TRD Pro Skid Plate w/ Lift - oops?

I have a 2017 TRD Off Road and recently lifted with Icon stage 3 (2.75" front, 1.5" back), with diff drop. Everything seemed great after getting it back.

A few days later I installed TRD Pro skid plate. I took it for a drive the next day and noticed a slight buzzing noise/feeling at lower speeds (around 20-40 mph). Upon examination I realized that i forgot to use the old skid mount spacers meaning that I ended up with the skid plate tightened up against the diff. I quickly removed and corrected this, and now the skid no longer touches anything. However I'm still getting that buzz.

Is it possible I messed up something when I tightened the skid against the dropped diff? Could there be something else I'm missing that may be causing this unrelated to the skid plate?

Appreciate all your suggestions. Thanks!

 

It's either a bushing or a needle bearing in the diff

 

You think that could have been caused by the skid plate touching the diff?

 

Could’ve been caused by the lift. These trucks are notorious for the needle bearing going bad after a lift. Stock too.

 

Any idea of what causes it? Normal driving? What kind of fix are we talking about?

 

Only fix is to have it replaced with a stronger, aftermarket, or new factory part

 

You're looking for the ECGS bushing. It's because your needle bearing just failed when the truck was lifted, and the skid plate's just a coincidence. It's a VERY common occurrence for lifted Tacos.

ECGS bushing howto: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ecgs-bushing-replacement-and-write-up-to-follow.472081/ - there's a link to the part on the page too.

Thread on this and how common it is: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/front-diff-vibes-ecgs-bushing-fix.464941/

 

When I had the PRO skid on my truck and dropped the diff I had to grind some of the underside to clear some things related to the diff drop. It never made any noise though. Needle bearing is common, throw it in 4wd and see if the sound goes away. If it does, the order yourself the ECGS clamshell bushing.

 

Thanks for the info! With the frequency of lifting on these vehicles you would think that this sort of stuff would be a thing of the past!

 

It's the same issue carried over from the 2nd gen. The needle bearing on these trucks even goes at stock height. It's a shame they didn't address that in the new generation. It's a relatively easy and inexpensive fix though so there's a bright side!

 

Seems to happen to the majority of owners after lifting. Happened on my 2015 immediately after lifting. Took it to the dealership and there’s a TSB for this issue but they replace the broken needle bearing with a new one of the same quality. I think some people have gotten lucky and gotten their dealership to replace with the ECGS aftermarket but had to supply them with it.

 

Yup, tried it yesterday and switched to 4wd and the noise went away. Thanks again to all for the comments!!

 

Any mpg loss by the skid? Way heavier than the stock one

 

Good that you figured out the source of the noise.

 

Not that I can tell. I haven’t had it on long enough, and have been too preoccupied with the noise to check.

 

Yeah based on all the feedback I’m pretty confident in the diagnosis. Got a dealer service appointment scheduled and hopefully they will be able to hook me up!

 

Your worried about MPG after a lift and tires? The pro skid won't have any noticeble effect on mpg.

 

Definitely update us is the dealer repairs under warranty.

I don't think I've seen and reports of Denials with lifts so far

 

Update on this- the dealer confirmed the needle bearing failure, but refused to repair under warranty because the truck had been lifted. They recommended I contact Toyota customer care to see if they could grant an exception, but they also refused. The charge for the dealer to fix (ECGS bushing) was $568!!

I was so pissed because the truck only has 8,000 miles and has been babied. I took extra care to find a reputable shop to install my lift, rather than have dealer install the lift, but that technically backfired.

I probably could have pressed the dealer/Toyota more, but I called up the shop that did the lift, and they offered to replace the needle bearing with the ECGS bushing for free. They did, and everything is perfect now.

SO- if anyone in the Portland, OR area is looking for a good lift shop, I HIGHLY recommend ACCESSORY OUTFITTERS in Aloha, OR. The owner (Patrick) is the man. I’m getting my wife’s 4Runner done now as I type this.

 

Glad they helped you out especially no charge. At least you won't encounter any more needle bearing issues but I'm just curious if that dealership sells any lifted trucks.