Can you help identify this.

2017 trd off-road long bed automatic. 2800 miles

I changed out the differential fluid this afternoon and noticed a small piece of metal stuck to the magnet. Can someone shed some light on what it may be and if i should be concern.

Oh and I have the diff howl

 

Looks like the "punch out" or drop from drilling a hole, possibly a factory flaw that didn't get cleaned out. Seems to be the appropriate size for one of the diff stud holes. The machine operator probbably had a dull bit and was using high pressure to drill causing the punch out then given it's size it wasn't cleaned out effectively and got lodged in the axle assembly.

Souvenir now I guess? Got more metal than you paid for?

 

Russian listening device.

 

Damn KGB squirrels.

 

Looks like the end of a rivet on the frame

 

That's what I thought at first too, but too small.

 

Maybe op has really small hands

 

Kind of looks like the end of the magnet broke off. Is that piece magnetic?

 

Nah the magnet is flat topped and the piece is pented in all my years never seen a magnet come appart. They're press fit into the plug.

 

The piece is not magnetic.
Thanks everyone for the help !

 

Umm I'm confused. Magnetic or not?

 

The peice was stuck to the magnet. And it does not have properties to attract other metals.

 

It’s the howling modulator. Put it back or it will sound normal.

 

I think that's is a pretty good bet. I'd show it to your dealer when you discuss the noise. The good news is it doesn't appear to have run through the gears. It'd be mangled.

SB

 

Exactly. Good call.