Driveshaft Spacer vs Shims? 2" Lift

Hey everyone,

Trying to track down a slight vibration/pulsing when coming to a stop. Sometimes it does it and sometimes it'll feel fine. The truck did do this, even in stock form. The dealer replaced the rear axle and brake drums, and it fixed it for a short moment, but it still came and went even before adding the lift. I added a 1" rear block (tapered), but it's still the same as before, sometimes it's present, sometimes it's not. I'm thinking axle wrap. These blocks keep proper pinion angle, they are tapered and only 1".

My truck is a 2WD, so no differential drop/needle bearing. I did relocate the sway bar. I saw someone on Reddit link this: https://www.extremeterrain.com/old-man-emu-tacoma-rear-driveshaft-spacer-fk29.html

Wondering if I should buy that, seems like a very simple install. Would that do anything, or should I add shims instead? For $20 I'm tempted to buy this and install it, see what it does (if anything), before tearing apart a leaf pack, I really don't want to do that.

 

Check the torque on the u bolts and add some weight in the back to aee if it helps (also thinking axle wrap.) I had a slight take off shudder (2" lift front/back) and a carrier shim fixed it. Hold off on buying the shim thouugh... try adding washers first to see if it helps.

 

So last week I had about 150-200lbs of sandbags in the back it definitely helped. Where would I put washers, where this shim/spacer I linked would go?

thanks for any help

 

Since this is happening when coming to a stop, I'm betting that this is an issue with the brakes and not the drive shaft.

 

Dealer replaced both drums already less than 1000 miles ago.

 

That doesn't mean that it's not a braking issue. Why did they replace the drums? Is the truck still under warranty?

 

They said they were out of spec after measuring them. I complained to them about the same thing. They also replaced the rear passenger side axle for same thing. Yes it's under warranty but I give up taking it to the dealer, it's a 2 hour drive and an all day thing every time I'm there. At this point they're just doing all the TSB's and throwing parts at it, nothing seems to fix it. I'm wondering if I just need new leafs? Truck only has 15k miles on it and it's been doing this since I got it. Previously used as a fleet truck and had a shell on it, I can tell by the bed sealant. Wonder if they were just overloaded?

*edit* - I bought this thing for $20, gonna install it and update the post after.

 

Well, either the dealer throws parts at it while it is still under warranty or you throw parts at it on your dime. If it was me I would be going back to the dealer with it while it still has a warranty.

 

Gonna install this driveshaft spacer, see if it does anything at all first. Only TSB left at the dealer would be a leaf kit which I'd try to get them to do, and yeah I agree, by all means let them throw the money at it. I'll remove my rear lift before I take it in though, so they don't try to say it's the blocks. I have a pretty extensive write-up history with them at this point about it.

 

yep... same spot.

 

These trucks are light in the back and like you many complain of axle wrap right from the start. The blocks would only make it worse in my opinion. Personnally, i'd skip the tsb and go for a quality leaf pack (not aal's.) The icon rxt pack is a great choice and has 3 lift height/load options... here's how option #2 with the weight of the canopy looks (2" lift front/back.)

 

I was looking at the Old Emu leaf kit in the future. I would want to raise my front from 2" to 3" if I did that though, since most the time I have an empty bed and don't want the rake for no reason. How good are those ones? Do they make a 2" leaf kit that would level out a 3" front lift? I see this one you linked has 3 options? I'd prob go with option 1, just under 2"

 

OME makes solid components…..good stuff

 

Is the 3rd gen e-brake a foot brake or hand brake?

 

Hand

 

Then drive down a side road and apply the e brake(and I don’t mean apply like you’re trying to stop the truck just lightly) if you can feel the pulsating in your hand drums may need be cut.