3rd Member Issues

My truck is making a noise from the pinion area of the 3rd member on deceleration, so I have been rabbit-holing this for some time. From what I've read, 3rd member issues seem to be a common problem on these trucks... why???

For those who have experienced this problem: What did you do to fix it?

 

Like anything else, nothing last forever. If you got 200k+ on a 20+ year old truck, expect to do some PM.

Order yourself a third member from ECGS, swap it out, and send your old unit in as core. Unless you’re able to do the work or know a shop that isn’t going to charge a kidney, grab yourself a master bearing kit. Most shop around here charges $500+ for labor if you drop off the third and provide the kit. If they’re pulling the third, 1k+ easy.

 

Most likely the front diff bearing is worn; usually you can spot a play if you wiggle that end of the driveshaft. If you have a spare ~$800, ECGS is the way to go. It's also an opportunity to upgrade to e-locker if you don't have one.

If $$ is an issue, you can continue driving, tolerating the noise.

I wouldn't say 3rd member is a common issue on Toyotas; aside from the usual high mileage wear, most folks break theirs while mudding/off-roading/rock crawling, i.e. pushing way beyond limits. Exploding diffs on some Cadillacs - now that's common.