Is this normal?

I have had a whirring sound that winds up and down with acceleration. I originally had thought it was my tires that were wore out. So go get some new tires, and its still there. I crawled up underneath to look around and this is what I found. Is this a sign of the u-joint failing? 2007 DC w/44000 miles. Tell me what you guys think. See the spray ring? That is what I am questioning if it is normal.

 

just see red x's

 

Photos no workie....

 

Well, have you greased them since the noise has started? it could be from over greasing them. If you grab the driveshaft and try to twist it, how much play does it have?

 

looks normal, any free play in the shaft?

 

No I have not greased it. No real play, that's why I am not sure if this is my problem. The sound is almost the "grrrrr" sound that you would have from mud terrains. you can feel it as a slight vibration in the gas pedal at speed, and not so much in neutral coasting, but it is still there? Driving me crazy!

 

any fluid leaking from the rear tranny seal? can you move the shaft up and down any?

 

No fluid leaking and no movement, I think my problem may be else where, still looking.

 

cant be your engine can it? mine kinda whines especially if its cold and the radio isnt on

 

Alright, I hate to ask the stupid question. Where exactly is the problem in that picture? I see no issues.

 

i dont believe it is one, but hes refering to the grease splatter on the body

 

I read somewhere on here that some people with the same year trucks as us are experiencing this problem but that it is attributed to plastic vibrating against the bed. So the faster you go the more you hear it and as you slow down the sound/vibration goes away. Not sure why you would feel it in your gas pedal though. You mentioned that your tires are worn out..maybe a balance issue not sure.


just read this check it out
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/66616-toyota-cant-fix-my-truck.html

 

http://www.tsbsearch.com/2007/Toyota/Tacoma/Differential/1

not sure if this is applicable or if this is what your dealer checked out??

 

Thanks for all the input, I could not find the plastic vibrating that you were referring to. I replaced the tires when I first noticed this vibration. I thought that might have been the problem. Still there with the new tires. I went to the movies last night seen avatar,( great movie) and on the way there and way home, no radio and was trying to listen. the wife thinks I am crazy. The plastic or maybe plastic bed vibrating against the frame kinda made sense, but I can not find any place that it would be doing it. so I am still on my quest to fix, and find it and show my wife that I am not crazy.

 

no stupid question, I was referring to the grease splatter around the u-joint thinking something may have worked lose and causing my vibration. I think all is normal with my u-joint. No, play or anything that I can find with it.

 

i def think its the joint. that is way too much grease and it looks fairly fresh. they are really cheap and easy to replace and its a good place to start. what i noticed was you said its smooth when coasting but when on the gas it vibes? deff a sign of a bad ujoint...my .02

 

a way to check is to grease it more and see if the vibe goes away. Alot of times the trucks are so refined that you cant feel play by hand but you can feel vibes when the driveshaft is spinning a couple thousand rpms because the truck is normally so smooth. In my 79 chevy the drive shaft would have to be hanging off the truck before you feel any vibe lol

 

Thanks, I was gonna start there just to make sure. No real other solutions so far that I can really see. I figure its not gonna hurt to change it and like you said, not real expensive.