3rd gen sr5 tacoma differential crunching

Hey, I'm a new account but I'm pretty familiar with TW.
Anyways, my differential is crunching/biting when I turn either way, pretty sure it's the differential since I can cruise a turn in neutral with no issues. I'm wondering what the problem is. Is it a blown spider gear? Should I just swap in a whole new axle? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

Are you driving it in 4wd?

 

im rwd

 

Spiders sound like a reasonable deduction. You’ll probably need to pull the diff out to see what the situation is. Do some investigation first, to confirm the source, before starting to take things apart.

Any usage history that would contribute to the failure? (off-roading, fording water, etc)

 

can you expand more on the cruise a turn in neutral?
able to duplicate that w/ the foot off the accelerator and no braking but in gear?

 

no, if i keep it in gear and off the gas it still crunches. The whole drive home I'd throw it into neutral for every turn and back into gear to give it gas going straight. It also crunches when it shifts up and down.

 

The truck has seen a trail only 3 times and 2 of the three times is was just fireroads mostly. I have had some fun in the dirt a few times earlier which is probably the source of the problem. I'm just trying to figure out where to go from here.

 

i was about to put in my original post this sounds pinion related. can you get under the truck with it off and in park, etc. and push up and down or side to side on the driveshaft near the u joints or even see any grease or something funky in that seal area?
How about the transmission mount? anything weird looking there?

the fact that its doing it when the load changes(shifting) is very much not a diff/spider gear symptom.

 

I've had past issues with that transmission/driveshaft seal where it leaks. I had gotten it checked by a Toyota dealership and they replaced the driveshaft but didn't properly secure the mount and it was practically dangling down and spinning out of rotation if that makes sense. Let me go out and check under it right now.

 

I think what the OP is saying, is that the sound only happens when going around turns, while in gear. (either accelerating, steady, or off the gas)

But no or less sound when going around turns, if he puts it in neutral.

I’ve had a pinion go bad, and definite change in sound between accel and decel, no matter turning or going straight.

Curious about the “only when turning” issue.

OP - can you confirm or explain better?

 

see his above reply, the truck is showing multiple symptoms, but yes, we're on the same wavelength here.

 

I can give a better explanation tomorrow, It only just started acting up tonight so I haven't experienced too much except for the drive home. But major crunching when I take any turns on or off the gas. I can take turns normally if I put the truck into neutral. while going straight the only time I experience the crunching is when the truck auto shifts. I do not see any visible damage to the third member although that's assumed since I just eye-balled it. I'll have to take a video from under the truck while its in gear and see if it's the driveshaft clunking.

 

I went out and checked it just now. Nothing looks weird around the transmission, driveshaft, or third member (on the outside). So it's an internal issue with the third member but I won't be able to find out the specifics without disassembling the third member I think.

 

2021 truck would still be under drivetrain warranty, wouldn't it?

 

5 year, 60K.

 

How many miles on your Tacoma? Did you check if get gear oil in rear diff? Make sure fill plug in diff can be removed, then drain out rear diff to what condition is.

 

yes, although every local dealership refuses to work on it because I have an aftermarket exhaust haha. When I went to have my transmission checked he said my issue is due to my exhaust, even though there is no correlation.

 

i have roughly 55k miles on it. It has gear oil and everything. I found a differential dropout from yukon with a duragrip lsd, for the 8inch diff, 30 spline. But says it's compatible with 85'-95' toyota pick up and earlier 4runner models. But would I still be able to make that work? It's the same spline count and size diff as the 3rd gen so what would stop it from fitting? Sorry if that's a dumb question, Im only 18, still got a lot to learn haha

 

I'm skeptical on the diagnosis since going to neutral doesn't mean the diff is disengaged from the wheels. The diff will still be working at the same speeds just not under any engine load. Not saying it's not it but it's odd since not much explains normal corning in neutral and abnormal cornering in gear whether on or off the gas.

 

unless your version of fun in the dirt involves jumping school busses with the throttle pegged the entire time, that is very much not where the problem lies. diffs are very simple mechanical devices, and normal rotational use won't cause any adverse effects, but extreme shocks to the driveline (stoppies attempts, jumps with the throttle pegged, e-brake drifting) will put additional load on the driveline and differential components.

it really doesn't make sense to me. what you're describing is almost like the noise of a torsen diff, but these trucks all came with a standard diff with an electronic/brake pad limited slip system.

if the truck is that new, it just seems like a dealer problem to me.