New/updated front differential

Does anyone know if the front differential on the 2016 Tacoma has been updated or changed out? Hopefully they came up with a fix for the dreaded front diff vibes when installing a lift. Anybody know about this?

 

Hmmm....there are 10,000 posts about how ugly the new grill is but no one has any idea if the front different has been changed or updated. This was a true design problem in the 2nd gens and something way more important to fix than worrying about the size of a grill.
I guess I shouldn't be suprised, most people buy Tacomas to be mall crawlers and never use it to its full potential. Oh well.

 

@Jeff Lange

 

I guess it was not changed because Sweers hasn't lied about it yet

 

I looked before and everything besides the gear ratio was the same, but I'll double check when I get a chance.

Jeff

 

Thanks Jeff. I look forward to your response. You have the most useful posts in the 3rd Gen forum.

The actual problem area on the 2nd gens was the needle bearing on the drivers side. It was just not long enough to support the drive shaft once a lift changed the front geometry. There are ways it can be fixed but all of them are a pain once the truck is assembled. It would sure be nice if Toyota fixed this problem.

 

Yes, I had previously checked specifically on that bearing and it hasn't changed.

The only parts on the front differential that changed are the breathers, the housing (appropriate for the new breathers), the axle stub tube and internal axle stub shaft, and the differential unit itself.

So no major changes, nothing seems really updated, and the needle bearing is still the same size.

Jeff

 

Hahaha. Love it.

 

Is this only an issue if you lift? What about stock or drop slightly?

 

Thanks again Jeff. Total bummer that Toyota did not change out that bearing with something more substantial. I guess they were too worried about mileage and how it would look at the mall.

I do not know if dropping slightly is an issue. Leaving it stock is definitely not a problem. Lifting only caused a problem for some and it seemed that the bigger the lift the higher the odds of having it would be. The problem was more of an annoyance than anything. Many guys put 100,000 miles on with the vibration and I never heard of a failure. Just disappointing that it was not fixed especially when there was an aftermarket fix available but it required taking the entire drives shaft out of the front differential.
I guess I will just learn to ignore it like I did on my second gen....

 

I am not trying to start any sort of of argument but, this is a reoccurring theme, that Toyota should make a change to some component based on how something works after being modified buy the owner. I don't really understand this logic. I understand the desire of a small number of buyers to see things like this changed for their benefit but, I don't see how people can expect Toyota to address all these little variables that may only effect a small percent of owners when changing the vehicle to some undefined degree.

 

If it's a common enough complaint to a common enough mod, then addressing the issue could be beneficial to their sales. They are under no obligation to cater to people who modify, but considering how many of their buyers do mod, it would certainly be wise of them to cater within reason.

 

Exactly, the onus is on the owner who wants to modify a vehicle beyond OEM specs. It's unreasonable imo to blame Toyota for not eating the cost of such a modification. If you have the money to do the lift, then you shouldn't cheap out on the rest of the components that will be affected by the mod.

You gotta pay to play, and if you're not willing to pay, then don't play.

So if an aftermarket solution exists to solve an issue caused by an aftermarket mod, that is NOT on the OEM to foot the bill.

 

...I cant recall if it was one of the early vids...or an article?...back around the 17th at the Tacoma-event...but they did say specifically that something was addressed to eliminate that vibration?...

 

That maybe "The Fix"
Its hard to imagine they would be that stupid to keep that same problem for another 10 years.
So is carrier new ? Is it 4 pinion now?

 

The differential case/carrier has a different part number, however the internals within it are all the same. So no, it's still a 2-pinion.

Jeff

 

2nd gen TRDORLBFTMFW. just buy an ARB locker you cheap fawks

 

I would still hold, on the final judgement. it could be 2 pinion but maybe Toyota machined the space for spider gears better. Something has to be different if it has different part number.

Yup....

 

All good points. Lively debate is always welcome.

For the record toyota did lift some of their own trucks (txpro or Baja addition) using simply a taller coil in the front. Same modification that I did albeit a different manufacturer of coil and strut. The same problem existed on some of these models. So this is not simply about a customer adding componentsome to take things out of factory spec.

And I agree, air locker with a completely new front diff would solve the problem...but yes I am cheap. Full OME suspension is where I drewe the line on my suspension/drive train upgrades as far as cost goes...