So my second front diff even with the ECGS bushing has failed after a year and a half. Toyota is putting a third diff in and it’s getting the ECGS bushing installed. Has anyone else had this happen?

Lifted?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What exactly failed?

This: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...54805-9999.pdf

Can't be the same failure if he put a bushing in place of the needle bearing.

You call it "failed" because it makes noise?

Yep 2.5” up front.

According to the tech the diff itself is bad and he has a lot coming in for replacement. I had worse noise than just what the needle bearing noise was.

Not me, the tech. It makes a ton of noise in either 4wd or 2wd, does not go away as your typical needle bearing noise which I’ve had before.

dont even mess with it and sell it. i had a similar problem. you can still get top dollar for the car and find a new one for the sale price if you're willing to do the work.

Sounds like a good excuse for a solid axle swap.

In all seriousness, it's weird how you've had multiple failures. Do you offroad much or have your front diff engaged often?

Don't think it matters, sounds like Toyota has some problem diffs and they are a problem no matter what.

Possible they didn't put oil in it when they changed it last time? My 01 GMC front diff came dry from the factory. Seized at 15k miles and blew an axle shaft when it did.

Would be very unusual for a factory diff. But much more possible to happen at the dealer that they'd forget to refill after draining.

I think I have the record for front diff replacement. I'm on #4. But that's due to one tsb fix and then two ARB replacements and instead of a third arb install I went back to an open OEM diff. ARB covered the parts and labor on their stuff and Toyota covered the TSB. So I've only swapped them a few times myself.

None of mine ever left me stranded like the GMC. They never actually didn't work. Just made noise for various reasons. ARB issue was with their then-new spider gear forgings and they were just really noisy. Not a functional issue. But they were significant noisier than the Toyota needle bearing when it went out. So still kinda annoying.

I actually know the tech and am friends with the service manager. I was actually with the tech during the ECGS bushing install and he did fill it up and used OEM Toyota gear oil. Now when the diff was replaced I was not around for that, so it’s possible.

I wouldn't really consider a noisy diff a failure; this is a failure


The 8" front diff has been in use for about 18 years now with very little changes. Other than the well known (and ignored by Toyota) needle bearing issue, I've not seen many issues with this diff.