New exciting "thump" issue with my 3rd gen

I have approximately 7300 miles on my 3rd Gen TRD Off-Road. Over the past two weeks I've started to feel a "thump" coming from the rear as I come to a stop. This is NOT the hard slamming/thud that happens that feels like you are getting rear ended. This is a new, exciting, and different thump! It occurs about a second after I have come to a complete stop. Drive, slow, stop...(~1 second)..*thump*.

The best description of the sensation is: it feels like I have a basketball in the bed of the truck and it "thumps" into something after I am stopped. It's not harsh, but it is noticeable. It's also intermittent (I haven't been able to reproduce the exact events that cause it--but I can reproduce it).

I'm leaning towards brakes. Has anyone else experienced this? I'll take it to the dealership when I get a chance, probably during the 10K service, but I love that my new truck keeps things interesting!

Go Toyota!

 

Axle wrap? Very common problem on 2nd gens. It can occur on takeoff or after stopping.

 

Sounds like Axle Wrap

linky to what it might be:

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/susp/axlewrap/

 

Yup.. axle wrap. The thump is the suspension un-loading. Axle loads the leaf springs compressing them, when they return to the un-loaded position we get a little thump.

I get it sometimes when I'm doing a read gradual slow down then stop then the ball rolling in the bed sound.

Hopefully a new set of Icon AAL's will solve that issue.

 

nope I got the 3 leaf aal from icon and it still does it here and there as well for me, but then again I haven't notice the thump lately either so it might have worked.

 

For me on my Gen 1 it was the splined pilot shaft at the rear axle. There is a grease fitting there, and after about 5k miles, the spline would lose lube, and the shaft would slightly bind and "clunk" when stopping/starting. A few pumps of grease every few thousand miles did the trick. I have no idea if the G3s have the same setup.

By the way, I had two G1s that did this. Both of them I took back to the dealer, and both times they called it axle wrap, and said it was "normal". Everybody claims "axle wrap!", but I bet in many cases, the clunk is from the pilot shaft.

 

I had this on Gen 2 and it magically went away.

 

As others have mentioned, I have the exact same thump in my 2nd gen rear end when coming to a stop. Along with squeaky clutch linkage, something clanking in transmission when taking it out of gear, and intermittent vibration when braking, all stuff I've had since new and no apparent ill effects after 145,000 trouble free miles. Just stuff you live with, or not, but interesting that so much persists with the "all new" gen 3.

 

As some had said before, I feel like this is Gen 2.5 rather than Gen 3. I love it though! Gen 2 was proven.

 

This.

Not axle wrap.

 

mine does it occasionally, I said screw it and just ignore it on the rare occasion it does happen.

 

Sticking slip joint? Lube the splines then?

 

Happens here as well... even from like .5 MPH to a complete stop. Weird.

 

I am a frequent user of the FJ Cruiser Forums and we experience a similar problem on FJs. Usually solved by greasing the entire driveline including the slip joints on driveshafts. I would at least start there. If the ujoints are grease-able, put in enough pumps that it pushes out the old grease in the ujoint. On the slip joints, the common advice is to put in about 5 pumps the first time and see if it solves the problem. Thereafter maybe 2-3 pumps per slip joint annually. The slip joints can be overgreased if you go wild and do 15-20 pumps of the grease gun waiting for some to ooze out (they wont but can cause binding on slip joint because there is too much grease).

 

Same here only 800 miles on mine so yeah that part!!

 

She thumps, she howls, she squeaks n' creaks... she's my.... 3rd Gen Tacoma

She rumbles, she chirps, she shimmy n' shakes, she's my .....3rd Gen Tacoma

Well the windshield chipped, not a pebble in sight that's my 3rd Gen Tacoma!!!!

 

Hi friend! Are you saying that on the FJ the factory gave you zerk fittings for the slip joint?

On the Tacoma, we don't have that. Slip joint is covered by a rubber boot, no grease fittings, must be done manually by unbolting and pulling the shaft out. Sucks balls.

Thread linked below has a write up for anyone interested. I think that what the OP is describing sounds like it's the slip joint.

http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/slipjoint.htm

^Thread with pics.

Thud thunk lunge lurch, stopping started, axle wrap SOLVED.

^TW discussion thread, no pics

 

Such a poet... still effing love this truck....

 

Can someone briefly explain what a slip joint is?

 

It allows the drive shaft to dynamically change length when the suspension goes up and down.

See this page for illustration

http://www.eurekaboy.com/f250/slipjoint.htm

Very common for auto manufacturers to not provide a god damned zerk fitting, which would allow us to easily service the joint. Instead you get "it's sealed, blah blah.