OFFICIAL 2nd gen 4x4 front differential bearing vibration thread

Just to add to the list and my earlier post, Toyota just replaced the needle bearing (under warranty and with a lift) and the "hum"/vibrations are gone (hopefully it holds up)..........now back at the shop that did my rims/tires to see if I can get rid of the wobble/vibrations

 

It also helps to keep it in the freezer until install time.

 

I had the TSB done a couple weeks ago - the vibe became noticeable after about 15k lifted and 31k on the truck.

The updated needle bearing has a steel race while the old one was nylon or some other plastic. It should hold up better.

 

Interesting and totally makes sense. Which I'd done that before getting it a quarter of the way in. I have a race bearing and seal driver set coming in the mail tomorrow (thanks Amazon) so I'm going to wait till it arrives to pus it the rest of the way in. I have an axle seal coming at the same time so that will happen the same time.

Any helpful insights for doing the axle seal would be appreciated.

 

I'm sure it's posted in here somewhere but, do you have the new part number for the needle bearing?

I have a 2016 and my dealer won't cover it. If I wanted to pay out of pocket for it, I'd like to have the part number for the new bearing.

 

axle seal must be flush with the housing, not driven all the way in. I think I used 2" pvc pipe with a 2" coupling to drive the seal.

 

Is there a TSB for this? My 15 is starting this hum at 40mph. Any issue getting the dealership to take care of this?

 

A 2" pvc coupling is perfect for the passenger side seal. Didn't even use any pipe - just tapped on the coupling itself. Viola! (Oh, and I froze it before install)

 

If you ordered the same one I did, the smallest driver is too large and will not insert correctly into the new bushing. I roughly machined mine slightly smaller than the bushing.
The id of the bushing is 1.38 per my hf caliper. The od of the driver is 1.40 before I machined it down.
I believe if the driver is used as is, it will damage the bushing.
This is the driver I ordered.

$28 Alltrade 10 Pc. Bearing And Race Installer Kit - 948004

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005SMUOR4/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Something like this for the axle seal?

 

The TSB is: T-SB-0026-15 and here it is:

 

Here's the parts they used for mine:

 

Thank you!

 

I used a 2" slip to slip, but that ought to do it as well.

 

No, that's an inside slip/threaded coupling. Should be the outside slip coupling like the picture I posted below. There's a little rubber lip on the axle seal (well on the passenger side seal anyway) that is almost exactly 2" in diameter so it will slip inside the pvc coupling and the outside ring will make contact with the coupling. That way you are tapping on the whole surface of the seal and not just one side at a time.

 

what dealer?

would be nice if op had a list of confirmed dealers that would cover this under warranty

 

Thanks, I just set up an appointment at ten this morning to get them to take a look at it. Hope they can hear it, sometimes it gets quite after the truck warms up.

Actually kinda irritated, I just did my 30k service and replaced all the fluids with Redline last week. So they are going to drain out $30 worth of new synthetic fluid and put their crappy conventional oil back in.

 

Just wasted my whole morning at the Stealership. They denied my warranty claim saying the bearing has failed because of my lift. I'm pissed.

 

FWIW, you don't lose any fluid really more than a teaspoon changing the bearing. All the TSBs will never replace the cast differential tolerances that are at the root of the vibration. Continuously changing needle bearings seems pointless. ECGS solution has been my best mod, easy, inexpensive and effective. If you can't do it yourself a friend with even mediocre skills can accomplish it for you. Watch the videos on the ECGS website.

 

I'm sure you are right. I'll have to find a weekend to rent some tools and do this.