Help - Is this noise normal ?! Off-Road Question

Hi there,

I just bought a new 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road about 7 months ago. I have only taken the truck into significant off-road territory twice.

Both times, I took the truck down this one steep hill, down a dirt road that consists of a bunch of large dirt mounds. The bumps are around 3 feet wides and 1.5 feet tall with significant dips in between them. There is basically no part of this steep downhill road/path that is flat. It's just a bunch of these dirt mounds/bumps.

I made my way down this dirt road, trying to be careful to navigate the bumps without hitting the bottom of my truck on them, keeping my foot on the brake. I noticed as my tires climbed and then descended over the bumps, that a weird noise came from the front tire areas of the car. It sounded like a stuttered knocking noise, like knock-knock-knock-knock-etc, at a moderate but very noticeable volume. My foot was on the break as I would descend over each bump into the dip and over the next bump. I'm pretty sure it made the same noise coming back up.

Does anyone know what this noise is? It sounded like it was coming from the suspension or shocks, but then again I have absolutely no idea. It could have been the break for all I know, as I was holding it down as the truck moved over these bumps. Is this noise normal in off-road environments? Is it possible that I am having this noise because the suspension/shocks are brand new and have almost never been used in an off-road environment and they are just "breaking in"?

Basically, is this normal or is something wrong? Thanks.

Any help welcome.

Thank you!

 

ABS (anti-lock braking) or ATRAC or something like that. Totally normal. You can shift into lower gears (transmission braking) instead of riding the brake.

edit: maybe someone can correct me, but it's probably VSC, right?

 

yep. ABS. and if you engage your traction controls it will be a whole lot more noise.

 

Were you using crawl control?

 

LOL. "I PRESSED A BUTTON AND IT SOUNDED LIKE MY TRUCK WAS FALLING APART!"

 

I was not using crawl control. I was in 4-HI. Like I said, it was coming from the general tire area. And it sounded like a stuttered knocking noise. Do you think there's something wrong? It's a brand new vehicle and this is only the 2nd time I have taken it onto terrain like this.

 

Dude, normal. Your anti-lock brakes pulse to keep you from sliding and losing control. Slam the brakes hard on the freeway and you'll hear the same noise (but seriously, don't do this and die and blame me). The clicking is your truck working right.

 

Yes it's normal. For more information please read that white book in your glove box.

 

thats the ABS dude. working right!

 

if you're still asking, then you clearly should read up on ABS and drivetrain dynamics, or you'll be constantly a victim of yourself while your truck keeps being a normal truck. it's not a car.