OFFICIAL 2nd gen 4x4 front differential bearing vibration thread

www.eastcoastgearsupply.com give these guys a ring and they may be able to help you out.

 

I am glad I found this thread. I started having the same problem on my 07 when I replaced the stock wheels. I did not have a lift. I have not been able to figure out what the problem was until I put Bilstein 5100s on my truck and leveled out the front. This made the problem worse and it would go away when 4wd was engaged. My cv axle also has a lot of play in it. That led me to do a search and find this thread. I ordered the bushing today, hopefully by next week my problem will be solved!

 

i have the ECGS removal tool if anyone needs one

 

Need a puller, want to get this job done before winter... Anyone want to sell one? Or if your in CO-denver, let me know.

Dan

 

I had the same issue, vibration at 42mph, put it in 4wd and it is gone. Several trips to local dealer and always said it is due to the lift...

Anyway I just installed the ECGS bushing in our 2011 with 17k miles and had this vibration since 5k, noise / vibration is gone. Vibration is totally gone (only have about 30 miles on it so far) I thought this was an easy job. Wish we did this sooner!

All in all I think this took about 2 hours, just removed the spindle with axle shaft, very easy to access everything.

Just wanted to share my experience. Thanks to this forum for the info!

 

Very interested to hear the outcome of this. Post the part numbers the dealer replaced when you get the truck back and whatever other info you can so we can shed some more light on this.

 

I'm looking at getting this done! I just picked up my tacoma two weeks ago and lifted it last week with the ultimate lift kit from toytec and aal in the rear. I had a little vibration around 5-10 mph when i left the lot but didn't think much of it until after i lifted it it got a little bit worse, then it started to vibrate a bit around 20-30 mph. Does anybody have a tool they want to sell? I am definitely interested. please pm me. thanks! This thread has been super helpful. When i first started reading i was think "oh crap, i better take my lift off" but i read further and it def eases my mind about buying a tacoma

Good looking out east coast gear supply!

 

I had the same thing done last year at Kingsway and it solved the problem for about 4 months and then it was back exactly like before. it was a huge fight for me to get it done at kingsway. i guess since you had it done so easily at mayfield thats where i will go next. sorry to have to bare the bad news but it will be back.

 

I'm about to put a 2.5" levelling kit on my 2005 access cab offroad. It sounds like I should just put this bushing in while I'm digging around in there. I'm just about to turn 100,000 miles. Have never felt any vibration. Should I expect to replace the (or probably both) CV axles? Or should they be good for a while if I haven't felt any vibes. Got a quote at 170+taxes per axle.

 

Thats the first I've heard about a Toyota redesigned bearing! Also the first report about anyone at Toyota admitting that its a design flaw - which it is. I hope what you and your tech are saying and is true. Keep us posted. I got denied because of the lift. I'm tempted to call your tech but I dont have service to Canada. Any shake you feel in the steering wheel at those speeds is your wheels / tires. Make sure you have tapered lug nuts. Thats all I needed. Otherwise you may have a tire out of spec / cant get a good balance. These trucks are very sensitive to wheel balance, actually very sensitive to everything mechanical!

 

Your axles will be fine. I've got over 100K on my truck and still no axle problems and lifted. IF however...the bearing is bad in your vehicle and it has scored the yoke on the CV shaft then you should replace.

 

I installed my bushing when I installed my lift a couple of weekends ago.
I have an ECGS removal tool for sale if anyone needs one.

 

Thanks. I have a question about the sloppy CV's people have mentioned. Do you have to have anything disconnected to feel the slop? Or if you just reach around the tire and and grabe the driveshaft would you feel the slop? Just reaching around, there was no noticeable movement.

If you're putting in a lift is it generally recommended to put in the bushing as a preventative measure, or wait to see if you develop problems? The vibration seems to be very widespread, but I haven't got a handle on what proportion of people actually develop the vibration. I would hate to score up a good axle from teh bearing failure, but as I understand that could already have happened on a stock truck and you don't notice the vibration until the CV's are on a different angle from the lift....

 

That's a nice looking truck. i got mine fixed about 16 months ago and the vibe was back at 4 months (15000 kms). I was like you really hoping this problem was going to go away for good. after doing a lot of research i am thinking this is just a design flaw and will always be back. i am going to get mine replaced again and then install the new bushing.

 

I feel like I have the same problem as what has been mentioned in this thread but when I put my truck into 4X4 it does not go away. Did anyone else have this happen? The Vibe comes in at around 35mph and then kind of goes away and then comes back in real strong at 70mph. I can Definitely feel it in the floor. My truck is an 07' with 70,000 and has a 6" ProComp lift with brand new 33 terra grapplers. I did order the bushing, seal, and tool from ECGS. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks Aaron

 

That's exactly what my 07 does at those speeds... will install next week and see. You have a 6" lift but the diff drops to that new sub-frame so the CVs are not that stretched right?

 

SOLD

 

You don't have to disconnect anything to feel the play. The play will be at the base of the CV into the diff. Its very noticable.
If you got the vibe, replace it. If not, its no different/harder to do it with a lift or without, should you discover it later.

 

To get a sense of the true deflection that is in that CV make sure that the drive train is totally relaxed, preferably in neutral, wheels must point straight forward, and the vehicle sitting on the ground in its natural position. Otherwise, slight loading will occur and really fool you to thinking it is tighter than it actually is.

Reach underneath and grab the CV tulip next to the differential where the boot band attaches.

At 20k my stock truck had so much slop it alarmed me, you could literally see it drooping, but curiously I never had any noise.

The crummy 1" long needle bearing toyota uses rolls in a plastic cage. I purchased several new ones, along with the one I removed, to see if I could compare just why so much slop develops. I am now of the opinion that the needles deform the plastic they ride in and create additional clearance.

I put in the ECGS bushing and measured the deflection the other day after 5k miles of use on the bushing. I currently have roughly less than about 1mm (about 0.035in. or 0.040in.) at the point on the tulip just where the boot edge matches the metal on the tulip. I then called Chase at ECGS to update.

 

Yes the lift drops the front diff to help keep everything in line. I am pretty sure that this is the problem I reached under the truck and moved the front driver's side CVS next to the carrier and it had an extreme amount of wobble. My parts should be today and I will get it installed ASAP and let you know what happens.