Tacoma rear differential failure

I've been saying this as well. Can't be the diff if is been replaced 3 times or whatever... I did the 5100/Ome lift on mine and installed carrier bearing shims and the driveline is much smoother... after lift I could feel a drag and a bit of noise .... all gone after carrier shims installed and better MPGs too.

Just throwing that out there... driveline angle maybe??

Or not maybe just some bad rear diffs being built and sold to Toyota....I'm sure the replacement process is part of collecting data to find the issue... even could be Toyota getting $$ back from the diff builder. Who knows....

 

Toyota has failed at Root Cause Analysis, as far as we know at this point. This is the reason they've been throwing parts at the problem (replacing rear ends) which the dealer bills corporate at about $3k; yet it has not fixed the issue. Mine started howling again almost immediately as have others who've had theirs replaced.

 

Why do you think I took/posted the pic. Truck had 14k on it I think

 

Who is the source for the rear differentials used in the 2016 and 2017 Tacoma pickups?

 

Surplus geo tracker parts

 

^^^^

 

i was thinking about this on the drive in today. I wonder if these issues are from not properly breaking in the diff. now no normal consumer would do this, but i know on new gearsets you do it. lots of short trips with long rests to cool them down for 500-1000 miles then fluid change. Does toyota pre break them in before shipping a complete third?

 

It's not that, but I see why you think that. My differential was replaced and the second one howled from the time I drove it off the lot. Breaking it in appropriately and changing the fluid at 500 miles afterwards didn't help one bit.

 

then that makes me feel its not setup correctly. almost like it doesnt have enough preload, would be neat to measure backlash on one of these "new" diffs

 

Just convinced me not to buy another Tacoma. Take that Toyota

 

If it's in the differential my bet it's the lighter synthetic gear oil not properly protecting the gear set during breakin. Anything these days to get better mileage.

I can't believe that engineering can't build a proper driveline after 79 years in business. Something is letting them down. It should not be that hard to resolve. They can measure driveline angles and tear down the differentials they have been replacing. Spring rates and spring purches and such can all be measured.

Unfortunately without insider knowledge we have no way of knowing where they are in resolving the problem. I'm sure they are replacing differentials just to get some in the lab and not as a true fix to the problem.

 

Did you follow the proper ring & pinion break in procedure

http://www.differentials.com/technical-help/ring-pinion-gear-break-procedure

 

I followed the break in spelled out by the Owners manual for the truck as that is all that should be followed. I still had my rear end replaced, now the replacement rear end has been howling for ~5k miles.

 

Update#1

My truck is at the dealership getting a new diff for the 3rd time.

They lift the truck and running the truck at 45mph and booomm grinding noise, i was presented....

 

You should probably take down that vid... just sayin...

I changed out diff fluids for Amsoil Severe Gear front and rear... added in some carrier bearing shims.

All quiet smooth as silk...

If I was a bettin man and I'm not.. I'd bet there's an issue with the carrier bearing causing the problems with the rear diff.

Maybe could be, not the proper lube when the carrier bearings were installed. No way to tell unless tear down. A lot easier than replacing a rear diff. I'm surprised no one thought of it yet!

This is ME trying to get someone to come up with a solution. Take charge and take the accolades, please.

 

You must have missed it when I said basically every rear wheel drive vehicle that is put on a lift makes a grinding noise. it sounds terrible but is just the lack of pressure on the gears. you have to know what your listening to so you can hear through that. that's also why I said dealer techs don't really know how to diagnose properly . most are glorified oil change techs. your diff might not have been bad

 

I do think it could be a preload issue though if anything.

 

Any one with a TRD Pro experiencing diff problems

 

Nope!!

 

No SR5's either, right??

G.