Rear differential backlash spec

Hello everyone. I am looking for a backlash spec that can be measured at the yolk of the rear differential with a dial indicator (ie. I don't have to disassemble diff and take measurement off ring gear).

My truck is a 2013 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4.

It seams to me like there is too much play in the rear end, clunking noise when going over speed bumps in 1st gear and truck sort of rocks back and forth a bit. No whining noises or anything like that at high speeds.

It is still under warranty, but I want to check it myself before I take it to the dealer so that I know if I'm being screwed around or not.

Thank you all for any sort of reply.

 

Sure it's not the slip yoke in the drive shaft? Not sure but if you remove your 3rd they might try to void the power train warranty, just food for thought I guess. Good luck bud.

 

First thing to check would be u-bolt torque,
Tacoma's are notorious for under torqued u-bolts which would explain the noises and movement
IIRC torque should be 70ftlbs

 

Thank you guys for your replies.

When you say "slip yoke" are you referring to the "slip joint" on the drive shaft? (the slip joint is what allows the drive line to change lengths as your rear axle moves up and down from bumps etc.) and what do you mean by "remove your 3rd?"

Thanks for the tip, I will check the torque on my rear u-bolts. Although, I don't think that is the issue because my truck doesn't rock back and forth excessively if I have it parked (park brake on). If they were loose and I rocked the truck, the applied PB would hold the rear wheels solid to the rear axle and the chassis would rock on the front wheels. Also, at high way speeds when I accelerate the let off the gas pedal quickly (pop it out) I get the clunk (I don't do that all the time, bad way of seeing I there is too much play in drive components haha). This tells me there is excessive play between drive components (pinion gear driving ring gear on acceleration is drive side of pinion gear contacting drive side of ring gear, pop out gas pedal and the coast sides of each gear slam into each other causing a clunk if too much backlash).

So when I put a paint marker line from my rear diff yoke to the diff carrier housing and rotate the yoke by hand with park brake applied the paint marker line moves about an 1/8" or maybe even 3/16". This is why I want to find a spec to check at the yoke so I don't have to take my diff apart (spec between ring and pinion will be different than taken off the yoke).

Thanks everyone.

 

Yes slip joint, and I mean remove the 3rd member from the rear axle.

 

Check it out
checking pre-load / backlash is temperature specific .Mechanical components will have tighter clearances when the parts are warm .

Rear Differential Carrier Assembly: Components
Rear Differential Carrier Assembly: Removal, Disassembly, Reassembly
Rear Differential Carrier Assembly: Installation
Rear Differential Carrier Assembly (w/ Differential Lock): Components
Rear Differential Carrier Assembly (w/ Differential Lock): Removal, Disassembly
Rear Differential Carrier Assembly (w/ Differential Lock): Inspection, Reassembly, Installation
Differential Lock System: Parts Location
Differential Lock System: System Diagram, On-Vehicle Inspection, Inspection

 

If your getting a clunk when you let off the gas while accelerating it sounds like axle wrap (pretty "normal" on leaf sprung trucks). The paint line test that you did doesn't mean anything. In order to check gear backlash you are going to have to disassemble the rear axle, pull the 3rd and test with a dial indicator like shown in the below documents. I would start with the easiest solution and eliminate issues working your way to the hardest (gear/third member).

 

I agree with slander and stick by my original post,
if it was a backlash senario, you would be able to replacate the noise by putting your foot on the brake and switching from drive to rev and back

 

Thanks for the tips guys.

My truck is a standard, I don't know if I would want to do that with the brake on.