Front End clunk solved: adjust the hood stops

[Rotor-RPM]

Over the past few days I have noticed a clunk in the driver side front end, seemed to sound metallic in nature. Out for a drive today and the clunk was getting a lot worse, every crack in the road or washboard down some dirt roads made it sound like I was about to lose a strut or something.

Got it home and googled front end clunk in 4th Gen Tacomas and found a thread with members saying to adjust the hood stops or whatever they are called. Sure enough went outside and pushing lightly on the hood above the drivers headlight I could hear the clunk. Quick couple turns of the plastic/rubber piece and that sound is gone.

Not sure if anyone else has come across this but took all of 2 seconds to sort out.

Picture is from the internet for reference.

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[Nodak]

ah nice, i wish i had that issue.

mine is weird. when i turn the wheel after sitting for the night in the garage exiting the garage it sounds like the sound my mirrors make when i hit the adjustment limit, like a plastic gear jumping gears. only does it once and i dont hear it again until the next morning. and it sounds like its coming from the driver mirror but i rolled my window down and put it into reverse and watch the mirror tilt down for backup but no sound.

so i am at a complete loss

 

[kekecarioca]

Got to love Toyota using the corkscrew rubber stopper since the 80' (as far as I know), perhaps even longer...

 

[DHermit]

I hear a rattle in the engine bay when I get out to get my mail. Bringing it to the dealership tomorrow anyhow so going to have them listen. Anyone else notice this? Not sure if this was what you're talking about, as I don't hear it when driving, just when I'm outside the truck and it's running.

 

[gerryt]

Over the past few days I have noticed a clunk in the driver side front end, seemed to sound metallic in nature. Out for a drive today and the clunk was getting a lot worse, every crack in the road or washboard down some dirt roads made it sound like I was about to lose a strut or something.

Got it home and googled front end clunk in 4th Gen Tacomas and found a thread with members saying to adjust the hood stops or whatever they are called. Sure enough went outside and pushing lightly on the hood above the drivers headlight I could hear the clunk. Quick couple turns of the plastic/rubber piece and that sound is gone.

Not sure if anyone else has come across this but took all of 2 seconds to sort out.

Picture is from the internet for reference.

Any updates if the noise came back, I’ve just recently noticed on my trailhunter on bumps there’s a metal rattle noise

 

[Rotor-RPM]

Any updates if the noise came back, I’ve just recently noticed on my trailhunter on bumps there’s a metal rattle noise

Noise never came back! Super quick fix thankfully.

 

[gerryt]

Cool good to know thanks, was it like a metal rattle noise for you? And when adjusting the hood stops did you adjust up or down?

 

[Rotor-RPM]

It was a metallic clunk for sure, I was certain it was the suspension until I figured I should pop the hood and noticed the clunk just before I did. (For whatever reason I pushed down near the headlight)

I came up on just the drivers side, maybe a full turn. I shut the hood a couple times and pushed down near the headlights to make sure it felt the same on both sides and sure enough no noise.

 

[gerryt]

It was a metallic clunk for sure, I was certain it was the suspension until I figured I should pop the hood and noticed the clunk just before I did. (For whatever reason I pushed down near the headlight)

I came up on just the drivers side, maybe a full turn. I shut the hood a couple times and pushed down near the headlights to make sure it felt the same on both sides and sure enough no noise.

Mhm. I see well I’ll give this a try and report back thanks again!

 

[VB4Runner]

Glad it was an easy fix! I wasn’t so lucky when I heard a clunking noise from the driver’s side. Happened on the White Rim Trail, about halfway through. Have no idea how

 

[Rotor-RPM]

Please do gerryt I hope it’s just that simple.

VB4 that is something else wow! Hopefully covered under warranty? Still doesn’t help you get off the trail and any trouble that caused. There is a story to go with that I’m sure? Hope that gets resolved easy.

 

[VB4Runner]

Please do gerryt I hope it’s just that simple.

VB4 that is something else wow! Hopefully covered under warranty? Still doesn’t help you get off the trail and any trouble that caused. There is a story to go with that I’m sure? Hope that gets resolved easy.

I don’t even know exactly when it happened. Based on timestamped photographs before and after showing the damage, I know it happened within a 2 hour timeframe but neither my wife nor I can recall anything of note like a hard bottoming out or anything.

There’s definitely a story about finding ourselves stuck partway up Murphy’s Hogback in the dark, with the transmission overheating and engine refusing to rev. But not sure that it’s related to the blown out strut lol

None of the dealerships in UT or CO had a replacement in stock, so I had to wait in Moab for a week while a replacement was shipped. I will definitely be asking for warranty coverage on this! It’s all good, though

 

[Rotor-RPM]

I don’t even know exactly when it happened. Based on timestamped photographs before and after showing the damage, I know it happened within a 2 hour timeframe but neither my wife nor I can recall anything of note like a hard bottoming out or anything.

There’s definitely a story about finding ourselves stuck partway up Murphy’s Hogback in the dark, with the transmission overheating and engine refusing to rev. But not sure that it’s related to the blown out strut lol

None of the dealerships in UT or CO had a replacement in stock, so I had to wait in Moab for a week while a replacement was shipped. I will definitely be asking for warranty coverage on this! It’s all good, though

Dang! Happy it wasn’t a worse situation but that still sounds like it left you in a lurch. Hopefully one of those times in life that is a good laugh over a beer later on!

 

[gerryt]

Please do gerryt I hope it’s just that simple.

VB4 that is something else wow! Hopefully covered under warranty? Still doesn’t help you get off the trail and any trouble that caused. There is a story to go with that I’m sure? Hope that gets resolved easy.

Hey I tried it out, and it fixed it. Drove for about an hour and went on bumpy roads and the metal clunk hasn’t come back. Very happy lol it was starting to get annoying. Hopefully it doesn’t come back

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