Normal Play at Axle/Diff Junction?

Have a 2007 4x with 185k and was getting ready to go through the front end and noticed there play in the axle where it meets the front diff. It seems like a bunch to me but have nothing to base it off of. Is play normal in this area? If I replace the axle is there something else in the diff I should consider doing while I'm there? Thanks

 

There's usually a small amount of play, without a video hard to tell how much yours is to see if it's "excessive". I'd say maybe 1/8" or so is normal to be able to wiggle it. If there is more than likely the bearings in the diff are a bit worn.

 

OP what you are seeing is the poor engineering of the front differential side bearings relative to where the tulip/race of the CV shaft enter the diff. This, and the groaning noise that often develops, is why ECGS developed the newer PTFE/bronze bushing instead of the factory needle bearing. There is a mega thread here titled the Official Differential Side Bearing Replacement that addresses this whole issue.

The amount of play observed on the driver's side can be quite disconcerting. However, the amount on the passenger is much less due to a different design. Most are replacing with the ECGS on the driver's side. On my Tacomas I do both sides but the problem on the right is often not manifest or rarely so. There is also a newer redesigned factory needle bearing and TSB for this as well but the new bearing is also junk so my advice is stay with the ECGS bushing.

 

yup OP, play there is normal (in and out, and up and down), if you have a groaning or vibes that go away in 4hi you can replace the shitty needle bearing with the ecgs bushing like stated above.

 

Thanks, I'll go read through that thread. Yep, seeing that the driver side is much worse than the pass. When you say you do both sides on your Tacomas, does that mean you use the roller bearing offered on ECGS on pass side?

 

Here is how the diff is structured. On the driver's side the CV directly enters and sits in the factory needle bearing. But on the pass side the CV enters the ADD tube where the CV sits in a large roller bearing. The ADD tube serves to engage the front differential and is physically bolted to the right side of the differential. The differential actuator slides a fork to couple a shaft together ths engaging the front axle. The inboard part is just a stub shaft that sits directly into the right side of the differential and rides in another identical needle bearing.

The difference is the driver's side sees side loads that the passenger side does not. I was early in testing a mod known as 4lo TRAC. It works through the brakes and transfers force back and forth through open differentials to active or brake the wheel on the opposite side. On mine I found that doing this at higher RPMs for long periods seemed to be causing a hammering/shock effect on the right side with the needles marring the running surface of the stub shaft.

As far as I know I have been the only one to do both sides and I have not been strongly recommending others do so.