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Light off-roading, all fun except this...

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by Taquitoma, Sep 23, 2018.

  1. Sep 23, 2018 at 6:53 PM
    #1
    Taquitoma

    Taquitoma [OP] Well-Known Member

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    I finally got the chance today to take my taco for some light off-roading, stumbled across a trail that had some decent terrain and mud. It was an impromtu thing but I had a blast, except for one situation that's got me back on the computer researching my time away.

    So I eventually decided to turn around and came to a field with tall grass and started to do a 3 point turn. After pulling on to the field with some decent bumps to it, I had the steering wheel cranked hard left, 4hi engaged (just to give the transfer case some use), shifted to reverse, and began to let off the clutch. Then I started to get a clunking sound just like in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aCPBaUo5rQ.
    But I kept on the gas, got the truck going, and then when I came in for the last part of the turn, steering wheel cranked hard right, 1st gear, let off the clutch, start adding gas, and again the same noise.

    After reading through a lot of similar posts, most people with this sound coming from their trucks had the noise while in motion. But I'm only getting the noise while trying to get the truck moving against some resistance and with the steering wheel cranked. Everything sounded normal when I was accelerating on the trail with the wheels straight, and the truck also sounds pretty normal in every on-road scenario, speed bumps, turns, etc.

    I'm going to the dealer tomorrow for the ECU update, but before I mention the clunking, do you guys have any idea what it could be?
     
  2. Sep 23, 2018 at 7:03 PM
    #2
    trackdaybro

    trackdaybro Well-Known Member

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    My manual makes lots of clunky sounds compared to the pretty much silent auto. It’s normal when there’s no load on the drive train and I hit some bumps.

    If you’re taking tight turns in 4wd with a lot of traction, you could be experiencing some hop since the same power is sent to the front and rear diffs but the distance traveled front vs rear is different in a turn.
     
  3. Sep 23, 2018 at 7:07 PM
    #3
    orangeracer

    orangeracer Well-Known Member

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    I only get a weird clunk and springing sound under the front driver side when off-roading on turns. Doesn’t sound like yours though. Tagged for outcome. Let us know what the dealer says.
     
  4. Sep 23, 2018 at 7:08 PM
    #4
    Loqu!to

    Loqu!to Somewhat skilled Rookie

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    ^^^
     
    trackdaybro[QUOTED] likes this.
  5. Sep 23, 2018 at 9:07 PM
    #5
    Taquitoma

    Taquitoma [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Right, but the truck won't hop if there is no distance traveled...I'm getting the clunk as soon as the clutch starts engaging just trying to move the truck.
     
  6. Sep 23, 2018 at 9:19 PM
    #6
    hiPSI

    hiPSI Laminar Flow

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    Driveline bind, wind up, etc. You get strange noises when your wheels are cut and you start to move.
    Look, a part time 4WD makes noises. Strange noises. It makes even more noises when in 4LO and definitely makes even more noises when VSC and other acronyms kick in.
    Enjoy the truck. 99.99% sure you didn't break it.
    The more you do stuff like this the more you will understand what's going on.
    My suggestion is to read. Google "part time 4WD. Find out exactly what's happening when you shift. Read the manual. Find out when to use and not use stuff.
    Find out about open differentials. Find out about why stuff does what it does. How the VSC and ABS and MTS work and how wheel soeed sensors work. Also find out about zero point calibration and how important that is. Don't forget your ADD because without it, it's just a 2WD.
    My point is, before you go have fun, learn a bit about how things work. It will definitely help. Good luck and have fun!
     
    tonered and phsycle like this.
  7. Sep 24, 2018 at 2:43 AM
    #7
    Mtn Mike

    Mtn Mike Well-Known Member

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    I'm sure this isn't the same thing but this reminds me of the time 20 years ago when when I took my 1990 Toyota pick-up (-1 Gen) off road for the first time. It would make this loud popping sound when steering was at the stops off road. There were no interweb forums back then so it took visits to two different mechanics before someone told me what should have been obvious; it was a normal "feature" of that generation. The steering stops themselves caused the popping. The solution was to dab them with grease now and then, or avoid turning the wheels to the stops.

    It kind of makes me laugh when people find quirks with their vehicles and say something like, "they don't make these trucks as well as they used to". I don't mean to downplay your issue. Getting this type of information out helps everyone.
     
    tonered likes this.
  8. Sep 24, 2018 at 6:46 AM
    #8
    pocketsmcaaron

    pocketsmcaaron Well-Known Member

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    Did you check the gas tank skid plate? Mine had a similar issue. The skid plate near the leaf came loose and got hung up behind the leafs.
     
    House Forsaken likes this.
  9. Sep 24, 2018 at 7:52 AM
    #9
    SpeySquatch

    SpeySquatch Function over Form

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    That isn't normal bro. Sounds like loose pinion or carrier bearing. I have never experienced that much noise ever driving multiple terrains. I would take that video to Toyota and have them fix that nonsense
     
  10. Sep 27, 2018 at 7:41 AM
    #10
    Taquitoma

    Taquitoma [OP] Well-Known Member

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    Just to clarify, that's not my video. I do feel sorry for that poor bastard, although it seems like his loose driveshaft isn't much worse than any of ours. If I get under the truck I can wiggle it around with my hand and make that same noise, and I noticed I can hear it going over some bigger bumps too.

    Anyway, thanks for the replies! I ended up taking the truck out to the same spot today, and tried to replicate the sound doing the same manoevres. Sure enough, all quiet. But what I did end up finding out later on a straight section of the trail is that the clunking happens when the engine bogs down to really low rpms, so it's not associated with steering or 4WD. I'd like to believe that that's probably a normal thing, and I likely just wasn't giving enough throttle the first time around. And from what I've been reading I probably should have gone to 4lo much sooner...
     

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