'05 Motor Mounts Failed/Failing

To be repaired properly, the diff needs to be removed. Usually the driver side is the bigger issue so you may want to look at that a little closer. Anything that's cracked should be ground down and v notched and then re welded. Simply re welding isn't a final fix though. There's a reason Toyota added the additional mounting surfaces. The DMZ gusset kit is beautiful and adds all the additional support it needs. For someone experienced with doing the job it can still take 6 to 8 hours. The average guy with proper tools can knock it out in a weekend. It's a chore but it has been done by lots of people.
Mine was down for a couple weeks to source the parts and get a good welder to glue it up for me.

 

Removing the front diff is what I was hoping didn’t have to happen for a proper repair. I have a 97 Powerstroke that I have been putting a lot of work and effort into and I’m not looking to put much into the taco at 198k.

After all the maintenance and care I put into the rest of the taco I’m pretty disappointed that the frame welds would be the catalyst for me to consider getting rid of it and moving on.

This will be my last Toyota. Its true that the motors will go forever but the frames will fall apart.

Definitely not interested in any Toyota made after 2016...

 

It's really not that bad to remove the diff. After you pull the cv axles and the front driveshaft, it's really only a couple more bolts and a couple electrical connections. I removed my steering linkage as well, super easy. You could easily have it apart in a couple hours, spend an hour cleaning up the cracks, an hour welding it up and then re assembly. An extra hand certainly helps and the gusset kit goes on easy. Other than that, the only thing to really worry about on these frames it's the trans crossmember. Toyota changed that as well after 2007 I believe.

 

I’m pretty confident I could do the job of pulling the diff and fixing the weld, it’s more of a space and time problem for me. I don’t have a garage or shop so it would be done in the driveway and I have 3 plus feet of snow in my yard, driveway is all ice.

Working full time doesn’t help with time. And my 1.5 yr old daughter gets lots of my time...

My 97 Powerstroke is currently taking priority for projects of vehicular nature.

Plan was to sell the taco but seeing as the weld hasn’t 100% failed yet I’m just gonna keep driving it. It seems like it has a ways to go before failure.

It’ll be an in the future project, hopefully a long ways off!

Thanks for your tips and insight

 

You should give dmz a call, Tim can answer all your question. And I’m curious too on the process

 

Tim is a great guy and answered all my questions. Definitely helped

 

Mine cost $500 to have fixed

 

Hey Guys,
My 2006 gave me 245k KMs before the frame surrounding the driver side motor mount cracked... noticed when the rad fan started rubbing on the housing as several have before me..
Can someone detail to me what is necessary to repair?
What do I need to order? DMV Gusset Kit, a new motor mount, what else?
Does the motor have to be pulled?

Thanks,
Lex

 

Mine was just pulled back into place and welded. No engine removal. Costed me $500

 

Mine also doesn’t have any gussets yet and is doing fine

 

Can you elaborate? I am likely going to do this myself and am curious as to what is the best strategy.

 

The guy who did mine got under it, took out the steering linkage, pulled the frame back into the spot it should be then welded the crack and left a massive bead over it