2012 tacoma diff and cv problems

I have a 2012 trd pro with 165k miles. This spring Toyota told me I needed new shocks so I went out and got new shocks, struts, upper and lower ball joints, upper and lower control arms, tie rods, pretty much everything other than wheel bearings and cv axles. After that all got done I noticed some play in my drivers side cv and had some vibrations over 40 mph so I brought my truck in and they noticed accession fluid leaking out of my front diff. I ended up replacing the diff and drove the truck for a couple weeks in 2nd with no problems. It rode like a dream and all the vibrations were gone. I then put it in 4wd for less than 100 yards one night and had the truck shaking grinding and pulling hard to the right. I switched it back into 2 and it just drove shitty the whole 10 miles home. I brought it in again and they said Is broke the passenger side cv axle. They replaced the axle and I picked it up tonight and within 1/4 mile of being on 4wd it did it again. Is the new differential shot and just chewing up everything else? Or is there something else I should be looking at? The truck did have a more significant lift before all of this and I dropped it down back to stock. Is this causing all of these issues?

 

Where did you purchase the diff from? Did you confirm it was the same gear ratio as the rear? Also did you mean 2015 since there was not a Pro model in 2012?

 

My first thought as well.

 

Hmm when I purchased they said it was a pro and had the decals on it. Maybe I’ve been living a lie. I would look at it right now but it’s in the shop. Another theory I dug up on here was that perhaps the shop used after market cv axles and the length isn’t correct? I found this post to correlate.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/cv-axle-blows-out-in-4wd.746203/

 

If the door tag. Says it was built in 2012. It’s 100% not a pro unfortunately. Gonna check the link out.

 

Also what lift did you remove?

 

I think it was a 3 inch spacer. I replaced it with struts with a 1 inch lift on them. After those were switched everything else has been replaced and aligned.

 

Well that then is not the issue. In 2wd after the axles were replaced did it drive fine? The axle broke when put into 4wd? Did the axles issues start after the differential replacement? What type of road while in 4wd? (Should not be dry pavement especially if turning).

 

Shouldn't be dry pavement, but without a locker is shouldn't blow the ring gear.

I'm curious if front is a different gear ratio? Though that would cook the transfer case... in theory... before it messes up the diff.

 

It drove fine in 2nd after the diff and passenger axle was replaced. I drove it for a few hundred miles with no problems. The first time they broke I was on a dirt road and only had it in 4wd for maybe 100 yards if that. Last night when I picked it up after the axle repair I was on pavement driving straight and it broke within 400 yards.

 

It will break the weakest thing in the driveline

 

Last night did you put it in to 4wd? Or was it stuck in 4wd?

 

If it’s only happening in 4wd , my gut tells me the differential they put in has the wrong gear ratio in. I’m still curious why they replaced originally. You said there was just an oil leak at the front diff but they replaced the entire diff, why?

 

This. If they diagnosed a bad seal as a bad diff, I wouldn't trust anything else they say. Obviously we don't have the full story on the internet. But based on what OP has said so far, I'm a bit suspect of this shop..