Knocking or Rattling While Driving

I've got a '15 TRDOR with 71k miles on the clock. All maintenance up to date. Had an upper ball joint replaced on the driver's side (and alignment) a few months ago. When the truck is in motion, I get a "clunking" noise that seems to happen when I drive over bumps in the road. Smooth travel is quiet. I checked under the vehicle the best I could and could find nothing that would be making this noise. I re-tightened the bed bolts (weren't loose to begin with) and still this noise. It is not engine related and only appears when hitting the slightest rough or bumpy roads. Any ideas?

 

Sway bar links or bushings would be my first thought unless something got left loose when the balljoint was done.

 

I'll check the sway bar and hope that's it.

 

Just checked the sway bar end links and all bolts there. All are tight. Have checked all from front bumper back to front dive shaft with no results. The only sound I could produce was at the front half shafts. Moving them inward and outward from the front D/S produced a slight "knock" and at the front drive shaft. Twisting the front drive shaft produces a "knock" when the gears take up slack. I assume that both of these are normal.

 

Check the heat shields.

 

Thanks for the reply. I checked them too. It's not so much as a "tinny" rattle as it is a "knock" as if suspension components or the bed maybe loose. Both appear to be in order.

 

I just got back from Moab and had this same issue start on the last day I was there. I can barely feel the clunk underneath my shoes through the floor on the drivers side, but it's clearly audible. My guess is the UCA ball joint since the area around it is the only thing wet/black while everything else is solid coated in red clay, like it's leaking grease. I'm going to jack the front end of the truck up, hit everything with a rubber hammer, and un-bolt the ball joints and see if anything is loose. At first I was only noticing it at 5 mph or less, when slowing down on washboards, or in rough parking lots. Straight or turning didn't seem to matter. It's getting louder though, and only went away at highway speeds. I did just put new suspension and bigger tires on though. I'll try and let you know if I figure it out.

 

I’ve had this clunk when the truck was stock and still have it with the truck lifted. My guess based on observation and other searching it could be the body mounts and/or front rad support bushings wearing out. I know mine definitely look worse for wear after 163k and PA winters.

 

OP, I am attaching a TSB pertaining to one known source of clunking and sloppy feel.

The latest version I have bookmarked is from 2012 and am not sure there is an updated one, but I had to do this TSB on my new '14 as the older factory part was was still being installed at the time. If you decide to do this make sure you specify the new part number as the catalogs may default to the old part.
T-SB-0057-12.pdf

 

Interesting… I wonder if Toyota replaced my intermediate steering shaft with the updated model or not when it was replaced due to rust in 2018… because I still have the clunk

 

Well, I've check the typical things that searches turn up, (LCA cam bolts/bushings, sway bar links, cab mount, wheel bearing, UCA ball joint, UCA bolt) nothing yet, but figured a list couldn't hurt anyone. All of my ball joints are getting loose enough that I can't tighten/loosen the nut without an impact...

 

Figured out how to make it go away: Bring someone out to help re-create the noise while you feel and listen for the clunk.
Of course it would go away as soon as someone else was there...even drove around through construction sites and off curbs and still nothing.
So for me it was either UCA ball joint nut, UCA bolt, LCA cam bolts, cab mount, or skid.
FWIW, my CV/half shafts rattle as well by hand, but not while driving, as does something in my steering linkages (again, by hand, but not while driving)

 

Thanks for the follow up on the shafts Mod. I'm going to do a little looking around for an update TSB on the steering shaft as mentioned by bassbrick.

 

i noticed on my 2015 prerunner trd sport- by the rear fenders , the clips are poorly installed , when i tap on it , has an annoying rattle - and once in a while on bumps i can hear that annoying sound - trying to fix it with bolt and washers but its on the side of the truck bed - got to get there from the cubby on the side of the bed

 

can you be more specific on the location? That sounds like it is worth a look. I know shortly after I bought it (new) I got an annoying knocking from the bed and it turned out the bed bolts were loose. Tightened them down and the sound disappeared. I was able to lift the bed off the frame (by maybe 1/8") but it was enough to cause the noise. All bed bolts are now currently tight but still a sound.

 

its underneath the rear fenders , there seem to be 2 clips - just above the rear wheels. my clips are loose - cant seem to figure out how to reach the above fender area thru the rectangle cubby on the bed side

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rear-fender-liner-rattle-fix.487766/

 

Thanks for the info but this sound is less of a tinny or plastic rattle sound and more of a knocking as if two suspension parts are bottoming out or the bed is loose. I've checked these but found nothing. I also followed up on an update to the steering shaft TSB but found nothing that would cover the later 2nd gen. models like the 2015. The search continues.

 

Could be radiator support mount bushings. I had noise coming from the front end of my truck as I went over rough roads. Changed them out and it fixed most of the noise..

Refer to this thread - https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/polyurethane-radiator-support-mounts-cab-also.361346/

 

It's that 17mm box end you mistakenly left on top of the frame during that one project....