Drive Line Thunk Solved? (1 Viewer)

[Ming89FJ62]

I've been trying to diagnose a drive line "thunk" for the better part of a year - searched and checked the sway bar bushings...no problem. Looked for play in the u-joints...nothing. The "thunk" was pronounced in both forward and reverse after putting the car in gear and getting starting rolling - but not all the time.

Time for front brakes - off with the hub/rotor/caliper and inspect the bearings. Bearings are fine but how about this...

what happened to my splines? I'm going to guess that I've found the source of my "thunk".

Has anyone else found this - it's the driver side BTW. Passenger side is fine save for a little weeping from the CV boots.

Truck has 102k on the OD.

Thanks,

 

[vman07]

Are the splines damaged? It's hard to tell from the pic...

 

[Ming89FJ62]

Absolutely. they're gone - reduced to little spikes on both the shaft and hub. If you look closely at the shaft - the end has the squared splines while the area that interfaces with the hub is worn. lots of little rusty bits/dust too. I have to guess that the rear seal failed. I'll know more when I drop the knuckle.

 

[SWUtah]

Looks like it was marinated in salt water

 

[Jeepster09]

Looks like lack of maintenance? The splines should have coating of lube applied when bearings are packed. If they were they have been subjected to a lot of water some how? Most likely however not lubed properly.

 

[LBridges]

I had a CV boot rip on the passenger side. Decided to pull them both to regrease and install new boots. Found exactly the same situation on the same side (drivers). Bought a new hub flange and a new axle. My guess is the PO, who had regular oil changes, never spent the preventive maintenance bucks for things like bearing repacks, 219K miles on the original timing belt, etc.

 

[flintknapper]

Yes, anytime you have a suspected driveline thunk, if you don't find it in your U-Joints or slip joint in the driveshaft, go directly to your drive hubs and look for a poor fit between it and the axle shaft. Very common.

 

[Ming89FJ62]

Yes, anytime you have a suspected driveline thunk, if you don't find it in your U-Joints or slip joint in the driveshaft, go directly to your drive hubs and look for a poor fit between it and the axle shaft. Very common.

Now you tell me...

 

[AimCOtaco]

Yep, this is a common occurrence. Those who don't see it in the pics, compare the root of the spline that is not used to the wear area in use and you can see the splines are reduced and sharp.

You could find some good take off OEM cv's and get some new drive flanges or NEW OEM CV's and NEW OEM drive flanges.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Wow. I didn't figure you'd see that kind of wear on that spline interface. I've got the "thunk" and would love to get rid of it. I'm about to dive into the 90k service and plan on going through the axles as a part of it. Perhaps I'll find the same wear.

 

[benc]

Yep, almost every 100 i have come in contact with has this issue.
Drivers side is normally the worst but typically the passenger side will have some ware as well.
New axels and drive flanges eliminated my clunk in my previous 100. The ones on mine were almost ready to strip so I swapped the drivers side and passenger side drive flange and that tightend thing up until the new axels arrived.

 

[flintknapper]

Wow. I didn't figure you'd see that kind of wear on that spline interface. I've got the "thunk" and would love to get rid of it. I'm about to dive into the 90k service and plan on going through the axles as a part of it. Perhaps I'll find the same wear.

If there is significant wear, you can check them without disassembling. Simply jack up one wheel, remove the dust cap, grab the tire and rock it clockwise and counterclockwise. Observe the fit between the axle shaft and the drive flange. IF you see the axle shaft (splines) moving inside the flange, you have wear on one or both of the parts.

That 'thunk' you hear is the splines meeting up (forward or reverse) instead of being mated up.

 

[Ming89FJ62]

beno - any idea of the cause? is the the rear seal that fails or just a design issue. Was this changed for the 200's?

 

[Greenbean]

While on a fresh "thunk" topic....

What would cause a thunk to be present only after a rig is driven a while and "warmed up?

I have checked many things and took care of the front hubs, I have pumped new grease into all zerks but haven't gotten it through the pinion seals on either drive shaft.

But I wonder why I have zero clunk when it's cold, but after it's warmed up it will thunk from R to D or vice versa.

Just curious...

Wife still can't tell it does it but I sure can, go figure.

 

[2001LC]

While on a fresh "thunk" topic....

What would cause a thunk to be present only after a rig is driven a while and "warmed up?

I have checked many things and took care of the front hubs, I have pumped new grease into all zerks but haven't gotten it through the pinion seals on either drive shaft.

But I wonder why I have zero clunk when it's cold, but after it's warmed up it will thunk from R to D or vice versa.

Just curious...

Wife still can't tell it does it but I sure can, go figure.

How's your transmission fluid!

 

[DirtDawg]

beno - any idea of the cause? is the the rear seal that fails or just a design issue. Was this changed for the 200's?

Improper/loose preload on bearings due to improper service or negligence of wheel bearings.

200 series switched to a unit bearing if I'm not mistaken so this shouldn't be a problem on them.

 

[Ming89FJ62]

This is only the third brake set (front) - first were replaced around 48k (it's the wife's DD and dog hauler). I know that the bearings were never touched during the first brake job - I'll have to look up the service interval to see what Toyota recommends for inspection and repacking. The truck only has 102k on it. What's weird is the lack of any grease on the DS splines/hub - I mean they were bone dry as if they were never lubed during assembly. PS side was well lubed with no noticeable damage to the splines. Bearings on both sides were removed, inspected and greased before reassembly. BTW the cone washers were a bit*h to get off.

 

[DirtDawg]

This is only the third brake set (front) - first were replaced around 48k (it's the wife's DD and dog hauler). I know that the bearings were never touched during the first brake job - I'll have to look up the service interval to see what Toyota recommends for inspection and repacking. The truck only has 102k on it. What's weird is the lack of any grease on the DS splines/hub - I mean they were bone dry as if they were never lubed during assembly. PS side was well lubed with no noticeable damage to the splines. Bearings on both sides were removed, inspected and greased before reassembly. BTW the cone washers were a bit*h to get off.

I think its every 30k, but thats off the top of my head. Someone else chime in if I'm incorrect.

 

[2001LC]

This is only the third brake set (front) - first were replaced around 48k (it's the wife's DD and dog hauler). I know that the bearings were never touched during the first brake job - I'll have to look up the service interval to see what Toyota recommends for inspection and repacking. The truck only has 102k on it. What's weird is the lack of any grease on the DS splines/hub - I mean they were bone dry as if they were never lubed during assembly. PS side was well lubed with no noticeable damage to the splines. Bearings on both sides were removed, inspected and greased before reassembly. BTW the cone washers were a bit*h to get off.

Wheel Bearing and axle bushing & needle bearing service is recommended for all 100 series at every 30K miles.

 

[SWUtah]

Wheel Bearing and axle bushing & needle bearing service is recommended for all 100 series at every 30K miles.

If a mall cruiser you can easily go 60k