What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

I am guessing you landed nose first. It could easily have been hard enough to tweek you alignment. I am very curious about two things. One would be the alignment numbers before they try to get them back in spec and two, what comments were made by mrsturbodb during and immediately following the event?

FWIW, the toe being out of spec could rob you of significant power. And a vibration in the 45-65 mph range is likely wheel balance. Do you feel the vibes in the steering wheel?

 

I was wondering about this too, and I don't think the slip joint was an issue (3/4" isn't much), but I just went out and looked at what I could before washing and both the rear diff and drive shaft may be f-ed. Here's a pic of the rear diff, where you can see oil has leaked out the front. Checked the oil level, and it's still "full" (comes out the fill hole when I pull the plug) so hopefully not too much damage internally. Some seal?



And a video of my rear-most u-joint. I definitely didn't have this play before the trip. Anyone have the part number for a new 2-piece drive shaft? (or do I just replace the ujoint?)

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AB8oVGX3BStZqbEp

Will check. Likely will be tomorrow. Today was drying out the tent, and now have to run and pick up the kiddo.

Air filter is a good idea, will check that too.

We came down pretty even as I recall, but it all happened fast so... Some vibes in the wheel, yes. But I feel like I feel it more (abnormally) in the gas pedal. Will definitely look at the pre-post alignment numbers. The truck doesn't pull left or right, so as much as I'd love it to be this instead of something more expensive, well...

And @mrs.turbodb. Well, yeah. There was a scream, and I believe an, "oh shit!" It wasn't quite like Devin ending up nose first in a river, and I wasn't on the CB when it happened...but it was close.

 

Looks to be a pinion seal. Hopefully you had a solid spacer put in when you regeared.

Also, that ujoint is destroyed. Guaranteed that's causing some of your vibes. Just get a new ujoint and replace it. Stick with OEM, the part store ones don't last.

Edit: the two are most likely related. Extra vibration at the end of the driveshaft caused the seal to leak.

 

Where is all of the oil on the left side coming from? Doesn't seem like its all coming from the pinion, hopefully not a bent or cracked housing

 

My rear diff did this after the re-gear. It was the front pinion seal. And it only did it at highway speeds. Clean it up and degrease it so you can verify. If it isn't dripping on the ground, it is more annoying than urgent.

 

I did get a solid spacer when I did my gears. There was absolutely no play in the U joints before the trip so this for sure happened on the trip and probably the thousand miles home on the highway caused the seal issue.

Do you have a part number for the U-joint? The U-joint and driveshaft are not in my parts list.

I don't think it's actually that much oil it just looks like a lot because there's mud there holding it. I believe it's coming out of the front of the diff and then getting spun back to the axle housing as I'm traveling at highway speeds. But I plan to take a look once I power wash everything and get all the mud off.

Good to know thanks Mike. Only thing is I didn't have this before and so that worries me a bit.

 

I'll pull the spare out of the OSK when I get home in a bit and get you the part number. I bought a spare when I replaced my rear most joint (made it like 260k miles btw) as most of the joints are the same.

 

yeah your pinion seal is fucked. And yes likely the U joint as well as said by others.

Hopefully the diff itself is fine. if you were on the gas when you came down that can cause bad things. But i think if something was wrong there if would be pretty obvious. Wash the truck off good and see what it looks like and feels like. Either way the pinion seal needs replaced.


And i don't think anything can top devin screaming during that moment hahaha

 

This.

Part # 4137135020
From CamelBack website for 03 Tacoma Here

 

Thanks, appreciate it. I think mine probably would have lasted 260K too, with my normal grandpa driving style. Just wasn't paying attention in the wrong five-second window.

Hahahaha, that yell was classic. Such a fun time, even with the weather.

I wasn't on the gas when I came down, also wasn't on the brakes; just coasting. I just go to the dealer for the pinion seal or do I take it back to the diff shop that put in the diffs (3hr drive)?

 

I jump my truck on purpose and it still lasted that long. Think it mostly has to do with regular greasing.

Part number I used was

$67 04371-60070 Universal Joint

04371-60070

 

I organized the garage a bit since it’s gotten all messed up from working on the house and my truck. I don’t think I have enough zip ties though...

 

Pinion seal for sure. Has the same issue but mine was caused by a bad ujoint. Not a difficult thing to replace, took maybe an hour or so.

 

@BartMaster1234 how long did it take you to 4x4 swap? If I took a week off from work could I do it in a week?

 

Eight Months. Lol.

I mean that's including collecting all the parts, research and development, etc.

Assembly wise, it actually took me a whole month to do it in my garage from December 2017 to January 2018. This is with me having no experience dropping a transmission or any type of front end work at all. Some people have done it in a weekend - a week is more than enough if you had people who knew what they were doing to help. It took me so long because I did it on and off everyday and at some points I had to order parts I didn't have.

 

@tymeson I should add you absolutely need a second car if you're even thinking about doing the 4WD swap. My truck is my daily driver and it was rather difficult borrowing cars and everything while it was up on blocks. I took more trips to Pepboys than you can imagine.

 

Alabama snow

All my truck are damaged

 

There's mud in your tire barrels from the road, mine too,

Also it wasn't too fast, I think I hit all of those whoops faster haha

 

Welcome back. It's been awfully quiet around here without you, LOL.

 

That sucks man....and that is some big hail.