ATRAC question/metal knocking sound

Did some wheeling down some sand quad trails today and decided to try the ATRAC system out. After doing a tight right turn (slider on stump and pivoted on the slider) I started getting a metallic thumping sound out of the driver side wheel area. The sound wasn't consistent as it would thump twice quickly, then go 10 feet before thumping again, then again in 3 feet... etc. It did it regardless of whether the truck was under power or coasting (clutch in).

The noise went away after going into 4H for a bit and didn't come back when I went back into 4L.

Anyway, two questions....

1) Should I avoid turning/sharp turning when using ATRAC?

2) Any idea on what the noise is? I did an inspection and couldn't see anything visually wrong, nor could I see any trees/debris hanging off the truck.

 

Yeah atrac makes alot of noise when it's working. You should be fine

 

It wasn't the ATRAC. The ATRAC is a lot quieter than the ABS on my '08 Taco.

This had the same rough volume and intensity as someone hitting the frame with a ball peen hammer and kind of sounded like a gear binding and being spit out.

It kept doing it after the ATRAC was off, kept doing it even with the wheels straightened, and even did it while coasting to a stop with the clutch pressed in.

It kept doing it for around a half to 3/4 mile, only stopped once I switched to 4H and never returned for the rest of the trip.

 

Take it to your stealership of choice and have them look at it.

 

What exactly are they supposed to look at?

Me: My truck was making a banging sound. I'm not sure what was causing it.

Them: Is it doing it right now?

Me: No.

Them: Come back when it is...

 

It's just ATRAC working... Believe us

 

The ATRAC was turned off. If you actually read what I wrote before jumping to conclusions you'd know that.

 

If you believe your truck is having a malfunction then let them try and repeat and diagnosis the problem. Do not assume that they will do nothing.

Complaining on the Internet is not going to help you much.

/unsubbed

 

It's not like this thread has been of any real use anyway.

The dealership won't do anything beyond pretending to look at it when there's no symptoms present for them to diagnose.

 

OH my.

Seems to me that people are trying to help even though you don't like their answers. Would you like this thread closed since it's not of any real use?

 

What you're describing is a sound A-TRAC commonly makes. This is a video of my truck from many moons ago making such a sound during a turned, flexed obstacle (sound is about 20 seconds in):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_1Ii0WmA9s

If A-TRAC was off, then things get a little more mysterious. That sound anything like your sound did?

 

Could be. Inside the cab it'd obviously sound different. I was thinking it had something to do with the front axles binding (sounded similar to 4wd on dry pavement), which is why I switched off the ATRAC after the first bang on a tight corner.

I'm pretty sure I left it off after that, but after watching that video I'm starting to wonder if I'm wrong.

 

FYI that sound in the video is just the brakes fighting with the drivetrain. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but it was only present the first few times I used the traction control and has since settled down quite a bit. I have a theory it may have something to do with brake pad material and break in. That video was one of the first one or two times I ever used that feature. Since then it's been much less prevalent and just sounds like ABS now...

Here's a more recent video, you can see A-TRAC working on the front end, and you'll notice it's not nearly as noisy...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feQ6meRKEdg&feature=relmfu

 

Cool. That makes sense to me. I thought it sounded like the axles were binding or something (brakes fighting the drivetrain), which is why I thought maybe ATRAC didn't like sharp turns and shut it off.

I've been trying to replicate the sound and all I've been able to get is standard ABS sound coupled with the slip indicator light flashing. Pretty much identical to your second video. It's why I've been ignoring people who tried telling me the sound was normal ATRAC operation.

I was starting to wonder if the ATRAC had a soft and aggressive mode depending upon speed, but the manual doesn't provide a lot of detail...