Is the ECGS bearing still an issue on '19 Tacomas with 2" or less lift?

It’s a bit of a crap-shoot. Most people report no problems with the needle bearing under 2” of lift. I have no issues at about 1.5”.

 

Ive had lifted Tacomas for 10 years and none had a front needle bearing go bad. As for doing it while you are installing the lift, the only steps that installing a lift and installing a ECGS bushing have in common is removal of the FL wheel. Im in the camp of “if it aint broke dont fix it”

 

Weird, it's hit and miss I guess. My '17 with a 1" spacer isn't doing it (yet???).

 

Bushing is similar process of lift except you gotta take the axle out and use a tool to pull the bearing. If you're doing the lift yourself then it isn't any more money to just see if you need the bushing after the lift, and if you do, you just put the bushing in yourself. I'm on 2.5" lift with no issues that I'm aware of. I might have vibes but I can't tell/don't care. Lol

 

I recently did the OME heavy duty lift and the only thing I have on the truck is a Snugtop. I should have measured it before and after but I'm pretty sure I have a full 3 inches of lift. I didn't do the bushing replacement and I don't have any noticeable vibrations.

 

Disagree. The "later" in this case is having 30 tiny pieces of metal being thrown into the front diff. bye bye spider.

 

I’ve asked this before in this thread with no luck, here I go again:

How does the trd pro does not have bushing issues if it’s lifted from factory? Isn’t it 1 inch higher than the rest of the trims? So if I lift my truck 1 inch I should have the same angles than the pro so I should be alright no?

 

I’ve got a stock 18 pro and it’s happening to me with less than 7000 miles, so yes the pro is affected too. Right now it comes and goes from time to time, of course when I took it in for an oil change and mentioned it to the dealership, they couldn’t replicate it.

 

You ever heard of that being a problem? Like ever? Cuz most people change it after they hear noises. That's when I'm saying to change it. It ain't broken, don't fix it.

 

I have the ecgs bushing in my parts pile ready to go. Im gonna do it preemptively while I put the lift on. Might as well do it while everything is apart,

 

question the group, I plan on ordering a lift here in the next couple of days does the Tacoma require any special tools to take the coils off the front struts? Allen wrench, weird sockets. I have the spring compressor already

 

no not really. easier to do it without a spring compressor to be honest

 

Good to know, thanks

 

I’m in the opposite camp. Its a piss poor design on Toyota’s part and they know it is. There’s a reason why there is a TSB out for tacomas When this happens. If your going on a budget lift I see why you may not replace it, but if your going like kings, fox blah blah route you can afford to change out the damn needle bearing...... ECGS is 2.5hr a way from me and only cost 150ish parts/labor

 

Pretty much how I feel about just switching it out.

 

Agree. I test drove more than one 3rd gen, that was stock, with the hum. My first Tacoma had it go bad at 1.5k miles, right after I lifted it 2". This time, I had it replaced ahead of time.
They fail on stock trucks, hence the TSB. I cant recall the exact reason, but I dont remember it being a bearing issue per say, but rather the manufacturing method of the diff itself. Either way, the bushing corrects the issue.