Intermediate Shaft TSB on 2012-2015?

I took my truck to the dealership today convinced that I needed the TSB intermediate shaft to cure clunking off road and free play in my steering. Already tried the zip tie method and couldn’t fit any in the rag joint.
Two techs drove my truck and said it was normal and wanted to check the alignment. I went back and spoke to them insisting that the intermediate shaft needed to be replaced and even directed them to the TSB. They didn’t think it needed it and said the TSB only applies up to 2010 trucks. One of them also drives a Tacoma and said it was normal.

My question is this - has anyone updated the intermediate shaft on a later year 2012-2015 Tacoma and improved the steering of their trucks?

 

There are multiple steps you must take to remedy the clunking and spongy feel from the intermediate shaft setups on these trucks. You can replace with TSB items all they want but they do not really offer the results anyone is really looking for, and the ultimate fix is to buy a new lower intermediate shaft, and then cover it with a boot and put some grease in there to protect it from the elements.

The upper shaft in the interior of the truck should be removed from the truck the bushing should be removed several spot welds should be placed where that new void has been created to take the place of the bushing.

You can replace the shafts all you want, but without modifying them it's just a bad design which requires some assertive ingenuity to make it operate in a more desirable way.

I promise you that while this work is lengthy in modification time, not only will this stop the clunking entirely, but it will also tighten up steering ten fold.

 

The original TSB (T-SB-0119-10) was updated several times and finally superseded by T-SB-0057-12 which covers 2005-2012 Tacomas.

The part was more or less the same for 2013-2015 though, so I'm surprised they didn't update the TSB to include them, though they may have made changes on the production line without changing the part number I suppose.

That said, the TSB is really more for noise than any sort of play in the steering. I would expect if it got bad enough that there was play nobody would be suggesting that it's normal. I don't have a lot of experience myself though, so your mileage may vary.

If a difference in feel is what you're after, I do think you may need to make modifications to the design vs. what the TSB is trying to do (fix a noise).

Jeff

 

That TSB is obsolete, here's the new one but I don't see one for the 2013 and up Tacomas.

 

That's what I said.

Jeff

 

I see that now. I quickly read the post and missed that part, sorry. They probably have the "updated" part in the newer trucks but that doesn't mean they wont also start making noise. Seen that happen enough at Lexus.

 

The updated part number was never used in production. The same part number is used for 2005-2015.

Jeff

 

Thanks for the responses. I read so many positive reviews of the TSB shaft I was expecting this to be a cure for my truck. Welding the steering shaft is above my experience level for sure, so I guess I will learn to live with it.