Toyota tells me this rattle is a bit of play b/t the front axle and front diff, anyone have this?

Has anyone heard of this or had this issue? Its seems to have just come out of nowhere after we did the water bi pass pipe and wiring on the secondary air pump system. I took it to toyota and they told me it was just a bit of play b/t the front axle and diff, and that the tech would drive my truck across the country without a worry. It seems to be intermittent, but much worse when hot, mostly makes the rattle when in gear, but was doing it while I was stopped the other day. It literally sounds like I have a diesel if I'm stopped and it does it. As an already slow vehicle, it feels like its gotten slower, but I was just borrowing my brother SI civic so that could throw me off. Also seems like its ever so slightly hesitant with power at the top of the gears. That could be in my head, its hard to explain, but driving a faster car for a week with an easy clutch will do that. The tech also said he knew it was that bc it did not rattle in 4WD, it absolutely rattles in 4wd, I tested it on a rainy day last week.

Tldr;

Anyone buy this diagnosis?

 

If it rattles when you're stopped, there is no way that it has anything to do with the axle.

 

This is what I was thinking, it usually only rattles when in gear but it did it in neutral at a light and its sounded like a diesel motor. Thats the best way I can describe it. Paid toyota 100 bucks to figure it out and I feel like it was a bad diagnosis. Sounds like its coming from the center of the truck too. OG tranny/clutch with no work done to it other than changing all gear oil in trans and diffs at around 120k. My brother is a diesel mechanic and seems inclined its something in the clutch. The sound goes away anytime the clutch is engaged, though I need to do more testing.

 

Sounds like the infamous clutch disc separation. Any way you can listen from beneath near the bell housing?

 

OP, I don't have time at the moment to dig for this and post but see if you can find a copy of T-SB-0103-11 from 2011 that address this issue.

 

I will check it out thanks! Honestly I have a hard time getting to do it in idle I will try and get out and listen when it happens, but im usually in traffic. I was going to sonic and it was doing it out of gear, sounds exactly like a diesel. I pushed in the clutch in all the way in neutral, while it was doing it, and it did not go away..

At 130k I put on BFG allterains that were one size up, I only did it bc I got a deal on them. Don't know if that would matter, but they are certainly more strain on the pwertrain.
@shemp

Thoughts, dont know if youre still active here.

 

Well toyota was full of shit, unsurprisingly. My transmission got a pilot bearing, throw out bearing, and new clutch/pressure plate/ rear main. My mechanic is great and he showed me everything torn apart, somehow things had gotten super rusted. My trucks power is restored and the clutch is easy to use. I let toyota know what I thought about their 100 dollar diagnosis, 1600$ later and my truck drives like new! Just wanted to update this for any future readers.

 

Thanks for the update.
Sorry it cost money, it happy you got it fixed.