Front Diff Vibes ECGS bushing fix.

rent a slide hammer with a the crows foot looking attachment.

 

Don't give up.. ever! On anything.. ever! Sorry, that's just my motto.

I literally tried all the methods and it was super stubborn. The sledge hammer method finally worked.. I swung the shit out of it about 6-8 times and it finally came out. Wrap the end of the CV axle with duct tape before you tighten the cable around the joint between the diff and CV axle, I didn't and got a few minor scratches on it.. who cares, nobody can see it.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2nd-gen-cv-axle-removal-tips-tricks-advice.318838/

Here too: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...-and-adventures.362772/page-171#post-14019469

 

My completely stock aside from stock sized AT3W tires truck has some play on the driver's side CV in comparison to the passenger side. I've got a slight vibration with these tires in some scenarios above 70 mph that I've not been able to reproduce in 4wd, and they've been road force balanced. They are going back into Toyota for a final road force balancing, but if the vibration persists, I may have a failed needle bearing on a completely stock truck with 8k miles.

 

I was at that point. If you are going to pry it's all about having the right pry bar and the proper fulcrum point. Pry, rotate, repeat and you should hit a spot where the axle seems to come out more than the other spots, then just pry on it hard.

 

I did exactly that for about 1 1/2 hours with a 24" pry bar, and tapping the CV housing to get the c-clip to fall down, but all to no avail. Anyway I got it all put back together as I need drive the truck, so I will attempt it again shortly using some of the other methods posted up that I have not tried, like a slide hammer and the cable and sledge hammer approach.

 

I'm not giving up, as I was just worn out and pissed off. So I put the truck back together as I have to drive it and had some drinks, and I'll regroup and tackle it again using the method you used and maybe also a try a slide hammer.

 

That's what I'm talking about! You may have to get pissed off again, I did. It helped. Oh yeah, cussing, lots of cussing helped too.

 

It's all good as I learned a lot today attempting it.

I was thinking about using a 1/8" or 3/16" cable wrapped around the CV inner housing and connect it to a good sized slide hammer, which is a combo of your method and a slide hammer. What do you think?

After giving it a good shot using the pry bar approach, I realized that it was not going to work, I knew it was time to stop and regroup. So all I know is I'm not going to waste the time I spent on making the custom install tools for the bushing and the seal, and then pay someone to do it for me, as I have never trusted mechanics all that much.

 

I don't know about the slide hammer. Honestly, I feel like the sledge was the way to go. I don't know that the slide hammer will have enough behind it to get it to come out. The sledge damn sure will! Although, I've never used a slide hammer, so I don't know. I got pissed and swung the sledge pretty hard to get it to come out. I also remove the axle nut and pulled the CV axle out of the hub, so that I could move the whole hub assembly out of the way to get a good line for the cable to come straight away from the diff housing. I bungeed up the CV axle so that when it comes out it was just suspended. If that doesn't make sense let me know.

 

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I've got a big sledge hammer. So I'm going to buy a big slide hammer and some cable and cable clamps, and I'm sure that I'll get it out with one or the other. Now I'm all energized and rearing go at it again.

It's amazing what stopping and backing away from something and having a few good drinks can do to your attitude.

 

For sure! Sometimes coming back to it with fresh eyes and new motivation makes all the difference. I went into this whole thing never having worked on cars and I was able to do, so I know you can.

 

Don't forget about throwing shit. That's helpful as well.

 

Walk away, have a and a , come back and you'll probably do it in 10 seconds and wonder why it took so long the first time.

 

I've had that happen before.

I've come up with an idea to work with a 5 lb. slide hammer instead of using a cable wrapped around the CV housing, which is with the CV shaft pried out as far as will go, a 3/16" steel plate can fit in the opening and which will bear against the surface on the inner CV housing. The holes in the plate are just wide enough so that the cables or threaded rod will clear the inner CV housing and the rubber boot

So I took measurements and drew up a simple plate with a close fitting slot in it with a couple of holes for either connecting two cables to or two threaded rods to. Then the cables or threaded rods will connect to a plate that the slide hammer shaft will connect to. This should work well for popping out the CV shaft.

 

You guys think Mobil1 synthetic 75w-140 is ok?

 

I think it'd be just fine.

 

The purpose of that particular Lucas heavy oil is to get that thick viscosity in the front differential to take up some of the slop and reduce this problem. Going with a more thinner oil and slipperier is not the idea. I'm not saying it won't work but you're not getting the full benefit of what East Coast gear had intended

 

Two things.... has anybody actually put much mileage on the ECGS bushing to see if it holds up? Seems to me replacing a "non-friction" type roller bearing with a solid "friction" type, is asking for trouble. Please enlighten me if I'm wrong. ...
Other thing... I just changed both diffs n t-case to Mobil 1 75w-140, with the LSD additive, and noticed two things- quieter n smoother feel overall, but rear lsd started slipping immediately. Apparently too thin for the rear. Will change rear back to straight 90w.... if I can find it anywhere.
Ideas? Anyone? Bueller?

 

I have heard of guys putting 20-30 thousand miles on these bushings with no issues. I did keep my removal tool though as I do expect it to wear out eventual for reasons you already stated.

 

I've heard the same, and heard of dudes measuring deflection after 30 or 40 thousand miles without issue. East Coast says the bushing are good for around 400K miles.