Grinding sound on the freeway

Hi all,

I need help diagnosing a problem if you're willing to help.

Problem: Grinding sound when on the gas at freeway speeds. Suspecting a carrier bearing. Definitely getting louder within the last few weeks. Loud enough to worry me about taking it on the freeway again.

Relevant info: 2000 Prerunner, 18X,XXX miles. Recently lifted with full OME kit w/AAL from Wheelers. Didn't measure total lift but it's high. Rumble strip type vibration between 10-25 mph.

I strongly suspect carrier bearing. I'd also like to remedy the problem so it doesn't happen again. Research on the forum has led me to Axle shims and carrier bearing drop for possible fixes.

Thanks

 

Over 2.5" lift
Diff and CB drop
2.5° axle shim
Raise LSPV pivot point same as lift after leafs settle.
Center bearing max 1/2 play when driveshaft is shaken hard by hand.

Edit:Grease Ujoints, Double Cardon and slip yoke zerks at oil changes on 4x4s

 

Sounds a lot like a u-joint to me

 

Update: I got under the truck to inspect a little more. U joints look fine. Maybe just a little dry. CB was very loose and easy to move by hand. I'll replace this tomorrow and test drive. I bought the Napa brand part from Napa. Odd how the box says made in Taiwan but the bearing has Japan and Koyo stamped on it. Maybe just the bearing is Japanese and the rest is assembled/built in Taiwan?

I see that Koyo is also stamped on my U joints that I think are original. So I wonder if this bearing is oem.

I'll be sure to grease the u joints while I'm at it. Any recommendations on grease for u joints as well as for the bearing? I have some lithium based grease in my grease gun right now. Would that work for the u joints? I'm thinking of using some Lucas green grease for the bearing.

 

U joints should be greased at every oil change . Doesnt really matter what grease you use as long as you use grease at every oil change .
Any universal joint with a grease zerk is designed to be flushed of the old grease . Put new grease in until the new grease pushes out of the universal bearing caps and you will be good for another 5k

 

Try my vibration thread to keep you busy .
Heads up . You cant tell if a universal joint is bad by looking at it . The driveshaft must come off to determine if a universal joint is faulty .
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/vibration-diagnostics-for-all-tacomas-write-up.520607/

 

Sorry I should have mentioned I that I also gave the drive line a shake in 2 directions to see if there was any play in the u joints. Seemed fine. I'll inspect further when removing the driveline for the CB. I have new u joints if they need replacing. Thanks for the link.

 

High Noon

When did you all of sudden pop out of the woodwork ?
Thats the best advice I have seen since I have been on Tacoma World and I am a drive train tech lol
Do you work in a transmission shop ?

 

That's good advice. I'll pull both lines and grease and inspect everything while it's out for the CB replacement. The u joints are actually very dry. I understated that earlier. It'll be satisfying to get fresh grease in there.

I don't have the shims. I'll need to look around on where to find them and put them in later.

 

Well.... I got it all apart. Everything looks fucked lol. The double joint has a huge catch in it. Is this just the u joints or the ball and socket in the middle? The rear most u joint also needs replacing.

 

Tough way to learn where zerks are.
Driveshaft shop will be your best fix.

 

I'm thinking I'll replace the two u joints in the double joint and the bearing. The rear seems the least damaged and can come off with the rest of the driveline installed. I'll replace that later since I only have 2 u joints. Hopefully with the two u joints replaced, it will be smoother.

 

Man. Whatta bitch. I'm stuck. Don't know how I'm going to get this u joint out. Trying to follow timmy toolman video on YT but I don't have a bench vice or a grinder. Anyone have any recommendations?

 

See above post #14

 

Update: waiting on the shop to install some Spicer u joints.

In the meantime, I ordered Axle shims to correct the angle a bit. Ordered from wheelersoffroad.com. I goofed up one side of the install by putting the new long bold through the leaf pack, installing the nut and then cutting the bolt......BEFORE SLIDING THE SHIM ON THE BOLT. whatta Goober. Anyway, I went to Home Depot and picked up a 3/8" x 3.5" coarse thread grade 8 bolt and used that. Its not fully threaded but they went down far enough for it to work. Probably stronger than the bolts wheelers sent. The new problem I have is the shims created so much space that now the nuts for the u bolts don't thread completely on. Looks sketchy to me. Recommendations are welcome. I'm thinking loctite or get longer u bolts.

 

Yes, you need longer u-bolts for sure. the threads need to at least come flush with the nuts

 

Holy crap yeah...that is sketchy AF. I wouldn't even want to drive it with those u-bolts like that, they should at the very least have 1/4" thread exposed through the nuts.

U-bolts are the only thing keeping your rear axle attached to the truck, and they do work themselves loose sometimes especially after installation (why you always want to go back and re-torque to 90 ft/lbs after the first few hundred miles).

If one or more of those works loose even a tiny bit while driving it, you could be in big trouble. I would not rely on loctite to solve that problem, you need longer u-bolts.

 

Look at photos of other Taco's u-bolts, you want a good amount of thread coming through. You'll definitely want to pick up some longer ones, I use the OME U-bolts on my truck with my lift and axle shims. They work well

 

Those first 3 threads are holding on for dear life

 

7.75" u bolts ordered.