wrap. But I have never really heard sounds associated with it, just felt the jerk of the drivetrain. So if you are hearing something, I might consider another cause.

On these trucks, there's axle wrap and then there's also yoke binding. They are often confused for each other, since they both occur when braking to a stop. Axle wrap feels like a jerk, like you've been hit from the back, and yoke binding feels like a pulse down the driveline. I get them both. Axle wrap as the truck comes to a complete stop. Yoke binding when I let off the brakes.

Again though, if you are hearing a loud clank, I'd look for something else. Loose tie rod, sway bar, steering rack, etc. Especially since you have pulling to the right.

Good luck.

 

Loose or worn trans mount maybe.

 

And the winner is, missing caliper shims! I had 1 of 4 between my two front wheels, passenger side was missing both. Since I was out in the country when I realized this, the only alignment shop couldn't help me out for a few days so they sent me to the local NAPA and the guy there gave me some half inch washers to use as shims so i could get home. They worked great and got me back home.

also with the ideas for the rock, I don't know if I gave a size estimate on the rock but it was about the size of a watermelon. I clipped the rock with my rim, kinda hard to get a rock of that size up inside of the mechanical parts of the wheel.

 

Mod takes a bow. (ladies throw numbers, dudes throw cash,,$100 dollar bills please).

The fast stabbing the pedal and the noise being as quick sounded like axle wrap, broken leaf spring, or loose calipers.

 

Mod diagnose my sound. Everytime I release my brake, I get a squeak from the rear. Sounds like inside the rear passenger drum. Does it with the ebrake too