Bob, sounds like this clunk bothers you? I can assure you that your GX will never suffer a break down because of the clunk. I've owned the following Toyota/Lexus products that all had this clunk from time to time, 1995 FZJ80 Landcruiser, a 2004 4runner, a 1999 Landcruiser and now a 2004 LX470. Normally all you need to do is grease the drive shaft and it will go away for awhile. I know it can be a pain in the butt to have this clunk happen but I know people with over 200K miles on their Landcruiser and this clunk has never caused any damage. Matter of fact after I got over 100K miles on my FZJ80 the clunk went away, maybe it takes 100K+ miles to wear everything in .

 

The new fix works. The problem was that the links and the drive shaft were binding, according to my dealer. I had it fixed nearly 4,000 miles ago, and haven't had a hint of the problem. Warranty paid for itl

 

BobGX, if I were you, I would just go to the dealer and let them figure it out what part is what. Go in there and complain that you have just bought this car and how could Lexus not fix this known problem and that you had the same problem b 4 on your last GX. I bet they will do the right thing and fix it for free.

Good Luck

 

I just got off the phone with the dealer and he checked with the shop foreman and he said Lexus just today, released some info pertaining to the problem on the 07 GX vehicles. He said they will get back to me as to what the repair procedure will be. I'll let everyone know what they tell me.

 

That would be great BobsGX. I find this hypothesis that maybe '06 (beyond a certain date) and '07 GX's might have the "old" PNM5 driveshaft but "new improved" rear control arms to be very interesting but disturbing. My "clunk" is really not that bad so maybe that would explain it if my June '06 build GX has only "half the fix" (i.e. the control arms only as BobsGX mentioned).

Hopefully, we can still educate ourselves on this thread and others will provide pictures of their "after" parts (from any year) and "before" parts from a 2005 or earlier GX (which would clearly be before any factory change-over of parts). Similar to the pics I provided on the previous page.

Asking the dealer "what part is what" is great but we all don't have the best dealerships. So educating ourselves before we go to the dealership can be valuable. As it is, we may be on to something interesting regarding the "change-over" of the parts from the factory in mid-06 GX's and beyond.

 

It's official...the "clunking" TSB now covers the '07 as well. According to the local lexus service manager, the condition must be documented to warrant repairs.

 

OK, about an hour after I spoke with my service advisor, he called to confirm that, yes the 07's are also involved in the same TSIB as the 03-06 GX470's. So they ordered the parts, but that could be a bit of of delay since there are many kits for the repair on order. Now it's a waiting game. I just hope the fix last's longer than 3,000 miles like a few others have stated.

 

It will be interesting to see if they order/replace the driveshaft and the rear control arms or just the control arms. Also, what the code will be on the new driveshaft if they replace that. Thanks for the info.

 

I had my TSB done last July, last summer was totally clunk free for me. Now that summer is here again and I have my AC on all the time, I can feel a slight chunk sometimes when I come to a stop. Before you guys jump all over this, let me say that I am one of those people who notice every little thing in my car. The clunk happens less often than before the TSB. In fact, I should not even call it a clunk because it is so slight. I can feel it but it does not push the truck forward when it happens. I usually have my foot on the brakes lightly and I can feel a tap in the drive line but its so minor that I would not even mention it to my dealer. I just hope it stays this way and doesnt get worst.

 

I have an 07 with about 5k miles. At around 3K miles, I notice some weird sensation in the drive line when coming to a stop after getting off a highway. It definitely does not feel like a tap in the back, it's very slight and not that noticeable. It feels like the front end bounces a few times or some times I do hear a popping/snapping sound.

 

Do you guys understand why you get a clunk? Its the driveline unwrapping. I would be concerned that they might be installing lighter duty parts to disapate the clunk. Normally greasing the drivetrain on my 2004 4runner or the Landcrusier or the LX470 would eliminate most of this sensation until it needed to be greased again and the more miles on the LC or 4runner the less often it would happen, kind of like wearing all the parts in. I've owned LC's since 1995 and been on LC sites for years and have never heard of anyone having a drivetrain problem because of the driveline unwrapping and causing a clunk. You guys do know you bought a 4 wheel drive truck right? I would just be concerned that the cure might be more of a future problem then the clunk???

 

I have had almost an identical experience. I didn't think that I was crazy. I am just leaving things alone. I have a 100,000 mile warranty to wait and see.

 

My first 4X4 was a new 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited V8 and it developed the driveline clunk after about 7,000 miles. Jeep installed an updated rear driveshaft and that cured the problem for at least the next 35,000 miles. I sold the vehicle at that time but I bet it still has the same driveshaft with no clunk problem. Now WHY can't the almighty Toyota motor company come up with the proper cure??? This annoying clunk is just unacceptable in a vehicle of this caliber. I don't care if its a 4X4 or not. It's just inexcusable for Toyota having known about this problem for years, to still keep installing parts which they know will give problems, in new vehilces. Like I said in an earlier post, Toyota must have hired many of the laid off bean counters that used to work for GM, Ford and Chrysler.

 

Everything is a compromise. Are you sure the new drive shaft is as strong as the original? Toyota designs these vehicles for world wide service where strength and dependablity are the most important consideration. I know that most GX's,LC's,LX's and 4runners are used to just go to the mall here in the USA. I would love to know what the strength and potential long term dependablity of these clunk resistant replacement parts might be? I know that the old parts that clunk have lasted 100's of thousands of miles without any failure. I for one would reather stick with the original proven parts

 

No way, if Lexus is will to try to fix it for free, I am all for it. There is no prove that the new parts are not as strong as the original. The control arms sure look like they are more heavy duty.