Just changed my rear differential fluid..

the only reason i say u joints is because of the audio in the video thats posted. that specific sound is like i have personally heard before in two different vehicles where the u joints have been washed free of their grease. The video in the video isnt great, but i assumed the truck was moving in a straight line and therefore not engaging anything that could produce lsd chatter. i only mentioned it because i have spent countless hours chasing problems in the wrong direction myself and thought i would offer my experience. i openly proclaim that i could be, as i have been very often, completely wrong.

but, damn, i didnt know THAT about aftermarket fluids. thats good to know, thanks!

 

You mentioned that there's a Toyota dealer near you if there open on the holiday then ask the parts guys what non synthetic oil with additive you need. Purchase it and change the fluid again. That way it takes out all of the guess work.

 

The last reply was a quote from another thread about dyno oil. Sorry if I caused any confusion(I'm still figuring out how to use a forum other than reddit) but yeah I was going in a straight like I'm reverse. It doesn't make that noise in drive. I really appreciate your input though and your real life experiences on these tacomas

 

Yeah if put the factory oil and additive I will be taking a large chunk of the guess work out(and clear my mind) I will do what you said and go to toyota if their parts department is open tomorrow

 

I’ve done mine twice now. Put 3.0q both times. Truck has about 120,000 miles on it now, no issues. I also tow ~4,000-5,000lbs regularly.

 

I waited to see if the oil this diff fluid I used set in and seeped into all the nooks and crannies internally on the diff. Nope. Still makes that u joint noise in reverse. The dealership parts department is closed today because I wanted to ask what fluid they use from the factory so I can use that on my 2wd sport. Or maybe I can attach a grease gun with apply lubrication to the u joint. What fluid did you use with your rear diff fluid changes? Also did you use a synthetic? And a friction modifier?

 

I use Lucas - red n’ tacky for u-joints

I used conventional oil.
I have an open diff. I don’t require modifiers. You use a different diff than the O/R trucks.

 

Yes I believe my lsd is mechanical limited slip differential for all sport models(2wd 05-08). I should've bought conventional. I feel the synthetic is too thin of an oil. My old fluid didn't look too bad(it actually looks pretty good with no metal shavings) and it was pretty thick. I'll look that red and tacky Lucas oil stuff up and probably pick a bottle up to zirc it. Sounds like that stuff works good. Is it available at stores like autozone, o'reilly or Napa?

 

You'll be fine with the oil you got in there, just go get the 4oz bottle add that and find a parking lot to do about 5 or 6 figure eights to work the add. into the clutch pack.

 

I'll go to a gym or bar parking lot. They seem empty right about now in these times, and I'll go add fluid to the rear diff with the friction modifier(I literally live in hills and there are no flat areas and my truck don't fit in the garage now)

 

Don't rely on the quarts that say LSD additive use the little 4oz additive.

I don't know why they even say that on the bottle I've never seen it work, with or without the saying on the bottle always use the additive.

Syn or dino makes no difference both are formulated to work.

 

I used synthetic 75w-90w from O’Reillys. My truck doesn’t call for the friction modifier.

It’s good practice to grease u joints every oil change.

 

You can always jack up the rear axle a little until the frame is level. Just be sure to use substantial chocks on the front wheels so the truck doesn't roll down the incline. I bought these 10 years ago:

$13 Vestil URWC-2 Mini Urethane Wheel Chock, 7" Width x 6" Height x 8" Length

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052PVRDW/ (they come as a pair).

 

Well the chirping/squealing noise went away. I checked it up right now. I'm still going to buy lubegard tomorrow when napa opens up. Is it possible to go over 3 qts on refill and it still not dribble out of the fill plug?

 

I actually bought some of these from harbor freight so I'm going to utilize them tomorrow to add lubegard and top the rest off til the diff/gear fluid dribbles out. Stopped making the chirping noise in reverse. I checked it once again right now and no noise. I'm still not convinced though

 

Yeah at first I freaking out and thought maybe I shouldn't have used sythentic. But guys on /r/toyotatacoma told me it's hit or miss and that I should add friction modifier. I don't know if any of you gents were the ones telling me on reddit. But yeah I got worried because maybe synthetic is too thin. But the noise(made only in reverse) stopped and I'm still not going to drive it til lubegard and top off is done. I did buy a grease gun from harbor freight because in a couple days or so I will be getting JBA uca's and want to service them so getting the grease gun made sense to pick up so I can grease the u joint. You said your truck doesn't require friction modifier? Cuz you have open diff huh

 

Yeah, agin.

Yes, it’s possible to add more Fluid than the books calls for.
The important part is the truck needs to be fairly level. Too much angle form left to right wheel and the fluid could run down the axle tube and cause an over fill. Too much angle front to back, could cause and over fill as well, or even an under fill.
The rear is easy enough, you could probably do it in a parking lot.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it unless you start getting closer to a full qt over.
Are you sure you are getting all the oil out of the bottle, I usually squeeze it right out of the bottle.
I never seem to be able to get that last 1/5 of the fluid out of the bottle.
I just open a new bottle.

 

Well i just got some ramps to make it level and top it off(also to work on my Corolla in the driveway). I used 3 of the valvoline bottle. I thought I was going to need a pump but I was actually able to squeeze directly into the full hole with the nozzle on the bottle. I emptied all three bottles (til they made the sounds like when you get mudbutt after eating taco bell) and after went in my Corolla to buy a 4th bottle. But tomorrow Im gonna add the 4 oz of lubegard and then fill the rear up til the fluid dribbles out(with that 4th bottle) . And I'll make sure the truck will be somewhat level on front back and side to side. It stopped making the chirping noise in reverse. I checked 4 times in the past 2 hrs. If it's is not squealing the I won't be either lol. 1st night I parked the Tacoma after fluid change and the noise with it in the driveway with the rear up (driveway slopes down and truck was backed in) then last night I left it parked on the street (so the front was pointing upwards) so idk if that had anything to do with the fluid setting in the right places. But i did notice the sounds went away and tried every way to enact the noise going in reverse and it didn't make the noise. But I will fill it up(rear diff on level ground or ramps) tomorrow even if it means I use half a quart extra. It shoukd stray to dribble out as soon as I start to fill it cuz I used 3 qts and like a 10th of the 4th bottle

 

Question. Do I have to take apart anything to grease the u joint? Will I need a straight zirc fitting on my grease gun? I did see that Lowes had a kit with straight fitting, 90 fittings and even 45 decree fittings for the zirc. Either way I bought it so I properly grease my JBA control arm ball joints when they come in. That's another issue I can't wait figure out (3 inch lift with shitty highway speed handling on stock uca's)

 

The video sounds like a bad U-joint to me. I think the prerunners don’t come from the factory with greaseable u-joints, only the 4wds do.