2nd Gen Tundra Differential Problems

[amo292]

So this fall seems to be the fall of most of my vehicles. The most recent is my 2008 DBL CAB Tundra with 4x4 and the 5.7. Last spring after noticing a slight grinding in my front end with no apparent cause I brought the truck to the local dealer. After reading everything I had pretty much decided it was the front diff and the dealer later confirmed that. Even after realizing my truck was just out of warranty toyota replaced it FREE OF CHARGE! Excellent right?

Well fast forward a few months and less than 5k miles the noise/feeling is back and stronger than ever. How can that happen after just 5k or even the first at 60k miles? The truck has never been wheeled hard but it does get 4x4 exercise quite often wether on the beach, in the snow, or just cruising a dirt road.

I was curious to know if anyone else on this thread has had this problem once or maybe like me twice?
What is another option aside from OEM parts going in to fail again? Do companies do parts like this for our trucks? What would it cost to do a full outfit now?

The truck has absolutely no other issues in its life and I have faith that toyota will fix the problem free again but I don't want a new diff every 5k miles. What are my options and what are your experiences?

 

[toyotech]

Because they have people that had very little training put them together overseas from what I heard... The replacement part carries a one year warranty so I would get it replaced asap. Might just be a bad diff


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[toylandcruiser]

Because they have people that had very little training put them together overseas from what I heard... The replacement part carries a one year warranty so I would get it replaced asap. Might just be a bad diff


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the new tundras are made here.

 

[toyotech]

the new tundras are made here.

Most parts are American but not all....


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[Paddy]

Sounds like they did it wrong.

 

[bjowett]

Did they also replace the left side CV axle?

 

[amo292]

Yea what ever it is, dealer or manufacturer error, I'm going to take care of it as soon as I can give up my wheels for a day.

bjowett Im not sure if they did or not. Ill have to check the receipt. Is there an issue relating to those because I did have a noise coming from that area but it recently went away...

 

[toyotech]

Just so you know. It's another year warrant once the diff is replaced... Hehe


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[bjowett]

The inner CV stub axle and the needle bearing it rides on are the real issue. Either the bearing was spec'd a bit loose, or the the diameter of the stub axle was slightly small. The new differential has a tighter bearing for the stub axle to ride in.... BUT, sometimes the stub shaft is damaged from running in the old differential, an old damaged stub shaft will be out of spec and the noise could still exist if used with the new differential. Replacement of the CV axle is almost always a good idea, IMO... so check to see if they did.

 

[amo292]

sorry for the rotated image.

So it does look like they replaced the front right shaft assembly but maybe it went in wrong? Am I looking at the right thing or missing something?

 

[toyotech]

Looks like they did. I would just get it replaced and go from there


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[Stone_Blue]

Actually, i think thats the DRIVER side shaft...
Yeah, i have never liked these new from clamshell diffs that Toyota started using in '95....I've always thought they had a design flaw on the drivers side...There is not enough support for the CV stub shaft, going straight thru the clamshell, then straight into the carrier...Too much angular stress, especially on lifted trucks...Might not have been such an issue with the manual hubbed vehicles, but with the CV/Diff/Dshafts spinning 100% of the time with ADD, thats a lot of mileage and wear on that stop-gap needle bearing they put in to carry some of the load.

I heard that when toyota started production of the new Tacoma/4runners in 95, when they started NUMMI with GM, they subcontracted to an AMERICAN company to build not only the frames that they have been having recalls on, but Dana Spicer designs the front suspension, AND differential, along with the frames....

 

[amo292]

Yea Im going to make why way to the dealership friday.

Stone_Blue I never really looked at it that way but that makes sense to me.

 

[AxleIke]

Actually, i think thats the DRIVER side shaft...
Yeah, i have never liked these new from clamshell diffs that Toyota started using in '95....I've always thought they had a design flaw on the drivers side...There is not enough support for the CV stub shaft, going straight thru the clamshell, then straight into the carrier...Too much angular stress, especially on lifted trucks...Might not have been such an issue with the manual hubbed vehicles, but with the CV/Diff/Dshafts spinning 100% of the time with ADD, thats a lot of mileage and wear on that stop-gap needle bearing they put in to carry some of the load.

I heard that when toyota started production of the new Tacoma/4runners in 95, when they started NUMMI with GM, they subcontracted to an AMERICAN company to build not only the frames that they have been having recalls on, but Dana Spicer designs the front suspension, AND differential, along with the frames....

I too have an issue with the Clamshells, as they are weak design, but not the issue you describe. The front diff axle support is the same on the older trucks, you just have a second shaft. But that inner axle is supported in the same way, by the carrier bearing, no secondary, though on the passenger side, obviously. The CV still places stress on the diff in the same manner, more technically, because the CV joint is actually slightly farther away from the diff on the older style.

I think the change in manufacturer was more to blame on these later trucks.

 

[bjowett]

The CV shaft was the only thing I could think of that may have gone wrong with the repair. The Land Cruiser 200 uses the same front differential, but being AWD, it does not have or need the needle bearing to support the CV stub. The stub rides right in differential case, and there is no issue.