Carrier Bearing help

First off, Happy Easter TW!

I’m 95% sure i have a carrier bearing going bad, but wanted to run the symptoms by y’all and check if there was a definitive test before i drop my drive shaft.

06 off road
189,xxx m
acceleration shudder 6-9mph
All U joint greased during oil changes
less significant in 4H

i crawled under and manipulated the shaft around the bearing; and there is a decent amount of play. Is there any way beside just jiggling the shaft in the bearing to absolutely diagnose a bad CB?

Thank you!

 

I have not seen a procedure for inspecting the center support bearing in the service manual ( just looked again ). Maybe @Dm93 has something up his sleeve as he usually does....

Punt.

 

Mine made a bunch of chirping noise like crickets. On a 3rd gen, but I’d suspect they’d behave similarly when bad. I had no vibrations, everything was smooth as silk and that’s with additional driveshaft rpm over stock.

I’m sure they can probably fail in different ways. There was some flex in mine, but it’s a big rubber donut so that wasn’t shocking. For me the needle bearing was chirping bad. If the rubber is worn I’d expect more issues like yours.

 

I don't really have a procedure, most of them the rubber is completely blown out at the point I get them in for replacement.

It seems the Tacoma's all have quite a bit of play in the boot that holds the carrier bearing, it usually isn't an issue providing the driveshaft is in balance and the U-Joints are good.

I find U-Joints to be the cause of most driveline vibrations, even if they are greased alot of times one cap will be dry and stiff. Usually you can see rust coming out of a bad one but not always, dropping the driveshaft and checking all of them through their range of motion for stiffness and binding is the best way to be sure they are good.

 

If you can move the shaft in the carrier bearing more than 1/4" it is time to replace it. If the u-joints are original at 186k you have been lucky. Just replace all three u-joints and carrier bearing and use Spicer.

 

When mine went bad, the rear passengers could feel a slight thumping on the floorboard, which I could not feel in the front.

 

I've got a CB sitting here waiting on my finger to heal to be installed. Mine also has more of a thump that fells like axle wrap. @ 140K my rubber bushing is still there but it's easy to see the gap and feel the lateral movement. Great time to do the u-joints also.

 

They wear. If it’s miles and old it’s bad.
You should be able to see it’s worn by sagging down a lot at the carrier.

took my driveshaft out dropped it off at a specialist to rebuild. Had them throw on ford IEDLS poly carrier bearing during this.

only thing I had to do, to make it fit, was find spacer tubes. Only thing I found that worked for that was DOM tubes at hardware store and longer bolts.
Folks said for DCSB fitment you want to flip it and use flat piece of metal that seller thankfully included in secondhand kit. To cage the bearing from the other side. so I used that. Then the spacers between that and the frame.

Tried to vaguely copy previous positioning. Haven’t had an issue. Never took the extra steps of using phone app angle finder.

angle looks pretty normal at ride height looking underneath.

last I heard someone else was developing a full billet unit that at the time of release only fit prerunner 2WD but hopefully 4x4 fitment is offered by now. More expensive but may be a little easier to install than playing Bob the builder at hardware store.

 

You can get lots of help

 

Mitchmade Inc makes those PreRunner center support bearing carriers but you'll need to modify your DS.

https://www.mitchmadeinc.com/product-page/toyota-center-support-bearing

 

Sounds like my problem for sure only 86K on my 2013 ! The Cricket chirping was a good description . Going up hill right away but rest of the day smooth no problem but 108 degrees seemed to change that . Well sitting at the shop , a week before they can start @ Bob's in Spokane , WA. A/C light went on also ! $$$$$$$$$
Thanks again for all the great info y'all.

 

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