U-Joint and Drive Shaft Replacement

Guys, you share so much good stuff so thought I would share this.

I received a recall letter a couple months back for drive shaft vibrations but did not have the issue, so I filed it. Lately my 05’ TRD Sport Access Cab has been driving rough. I pulled the letter out and brought the truck to local dealership. They diagnosed the truck and gave me a rental for the night. To my surprise they are replacing everything from the rear axel to the Differential - No Charge! Say what you will about Toyota, they do not build a perfect truck but certainly back up thier product. Even at 190k miles. I will post some pics tomorrow.

Nice Job Toyota

 

The dealer did mine. They replaced the drive shaft joints and also did the center carrier bearing. Covered under warranty. My Taco is an 06 TRD O/R with a Toytec Deluxe lift installed.

My truck had a bad drive shaft before I installed the Toytec lift last spring. It is the boat towing and the squatted down crappy OEM spring pack (when towing) even with the lifted add-a-leaf spring added. So I essentially had a negative lift when hooked up. No worries, the Taco now rocks a custom built rear spring pack and no more Taco Squat or Taco lean either for that matter.

 

Well crap. I just had my DS fixed to the tune of $555. What's the TSB number?

 

This April thing tho

 

It is a Customer Support Program # ZH2. Sent to me back in October 2018. It looked same as the Frame Recall program letters we received. There is a section in the attached letter where you can get reimbursed the $555 - Good Luck

 

So I have a 2010 TRDORDC that was/is covered by the zh2 program. The dealer I initially went to last year sent me away with no service, said they couldn't replicate the symptom. 18 months later, I'm in for not only the u joints, but also wheel bearings and ring and pinion. All this has been repaired within a 2-3 week span, at just over 100k miles. I hardly ever use the 4x , I've towed a light load just a few times, had both differentials serviced at around 83k (I bought it at 56k). Has anybody else had similar issues?

I really wish I'd been more stubborn with the first dealer, but luckily my joints were still covered under phase two of the zh2 warranty. But as a 4x4 noob I also am genuinely curious to know if there's any correlation between the gradual degradation of u joints and the more sudden ring and pinion failure. Or if there is perhaps a driving or maintenance mistake I might have made that I can learn from? (Basically, should I be disappointed with my truck or with myself?). Or is this just more random meaninglessness courtesy of the universe?

 

Thanks for posting that notice about U-Joints.. Mine just started vibrating (82K!) We never got the notice (2007 Tacoma BASE) but this copy may help us your Toyota to fix the shaft issue!

 

For what its worth, over my 3/4 century I've several times demonstrated that the squeakily wheel gets the grease and the compliant folks may not get the u-joints, just the shaft. Also recommend everyone pass Business Law as soon as they can.