Needle Bearing - Yes, Replace It (ECGS)

About 1cup? Or there about, or a little more, I forget. 1 container, qt, should be enough to replenish.

 

About 1/2 qt typically (on the high end)

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/needle-bearing-yes-replace-it-ecgs.716338/page-22#post-30092280
Take a watch @Mtaco14 , there are a couple tricks

 

Thanks a bunch guys your all awesome. I appreciate the help, Just ordered a can of Toyota Diff fluid 75W-80 GL-5.

 

Keep the side you're working on jacked up higher than the other to prevent fluid loss.

 

LOL to be honest I actually thought about that, but we are doing it on a real shop lift.

 

Lucky you

 

It's not mine, I just have a window of access to it.

 

I've never done any of my work on vehicles using a lift over the past 46 years, but I'll tell you, most of the jobs I have done on vehicles during the past 46 years almost always i thought, whilst in the midst of those jobs, I really really really wished hard, that I had access to a lift. Haha true.

 

I hear ya. This is a rare opportunity for me. So I am taking it. I'd be crazy not to since I'm doing other work on the truck.

 

Finally got the bearing kit this week. Looks like I now have a project this weekend.

 

Whatever you folks do get that nasty old needle bearing out especially if your even thinking of doing a lift.

 

Need help!! I was installing the ECGS bushing tonight. Disassembly going well. Got the driveshaft popped loose and went to pull it out. Guess it wasn’t all the way free and I pulled too hard. Now it’s sprung and won’t go back into position. (boot on diff side) Can this be fixed? How?



I did get the old bearing out and the new bushing in. Ready for re-assembly.

 

Yes it can be fixed. There are grooves for the slide bearings (bear with my terminology) you just need them to feed back into the housing. It just takes some patience and finagling - but you didn't mess anything up.

 

OK - thanks. It’s dark out now, so I’ll just do my best Master Po and see if I can get it back together.

 

Got it!

Big shout out to:
@phreddyfoo for the pay-it-forward on the ECGS tools. ( next TW user already lined up )
@JimboAnz for his how-to video
@Dr. Doom Says for helping me cross the finish line.

All told, about three hours. Two to get everything apart, one to get it back together.

Jacked it up, got the wheel off, got the hub cover off, but the two-wrench method in the video (for the axle nut) didn’t work. Put the wheel back on, and used a jack stand for support. Worked like a charm.



( BTW - Lowes has the Craftsman 3/4” socket set on sale for $110.)

Wheel back off, and realized I forgot about the sway bar. So I put some blocking under the LCA, lowered the truck (to remove any load on the sway bar), and removed the top sway bar bolt. Jacked it back up and removed the two bolts under the LCA. A couple taps on the axle and the first end came out, easy-peasy.

Got under the truck to tap the inboard housing out, and it finally popped loose. Went to pull the axle out and it wasn’t quite loose enough. I ended up pulling the inboard CV joint out of its socket.



Yeah, I was about as puckered as the CV boot.



So I went ahead and got the bearing out. No issues. I go to install the bushing. No issues, but very slow going. I decided to make an ‘extension’ using a piece of pipe and a union fitting. Much easier swinging a hammer standing up.



Following Dr. Doom’s advice, I tried getting the inboard CV back together, but no luck. A couple of zoo-tube videos later, and (after seeing how the bearings flop around) I finally got it.

I used the pipe extension to tap the axle housing back in, and then it was a race to the finish.

All in all, not as difficult as I thought it would be, but I was still a bit nervous. Yes, it can be done by one person.

Happy Veterans Day to my fellow vets. Nothing like spending a little time doing PMs.

Again, thanks to my TW helpers.

 

Whole job can be done with removing tire/wheel, a 17mm for sway bar, a 19mm for two lower ball joints bolts. Allen wrench for fill plug. Install and removal tool make it easier for bushing etc. (Removing tie rod end from spindle makes it easier too). Don't do more than you have to!

 

I finally got around to doing mine this weekend.

Between hurricanes and travel my open weekends have been limited - finally got a full free weekend to knock it out. Took me a fair bit of time - maybe 6 hours total including setup/cleanup, but I was being overly cautious as I didn't want to turn this into a bigger project.

I did end up filing the corners of the removal tool a touch, and used a 6" prybar to get the tool seated correctly. Very light pressure on the prybar, really it was just to catch the lip of the removal tool and being able to push down and in with more force than my fingers.

What a relief to have a smooth driving Tacoma again.

 

Congratulations. Whew!!!

 

I'll be doing this soon after installing a 6112/5160 setup last weekend. Drove around after installing everything, didn't notice any noise and thought I was safe! Unfortunately the 2nd day driving I heard it, somewhat faint but the rhythmic vibration was there and went away after switching to 4WD.
I contacted 3 shops near me about having the bushing installed:
A general mechanic didn't really know what I was talking about and said they wouldn't do it.
The local specialized truck lifting shop told me in so many words that it's "things that guys talk about on the chat rooms that is generally overemphasized as a must do."
And lastly the smaller shop I called said they'd do it for $450 - labor only.