2003 Tacoma ping sound in reverse

when putting my 2003 Tacoma (automatic) in reverse I get a ping sound like someone is flicking a metal can. Anyone have any idea what this is? I took it in and mechanic couldn’t find anything wrong they just greased the u joints.

 

Retorque the nut on the center flange of the drive shaft. Book says to torque to 134ftlbs then back it of and retorque to 51ftlbs. I had to retorque mine to 70ftlbs to get it to stop making that pinging noise.

 

Thanks, I’ll give it a shot. Posted video because I forgot the first time.

 

sounds familiar.

 

The slip yoke splines are dry. Use a molybdenum-disulfide grease (as the manual calls for) for the slip yoke. Any other grease will cause pinging. Ask me how I know.

 

Nice, I have this problem too and didn't even think much about it. Guess I'll have to get under there this weekend if the weather is good.

 

Yup that’s the noise I have to a too

 

How do you know and what brand did you use

 

I just used some kind of Valvoline grease, I think. It went away after I greased it with it. I tried to use other greases without moly before and never helped at all.

 

Mines been doing this for 10 yrs. But it's much louder.

 

Ok, this is on my list for this weekend, what size nipple is needed for the grease fitting? I’m assuming the front and rear both have a slip shaft on the regular cab.
Is this the slip shaft grease fitting? Sticking out sideways on the shaft?

 

It just used a normal grease gun fitting. Yep that's the one for the slip yoke

 

Ok great and can this be used for slip joint and ujoints too?
How do you know how much to put in the slip joint zerk without out hydro locking

 

Just do like 5 pumps into the slip yoke. For the u-joints, I just pump till I see fresh grease coming out. Be prepared to make a mess. And yes you can use that moly grease for everything.

 

Mine does this as well, just significantly louder. I greased the slip yoke and rest of the u-joints a few months ago, but I just used regular lithium grease. Maybe I should grab a tube of moly and see if that helps.

 

5 pumps? Is that with a mini grease gun or normal size? So other guy here said 2 or 3 pumps.
double cardan joint, how many pumps as the joint is in between the two ujoints?
Thanks in advance

 

Same thing. Just pump till fresh grease comes out for everything except the slip yoke. You don't want to over pressurize the slip yoke. Some people pump it till they see it move a little. I generally don't do that.

 

Ok thanks, I got all the ujoints greased, the Cardin zerk I don’t think has ever been greased.
It had 1/4” of yuck on the tip at least of the zerk. I put in 10 pumps and decided I better stop to the Cardin zerk.
Same with the slip joints, they had 1/4 of dirt on them too.
All these years I thought the dealer was greasing them as I asked when I do my oil change.
Apparently not.
The rear ujoint to the axle has 1/4” play in the ujoint when you twist it.
If I grab the front driveshaft and the rear and twist in opposite direction I hear that dam clicking noise
coming from the spindle slip area center of the drive shaft.
Also one of the caps on the Double Cardin ujoint looks to be sticking out a 1/16” past it home spot.
Not sure what’s up with that.

We will see if the noise goes away but with 570,000 original miles on this driveshaft and joint it owes me knowing and it might just be time to have a new one made for 400-500.00

 

Hmm. Not sure what's up with that either. Maybe someone else can chime in.

 

So I talked to a driveshaft specialist about the driveshaft noise and he immediately told me that it was probably the slip joint (yoke) spindles that are wearing or worn out and is best to just buy a new driveshaft.
So I ordered a driveshaft, everything is brand new with all ujoints.
Will update it once I arrives in 5 days or so as they have to make it.
This is the site I bought it from
https://www.wholesaleimportparts.com/Toyota_Tacoma_Driveshaft_1997.php