New clunk. Seemingly braking.

TLDR: New clunk, maybe brake related, need advice to fix it, want to make sure vehicle is safe to drive.

Hey guys,

Unfortunately i've added another clunk to my collection. About a month and a half ago (March 11th), I upgraded 4 tires from 265/70/r16 to 265/75/r16. Followed it up with getting an alignment at a trusted local shop. Fast forward a month and a half and I now have a clunk frequently (but intermittently) when I brake and what seems to be a follow-up clunk when i let off the brake. Most noticeable at slow speeds in parking lots when there is frequent braking/release of the brake. Also get it alot with parking, braking, changing from reverse to drive, etc.

As for my brakes go, new calipers, pads, rotors in April 2018 when I changed out a lot of front drive/suspension parts following my frame replacement. Old caliper had one frozen piston. Have only put about 12,000 miles on it since then, so i'm assuming all brake components should be good unless maybe the brakes are sticking a bit? Although i wouldn't think i'd get a noise with braking, maybe just a noise after releasing if one was stuck...

To me it seems like maybe something is shifting or pivoting to make that clunk... I'm considering taking it to the alignment place to have them double check the torques on everything they adjust when they do an alignment. Any thoughts on what I should do or check, or other thoughts on what it may be?

Any advice/thoughts appreciated...

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-many-of-you-have-brake-pad-slap.375146/

 

Sounds like a combination of things.
The slight bump feeling when you let off the brake pedal is from axle wrap more than likely where the leaf springs are shifted from loading when braking. The bump in the rear feeling is when the energy is released. Tightening the rear axle U Bolts to 85 - 90 ft Lbs will help. Many have found these to be under torqued from the factory. Mine were.

The click when shifting from reverse to forward is the brake pads shifting directions in the calipers and is nothing to even think about.

 

Make sure the adjustment cam bolts at the lower control arms are 100 lb/ft

 

I'll definitely do that! after reading through the thread link @PoweredBySoy sent me, I bought the toyota special caliper grease and will probably purchase a second set of the brake anti-rattle springs since they are so cheap. Gonna clean the caliper pins/exchange if necessary as well. Figured i'd try all these cheap fixes and hope one or a combination makes a difference.

 

Definitely will recheck the torques on the lower control arms as well.
Does anything else get untorqued/retorqued with an alignment? @b_r_o

 

That and the tie rods

 

Perfect, will check the torque specs for them as well. Although symptom wise, the LCA's seem a more likely culprit

 

The brake pad "click" is always going to be at the same time. Usually occurring the first time you touch the brakes in reverse and the first time going forward. Nothing there to really do or worry about

The control arm noise ive experienced from loose cam bolts is usually a pop sound. Try driving straight up a curb (or actually at an angle.. try left front first, then right front, etc) to really stress the connection at the LCA bushings and see if they'll shift. Slow parking lot speed is fine.

 

Yes, this is much more a pop sound than a click. Clicks, rattles, etc I'm used to. This clunk as I described it is loud. Good advice with the trying a curb at an angle. I'll probably double check my torques before i try this though I'm thinking?

 

Id try to recreate the noise first, then torque, then do it again and see if the noise gone

If the bolts are in fact under torqued then the alignment place owes you a free alignment anyway and it'll have to be redone

 

If it does it as you alternate between forward and reverse - as in a parking lot - then it's def brake slap. Harmless but annoying. All I had to do is pull out the metal shims, clean them up (they were pretty gunked up), and glob on some brake grease.

Yes, it's louder than you think it would be.

 

Thanks for the advice. Going to try this tomorrow!

 

Sounds like axle wrap to me. Grease that slip yoke.