Hey all. First post here. I have a 5th gen 2016 TRD pro with 95K miles. I just installed the Toytec 2" lift, front and rear, spidertrak 1.25" spacers. 275 tires were installed and balanced prior to lift with no issues. I've done suspension work before, so I'm pretty confident in my install, but now I have a noise. I checked all the bolts and everything seems tightened down properly.

No noises at all prior to lift. I installed the lift and did a bit of a test drive. I don't remember hearing anything, but maybe I just missed it. Next day, i did an oil change. I drove the car around and have a "whirring", speed dependent noise coming from what I think is the driver side front at 20-55mph. It's fairly loud and can be felt through my feet. It goes away in 4HI.

I read up and seems like a possible needle bearing, but most said they had noises going over bumps. I don't have any noise over bumps. I was also surprised that the noise occurred so quickly after a small 2" lift.

Thoughts?

It could be a needle bearing or it could be a wheel bearing that doesn’t like the added stress of the spidertrax. I would also make sure the brake dust shield isn’t rubbing on the rotor.

If it goes away in 4wd. Most likely the diff needle bearing


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Are bad diff needle bearings easy to spot? I.E. will there be noticeable slop with hand pressure?

Brake shield seems alright. No sound with hand spinning of the wheel.

Would a bad wheel bearing be so speed dependent and go away in 4WD? Can't wrap my head around that.

If it’s worn a lot. There will be a up and down play in the axle on the driver side of the diff


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Goes away in 4H? My money is on Diff needle bearing. Change in geometry was enough to bring on the noise. I'd say drive it until it's really howling

Oh, she howling...It's pretty obnoxious, so I'll probably try to tackle it sooner rather than later.

Sounds like the needle bearing to me. There is a TSB on that : https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...54805-9999.pdf
with how to diagnose the problem.

You'd think acknowledging a problem they would warranty it over the 6/60k

Does the noise go away when you shift into 4wd? If so, it's the needle bearing. It's pretty much SOP for the noise to present itself as soon as you lift (changing the cv angle). Install the ECGS bushing to correct it.

Goes away in 4Hi. Looks like I'll have to tackle the bearing. Gonna check for play when I can get the car up on stands.

Not in my second gen tacomas I experienced it in. But they had far more miles too. But it does sound like the needle bearing. In all it's not a horrible job to do just very time consuming. I actually machined my own attachment for a slide hammer to get the bearing out.

Honestly I am surprised I don't have issues with mine. I have Eibach springs in mine which are supposedly 2.75" in front. But I did a diff drop too. Been running it like this for 40k miles with no issues.

New in March 2021 SR5 Premium. At about 7K I heard the dreaded whirring, cycling noise. The service manager heard it too luckily. New diff installed (that's crazy but that's what they did) - noise is gone (for now). Under warranty for the next 10 years or 100K (bought the extended - I know, probably won't need it but with all the electronics....).

She's a beauty and runs great. We pull a boat at just under 5K no problem (well a little slow on a big VT hill). There's a lot of open sheet metal and I'm used to my 4th gen SR5 4WD on the door - going to add a 4Runner emblem on both doors! This is my 5th 4Runner. Had an 88, 94, 03, 08 and now this one!

Three months later: the noise came back - I waited through the end of the winter (lots of snow tire and weather noise anyway). Had it at the dealership today. The service manager took it for a test drive and heard the noise, shift into 4WD - gone. BUT - he took a '22 he had on the lot for a drive and it did the same thing so he couldn't say it was defective. He believes its the "spider gears" in the diff. We now have a case with Toyota so we'll see. I'm hoping they can experiment with an East Coast bearing or at least figure this out!!!

Luckily I have not had the needle bearing issue yet, but I also got the extended warranty (at cost) specifically for the electronics.