Needle Bearing Failure With Lift (How Many)

He did so right here

 

What’s it sound like when the bearing fails? I put 265s on my 17 Tacoma without a lift, sometimes I hear a “click click” when I go over a speed bump or rough road coming from the drivers side. I am wondering if it’s the needle bearing.. my next shop visit is coming up and I’m wondering if I should have them replace it for the hell of it.

 

Wait? Isn't 265 the stock tire size?

 

It's a very subtle groan in my experience that sounds like it's originating from below the dead pedal, and just goes away in 4HI and comes back in 2HI.

 

I believe some SR's and SR5's have a 245.

 

I don't believe clicking is concurrent with the needle bearing failure. My 2016 clicked on the left side going over speed bumps and it was a lower ball joint.

 

Yeah 245 is stock for sr5

Wow thanks! Did the ball joint have any visable failures? Did you just replace it?

 

Yes 265/70R16 is stock for TRD OR. Common upgrade is 265/75R16.

 

I do not know as I did not get a chance to replace it as a box truck decided to write the truck off lol.

 

Okay no worries gave me a good laugh lol

 

So honest question here. I have no symptoms of a needle bearing problem yet. Going to be replacing the ball joints so it’s probably a good idea to just have the bushing installed as well since it will be apart. My question is this. What are the downfalls of the bushing? And why wouldn’t Toyota just have used one from the start? I’d have to assume that a sleeve of metal is cheaper than a bunch of roller bearings. And they are all about cutting costs. Like I said honest question not trying to start a war. Lol

 

I don’t know the answer to your question but when you assume you make a ass out of me and you so with that said. The stock needle bearing is probably cheaper. I also have read deep into this forum on the needle bearing issue and I haven’t come across anyone with problems from the ECGS bearing. But like
Someone said in another thread, bearings break- any moving parts can break.

 

Just put a 2.25" spacers in front and 2" blocks in back. I thought it was ok, because it was real slight. But when you put it in 4 wheel drive, you can feel how much smoother it gets. Mine is slight, but still there. Going to have to replace with ECGS bushing. I took the gamble and I lost boys and girls! Anybody have the install tool that I could borrow or rent from you?

 

thats how it was when I pulled the cv axle out

 

So update. I lifted my truck with 5100s all the way around. 1.5” setting in the front. Didn’t notice anything at first but after a week I could faintly make out the binding sound. I had to replace my ball joints anyway since they were shot and the only way to do that is replace the entire lower control arm. I figured since it would all be apart I’d just throw the ECGS bushing in. It was super easy took no more than 20 min since we had everything apart. Sound is completely gone and so is some highway vibration I was noticing. As a side note. Any of you that have new trucks still pull your cam bolts on your lower control arms and put anti-seize on them if you live in the salt belt! Holy crap the bolts were completely seized to the bushings and we had to just cut them off. My truck is a 2016 had 135,000miles on it and I religiously wash it in the winter. Pretty poor design on Toyota’s part. There is no way in hell that that thing could have ever been aligned if needed.

 

Can you pin point exactly when it failed while you were driving? Did you hear or feel it give out and disintegrate?

 

Oh I've done a few of these.

 

So quick question for y'all. After I lifted my truck ~2.5 inches I'm getting a very faint rythmic "wromp... wromp... wromp" sound. I mostly notices it between 30 and 40 miles per hour. I feel a very slight vibration in the pedal as well.
Think that could be a bad needle bearing? I had been thinking it was just the CV boots making some noise but after reading this thread I am wondering.

 

Likely needle bearing.

 

yes. Also, that lift height is probably the absolute max if not too much for the health of your CVs