When riding over bumps, there is a noise that sounds like the truck bed is a little loose. Ideas?
Worst case scenario is a rusted, weakened frame, which has plagued Toyota trucks over the decades.
More likely, something is loose. You’d have to check all the frame-to-bed bolts, nuts, and rubber mounts. It could also be something with the exhaust or the tailgate.
Have some friends come over, arrange them around the bed, and have them try to move it up, sideways, etc. W/a 2008, seems unlikely the problem is the truck bed. My truck is over 40 years old, and the bed is just as attached as ever. I suspect something in the exhaust system is rattling in your Tacoma. Loose parts in the suspension system can cause that too, like worn out bushings.
If everything else is tight, it could just be the shocks/struts. I had a similar noise in my Acura where it sounded like the gas tank was loose or something underneath and new struts took care of it.
Toyota recalled these trucks for leaf springs that break.
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As you likely know as a Taco owner, there are two BIG issues with the Taco of that generation. TXdealer has the first, and the Tacoma frame rot issue is the second. A trip to a dealer is a good idea. (I have covered Tacoma for 6 years at another publication).