'Thump' coming from back end when going over some bumps

[Isiman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Isiman]

Hi all,
I keep hearing a 'thump' kind of sound coming from the back door area when going over some bumps.
I have checked:
the spare tyre - seems pretty solid - all nuts tightened
the tool kit - as far as I can see it secures fairly well
the spare tyre cover - bastard thing but seems to hold well
bottle jack - very secure

Only thing I can see that could make the kind of noise I am hearing when I am whacking/moving things about is the door strut but I couldn't imaging that moving about too much when driving.

It definitely sounds more internal/close external and not so much under body.

Any ideas?

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Back row of seats under the floor if you have them folded away?

Cheers Andrew

[Isiman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Isiman]

whoops, sorry, I should mention it is a GX.
It is mostly stock except for the cargo barrier, however this was installed just recently and the noise was there pre-install.

Cheers

[halfpastfour Member Find all posts View Profile Close halfpastfour]

Dreaded tail shaft clunk?

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

Doesn't make a lot of sense. Are there any loose fitting in the suspension, eg spring missing a bush? Have the side panels (interior) been removed and maybe not clicked back at all spots? Short of these things I can only suggest watching for blood oozing from the side panels or a spinning spare wheel and if these events also occur I suggest you try an exorcism? (just covering all bases)

WAIT! late edit, I do get a knock in my 120 from a broken rear guard clip if that helps.

[Corigator Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Corigator]

Do you have a fitting in your towbar? They can rattle.

[Isiman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Isiman]

Well, I wouldn't say that it is a tail shaft as it doesn't happen on takeoff or moving from reverse to forward.
All good though, I will keep looking.
Just another thing that is p*ssing me off about this car (first prado, not liking it much)

Thank you all for the input.
I will look at the clips and towbar as well.

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

If you haven't had it since new, then check nothing is in the cavity where the jack sits also.

[Isiman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Isiman]

ahh yeah, I will check that, although when I put the cargo barrier in I did pull the plastic side bits out a bit to have a peek to see what I was going to drill into - nothing really stood out.
It really sounds like the rear door is bouncing up and down, or the spare is loose or similar - however I have checked them.
The rear wind deflector can be moved a bit by hand (couple of mm) but despite that, it does seem reasonably solid.

[Huntyo Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Huntyo]

G'day Isiman. I too have a GX and noticed a bang/thump when going over bumps and for the life of me couldn't work it out.....until......I packed out the locating catch on the rear door. Not the catch itself but the lower "v" catch that locates the door when closing. At first i just wound some tape around the "male" part of the catch so when the door closed it was "tight" on the catch. I went for a drive and noise gone! I have since packed it out with some thin insertion rubber into the female part between the metal and plastic "V" and packed out the catch on the door itself so it "centres" more on the catch. I think the door was moving up and down ever so slightly but still producing the thump. Hope this helps. Good luck. And don't worry you will learn to love the Prado.

[Prado_The_2nd Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Prado_The_2nd]

These things are always hard to identify. I'd agree with Corigator as a possibility - I has a similar problem in a different vehicle, which turned out to be the tongue in the towbar.

[Isiman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Isiman]

I dint think it could be the toe hitch as there is nothing in mine, but the door catch could be it, it really sounds back door like, so I'll get in tomorrow to have a look.
Thanks guys!

[Corigator Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Corigator]

If you haven't got a hitch in the tow receiver it won't be that.

[Isiman Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Isiman]

Yeah, I think that Huntyo was on the money, as I slammed the back door a few times and the thump has gone away, I will have a look at the latch when I can.

Thanks all!