Odd Noises - Any ideas? - 03' 4cyl Prerunner

Hey guys, I hate my first post being a question. But before I can start having fun with any cool mods, I should really fix things first. ( altogeth I already did the pull-a-wire-to-get-a-free-car-alarm mod lol)

So, as for the Taco, it's an automatic trans 2003 4 cylinder 2wd Prerunner Extended cab. 275,000 miles.

As for the sounds, there's occasionally a rather minor clank like sound. But that's not want concerns me as much as the squeaking I've just started noticing at low speeds (under 10-15 mph). I'm thinking it's the u joints since I think they've never been replaced. Which might also explain the clank. You guys having the same truck, any idea what it might be?


I hope to get a few hundred more miles, very little work has ever needed to be done to this truck. I love it. Any sort of maintance that should be done to extend it's life as far as possible? I'm thinking of having the transmission flushed since I don't think it's ever been touched and I can't see how it'd hurt.

Thanks for any advice!

 

I don't like bumping. But just in case the right guy missed it. ( I'll only do this once)

 

U-joints usually sound like a clunk right when you take off. They can also squeak. Crawl under the truck and hold the drive shaft on either side of each U joint and turn your hands back and forth in opposite directions. If there is any play at all, your u-joints need to be replaced. They are not hard to do, but you should try to fix them right away if they are bad.

 

You ever get this sorted out?

I am chasing some rear end noise as well. I was getting a clunk whenever I would slow to a stop and then rock back. It ended up being axle wrap because my springs where flat (slightly negative actually). New Deaver expedition springs with a nice arch and the clunk went away.

 

My noises turned out to be a failing U-Joint at the front ( transmission ), there was no play in it, but the joint did not rotate on both axis, on one axis, it was seized completely solid. This also either ruined, or didn't help my carrier bearing, as it was also pretty out of shape. So I replaced both parts. That U-Joint did not want to come out! Carrier bearing was super easy.

 

I suspect similar on mine. I'm prolly gonna do the poly carrier group buy to lock it down.

 

If you think it might be it, just disconnect the shaft from the tranny, then you can try to move the joint around with your hand to make sure it rotates on both axis. If it's original, your truck is the same year as mine, probably should replace it now as you will have to eventually. Although, my truck has around 280K miles, so you might have more life left in yours.