Drive shaft u joint 2wd taco 3rd gen leak?

Anyone know what might be leaking on my 30k 2wd 3rd gen?
noticed a oil/grease ring around the drive shaft on the cab by the u joint output shaft housing . Doesn't seem like a full leak but not sure if I should be concerned. U joints look good but they do seem like there's some moisture.
Any help would be appreciated

 

I...

I don't see a leak at all.



You talking about the slight darkness from where the U joint grease base and suspended oil is separating and being absorbed into the road grime on the joint?

Or the gray flecks from where it was greased properly and slung the excess off due to the centripetal force?

Either way you're *WAY* over reacting bruh.

It's good send it.

 

Not seeing a "leak" either. When I add grease to mine periodically I try to wipe the excess away so it doesn't fling around too much.....yours is immaculate compared to mine.

 

Lol that's what I'm thinking too one of the seals was really wet must be on the the cab side on this picture . Did clean it a few times but still keeps slinging so if most people experience the slinging then should be normal .
Thanks for the comment

 

Jesus. Is it the forum that has you this paranoid OP, or do you go looking for problems that don’t exist generally? Not trying to be mean, but this is the equivalent to finding a hair in your sink and thinking you’re going bald imminently.

 

Yeah since it's a sealed u joint was wondering if it was normal . Actually cleaned couple weeks ago when I first noticed to see if it would come back . But just thought it was weird since doesn't have a oil or grease texture just seems like water or moisture.

 

Lmao I agree over thinking alot of mods lately lift and heavy tires and now experience a vibration and this slinging so trying to figure what's going on . Will have to just let it be tacoma life

 

If the u-joints stop flinging a little grease it's time to grease them

 

You definitely don't wanna see my trucks underside, I definitely over grease my driveshaft and I have great big globs of green heavy duty lucas equipment grease over anything close to inline with my U-joints rotational plane.

Keeps the rust down.

If you have a leak you'll definitely know, if you're unsure it's more than likely acceptable.

It's pretty typical for stuff to weep a little and darken the dust around things no seal is perfect.

A little wetness around the U joint journals is honestly a good sign showing you got enough grease.

If you haven't greased it in a while it may be time; about ever oil change is when I lube mine up.

Squirt it in slowly till you can hear it crackle and stop as stop when you can see a little lip of grease pushing out the cap seals.

You'll definitely get sling though.

 

How much and what kind of lift?

You may need to install axle angle shims and or a carrier bearing drop.

You want your flange faces parallel and your angles between .5-1.5° of each other or your U joints will be out of phase and cause harmonic vibrations.

 

Thanks definitely will do that I'm surprised these u joints don't have any zero fitting though wonder what Toyota was thinking

 

I dunno man, I get it, both sides, you drop a huge chunk of your resources on something you want to make sure there's not an issue and yeah at the same time this is a minor minor thing but everyone is on different levels of experience.

I say good on OP for poking the underside and asking to learn.

More than a lot of folks do.

I remember being 12 and thinking I broke my grandpa's farm truck as a blue warning light came on and I didn't know how to turn it off. (The brights got flipped on when I was using the blinkers.)

We all start somewhere.

OP started here.

 

2 inch lift in front and maybe an inch in the rear . Yeah tried the axle shims with a 1.5 degree angle a few months ago along with the carrier bearing drop but like a month after that, that's when I noticed all the grease sling so removed them and took it to Toyota but they didn't find anything so will probably at least drop the carrier bearing and see if that helps. .

 

Oh yeah I guess Toyota did use the super long life grease and quit installing grease zerks on 3rd gens.

IIRC you can get 2nd gen off-road U joints from spicer (the OEM for the U-joints) at O'Reilly's that have zerks and install them when yours start to wear out.

 

Lol true ill just let it be and move on to the next thing .

 

Yeah saw that might have to do that .

 

It's unfortunately very much a indirect science.

Change one little thing drive it for a week to feel it out, change something else eventually you'll either fix it, tolerate it, or take it to a professional.

There's a thread somewhere on her called something like "The ultimate drive line vibration thread" or something that has directions on how to use a cheap HF angle finder and string to get your angles as good as possible.

I've tried many things with mixed results.

The best improvement to my vibes had been the Archive Garage Hammer Hangers.

 

It's normal for the oil to eventually leave the grease base (soaps and atomized stones like lithium) and being thinner it will have more mobility to travel, the thin water like stuff may just be the synthetic oil.

Rub it between your fingers and see if you can get a feel for it's lubricity or put some on a paper towel and see if it evaporates.

Could legitimately be water from puddles washing or even just condensation inside the joint working it's way out too.

 

If someone is going down the rabbit hole of looking for problems that don’t exist out of paranoia that there might be something wrong with their brand new truck, then it’s also in that person’s best interest to be told by others who have worked on cars the majority of their lives, that they need to chill out for their own sake… because that’s a road to nowhere that isn’t much fun to be on. I know a lot of people who obsess over every little noise, they worry every little spec of moisture is a new oil leak, etc… when there is absolutely nothing wrong with their vehicle. The Toyota Tacoma is arguably the most reliable vehicle ever made in the history of mankind (and that’s no exaggeration).. Enjoy it and don’t look for problems to worry about that aren’t there.

 

What are you taking about? It is obviously going to fail and needs to be parted out now.