2002 trd electric locker- 5-speed

[eam]

Howdy folks,

I'm getting a fairly loud clunking under certain situations.

I think it's coming from the locking rear-end.

I've lubed the driveline slip-joints and all the U-joints, front and rear.

I've crawled under and rotated the rear drive-line, with the 5speed in neutral, and there's a lot of slop/lash in the differential... a quarter... maybe even three eighths or a half inch...

What's normal for a 2002 trd tacoma? 5-speed... 32K miles...

The dealer is calling it axle-wrap. I don't think they looked very close.

I'd sure be interested in hearing what you folks think.

Thanks-

Eric M.

[kjmcdaniel]

I don't know about an electric locker, but I do know that mechanical lockers cause quite a bit of slop in the diff.

Can you describe the "clunk" and under what conditions it is occuring?

[eam]

Howdy-

Thanks for the response...

Yes, I can tell you when I'm getting the clunking...

Let's say I'm approaching the top of a fairly steep hill; I know everyone has their own style of driving, but when I reach the top I push in the clutch at the same time as I apply the brake. I do this because I'm often not sure what's on the other side of the hill.

Now, when I'm going up the hill, I'm going slow and the entire drivetrain is under load/stress... When I depress the clutch, the "tension" is released... That's when I get the clunking. It's a quick... clunk-clunk.

I'm picturing, in my mind, the driveline "slapping" back and forth as the stress/tension is released.

I'm thinking a "new" truck should have a nice, tight ring and pinion lash, which I assume would not clunk.

I should mention that the noise was worse and more frequent before I lubed the rear driveline slip-joint.

In fact, it's all but disappeared while street driving, but it is still there, at times, while offroad driving.

I know some lockers, like the detroit lockers, are typically prone to noise, but I don't know about Toyota's electric locker.
That's why I'm asking.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Eric M.

[Sean]

My retrofit e-locker makes no noise like you describe. If I remember correctly if was out of a 2001 4runner.

[dirtmasterfunk]

u'll find that whenever you have a lot of stress on the drive train and you depress the clutch quickly it will clunk, my 04 tacoma does it as well as my 92, its not necessarily because of your locker, my 81 camaro does it as well, because of the power on that drive train, if i dont let the engine slow down the drive train first and depress the clutch quickly it makes a really really loud clunk. hope this helps.

[snap-on]

Toyota runs a fairly soft leaf in the rear and is pron to axle rap after only a few years.

What you describe is exactly what you would expect to hear from axle wrap. Under load the torque cause the pionon to want to be forced upward (oppist the direction of the tires), when you release the load on the drivetrain, the springs will flop the pinon back down can somtimes cause a clunk that comes from the U-joint.

There are some things you can do to solve the problem, but unless it gets progressively worse i wouldnt worry about it.

[eam]

Howdy,

Thanks for the input.

I'm glad to hear that a couple of you think everything's OK.

I assume the repair for this type of problem includes better rear springs... I'm not surprised; they look really soft to me. The fronts feel really soft too.

In fact, I've thought, from the beginning, that the whole truck rode too soft. I know Toyota has to appeal to the folks who don't go off road, though.

I wonder why they buy 4x4's...

So... You think that the lash in the pinion/ring gears is not exessive? I'd be surprised... but happy.

I like my truck. It works really well, and it's so much nicer to drive than my old 89 four banger.

Again, thanks for the input, and I'll be watching for any new thoughts coming down the pike.

Eric M.

PS...

I don't usually check for updates daily. Please don't be offended if I don't answer right away. :-] I'll be back!