01 loud clunk when making sharp or U turns

[mcmatt]

This is another FYI. I noticed when I would make a very sharp or U turn and then accelerate, that I would hear a loud "clunk" noise.

It turned out to be the front stabilizer bar linkage. It consists of a long bent bar that goes to both wheels. It is mounted with two rubber bushings inside of a clamping mechanism. These need to be replaced because the dry out. There is also a ball joint link on either side where the bar attaches. These also need to be replaced because if your vehicle is 6 or 7 years old, the boots are probably ripped. Also, each link is mounted with 2 bushings. These were what was bad with mine. They had become so compressed that they were loose and letting the stabilizer bar jerk and pop. Hence, the noise.

Try to get the bar centered when you reattach it. I heard the noise on the first 3 turns after I finished the job. It has been totally silent for months since. I think it was the bar "centering" itself.

Good Luck. This is an easy job and takes less than an hour.

[mcmatt]

This clunk or metallic pop noise came back a few months after this post. I changed lower ball joints and tie rod ends as well as replaced shocks and struts.

The noise didn't go away until I had an alignment. The steering is different now. When I had the noise, the steering felt like it was hitting a hard stop on that side, now when I turn to the steering limits, I'm just fighting the ps pump and it has the high pressure whoosing noise of the ps pump. I didn't have that before. So it must have had something to do with the rack or just where the alignment was sitting. I know it was out for quite some time.

Just FYI. I hope that darn noise stays away this time.

[dimapb]

I had a same problems on my wife's truck. It turned out to be steering rack bushings. Unfortunately, Toyota does not sell just the bushings and you have to get the whole rack replaced. Fortunately, there is wheelersoffroad site that sells just bushings with instructions on how to replace them. Got them for $34 dollars and had the local shop replace them. Problem is resolved and steering is much better (tighter) as well. Hope this helps.