Has anyone replaced their differential needle bearing yet? I see a lot on the tacoma forums but not much for the 4runners. I know they're the same diffs and whatnot but im really looking for a good write up. I know i cannot utilize the ECGS bearing replacement because its not applicable for the AWD models.

I know the part # is 90364-35010, oil seal # is 90311-47012. I really dont want to take my 4runner to the dealer for this change as i'd expect it to be highly labor intensive thus being overly expensive. I know i can do the job after watching the ECGS video on how to. Im just looking for any tips/tricks and if anyone else has done this.

I have installed the ECGS bushing in two Toyotas so far. Getting the old bearing out is easy as you know from watching the video. Having done it a few times, I'm not sure how easy it would be to pound a new roller bearing back in place. Mine were torn up pretty bad on the way out and I don't think I could use the ECGS process to replace the old bearing with a new one. They aren't very robust.

I'll be curious to see what others post here because I've wondered about this too. I'd be happy to loan you my bearing puller if you want to give it a try.

Interesting... I just noticed this TSB popped up on TIS recently. Seems like there's a common issue here with these front units at least on the Part-Time 4WD set-up.

T-SB-0026-15 ('04 - '15 Applicable Toyota Models, 4WD Front Differential Groaning Cyclical Noise.pdf

I see though that you're running a V8 unit though...

Well here's the "write-up" straight from the FSM (Isn't that after all the holiest of write-ups? It even has pictures! Take that ancient story book revered and reviled by all!)

Attached Images

2UZ-FE 4WD Front Differential Overhaul.pdf (362.4 KB, 1281 views)

I have some friends who are service writers and techs. I'll bring this up to them and see what they can finagle. Thank you for this!

Well you don't have the part-time front differential so it's not going to be covered under the TSB. That being said, the combination of the pictures in the TSB and the FSM I linked should be pretty helpful in getting the differential apart and put back together.

I'd offer to come to my dealership now that my finger's a bit more healed up, but honestly you might want to save the money if you know some people. Where in NorCal are you again?

I'm in Vacaville. Im expecting this to be stupid expensive with having to take the diff apart.

The TSB has a mini walkthrough in it that doesn't differ in any significant way from the ECGS writeup. That would lead me to believe that you wouldn't have to take the differential apart to do it. According to the TSB, you can tap it in from the driver side tube while it's still attached to the vehicle if you can find the right tool to tap it in place without damaging it.

It does look like they completely removed the spindle, strut, and LCA in the photos on the TSB. That's not completely necessary but the additional clearance would be helpful.

The TSB kind of made me laugh a little. It's the ECGS writeup almost to the tee and they act like it's a newly discovered problem and procedure. This has been a problem on Tacomas for a long while and in Tacoma circles they have done a lot of research to find out what was making the sound. Apparently Toyota's long-standing solution was to replace the entire differential and it was narrowed down to the needle bearing by Tacoma forum members and ECGS.

Sadly it's different because I'm AWD. Not part time 4wd. But I'll let the techs decide how they tackle it. I personally don't know the difference in the differential between the two.

Sorry. That's what I get for trying to think this early in the morning.

This ended up being a bad brand new CV axle from NAPA. It was binding on any sort of a load. I have a video ill throw on youtube and post here. Swapped to another new CV axle and it works fine. Crisis averted.

Great. What was it doing? I can't stream videos at work and am curious.

it was violently shaking the differential up and down as it was at idle speed, let alone at a load.

Odd. I'll try to watch the video when you post it. I'm curious.

i hate figuring out how to post videos on each site

http://youtu.be/WzS86C-VkVM

Wow. Thanks for sharing.