ECGS Clamshell CV Axle Bushing Install

[EvergreenPearl]

FYI ECGS has a promo code for free shipping... "TW" As in Tacoma World.

 

[Devbot]

If anybody needs to use the needle bearing removal tool, I'll have one available in a couple weeks once I get the bushing in. Thanks Dom8706 for the tool.

None of this so far has taken care of the subtle vibration I'm getting post-lift: CV's, alignment, wheel balance, tire rotation, OEM ball joints. It was all either free or needed anyway, so no stress. I'll do the bushing because I am getting a ton of play in the inner driver's side CV joint, but my hunch is that I've got a driveshaft or U-joint issue causing the vibration between 55-65mph.

If the needle bearing doesnt fix it I'd look at the driveline. I went with drivelines nw in everett myself. Maybe they could give you a second opinion. Either way I 110% recommend buying a new shaft altogether and avoid attempting the u joints - take it from someone who didnt read the advice online and attempted the job. (2 extra broken u joints and 8-10 hours later, the problem was worse somehow)
That said my driveshaft vibration started like a switch at 35mph and I wouldnt describe it as subtle. Also would make a grinding noise at lower speeds - u joints tend to sound shitty when they start to die
Edit: I will gladly claim the tool next, I wiggled my CV as demonstrated in the video and had a HUGE amount of play, and nothing on the passenger side. Gonna order a bearing preemptively. Have any of you guys had trouble with the T-nut not fitting, like in Tim's video?

 

[Devbot]

Placed an order last night, and not even 12 hours later it's been shipped with 2 day priority - pretty damn good! Thanks for the promo code

 

[EvergreenPearl]

If the needle bearing doesnt fix it I'd look at the driveline. I went with drivelines nw in everett myself. Maybe they could give you a second opinion. Either way I 110% recommend buying a new shaft altogether and avoid attempting the u joints - take it from someone who didnt read the advice online and attempted the job. (2 extra broken u joints and 8-10 hours later, the problem was worse somehow)
That said my driveshaft vibration started like a switch at 35mph and I wouldnt describe it as subtle. Also would make a grinding noise at lower speeds - u joints tend to sound shitty when they start to die
Edit: I will gladly claim the tool next, I wiggled my CV as demonstrated in the video and had a HUGE amount of play, and nothing on the passenger side. Gonna order a bearing preemptively. Have any of you guys had trouble with the T-nut not fitting, like in Tim's video?

Thanks for the tip with your driveline experience. I'll save that route as a last resort. This virbration is subtle enough that it's more of a project or little mystery for me to track down rather than anything urgent.

My bushing should be here any day now but then I need some spare time and good weather to line up for me to do the swap. Give me a couple weeks, but once I do it I'll gladly pass the tool on. And let you know if it helped.

 

[Devbot]

Thanks for the tip with your driveline experience. I'll save that route as a last resort. This virbration is subtle enough that it's more of a project or little mystery for me to track down rather than anything urgent.

My bushing should be here any day now but then I need some spare time and good weather to line up for me to do the swap. Give me a couple weeks, but once I do it I'll gladly pass the tool on. And let you know if it helped.

Not a problem, I'm not in that big a rush to do it. If I do get to the point, I'm positive I can make the tool at my machine shop, nothing more than a T-nut, a jam nut, a threaded rod and steel plate. Just too lazy to at the moment lol
edit: you guys replacing the axle seal while you're at it? not sure if it's recommended

 

[MagusWyatt]

Thanks for the tip with your driveline experience. I'll save that route as a last resort. This virbration is subtle enough that it's more of a project or little mystery for me to track down rather than anything urgent.

My bushing should be here any day now but then I need some spare time and good weather to line up for me to do the swap. Give me a couple weeks, but once I do it I'll gladly pass the tool on. And let you know if it helped.

Not a problem, I'm not in that big a rush to do it. If I do get to the point, I'm positive I can make the tool at my machine shop, nothing more than a T-nut, a jam nut, a threaded rod and steel plate. Just too lazy to at the moment lol
edit: you guys replacing the axle seal while you're at it? not sure if it's recommended

I just happened to come back in from the garage after rebuilding my CV axle and see this thread. What timing! I wasn't even aware of this issue, but when I was pulling my passenger side CV axle I noticed the slop and wondered if that was an issue. It's even worse on the driver's side, so it looks like I might as well do this bushing mod while I'm in here.

If that tool is available any time soon, would one of you mind sending it my way?

 

[Devbot]

Absolutely

 

[EvergreenPearl]

Definitely. Give me some time. The weather sucks here right now and I have no garage.

 

[MagusWyatt]

Absolutely

Definitely. Give me some time. The weather sucks here right now and I have no garage.

Much appreciated!

 

[Wraytex]

Pardon me if this doesn't belong here. I'm going through my 2000 and definitely have lots of slop on both sides. Would you use this bushing on the passenger side as well on a 2 - 2 1/2" lift? or go back with needle bearings on that side?, Thanks, Tim

 

[EvergreenPearl]

Drivers side only. I believe the ECGS website explains this.

 

[T4topher]

I bought this but didn't install it yet. Their website says it doesn't work with manual hubs. I'm guessing because the cv is different? tts technology

Pretty sure that’s correct, would have to confirm with ECGS though.

 

[2TH4IST]

[MENTION=546203]earlenecr1979[/MENTION] straight from ecgs. I asked the same question. The carrier is the diff itself. I have a ADD front diff and did a manual hub swap. Since all I changed were the hub side the carrier stayed the same. Install was less then 10 mins (once everything was removed).

 

[Nonfactor1]

Hey everyone one!

New to the forums here but I have been lurking for a long time and have definitely gained some valuable info from the forum.

I would however like to get some opinions on an issue I am having as I believe this bushing would be the solution, but I have not seen anyone have the same issue as I am so I am just unsure.

First, I have a 98 limited that has the 99 tall suspension setup on it. So maybe 1" to 1.5" lift. This has been installed for close to a year now, around 15k miles. And the issue I am having just showed up in the last 3-4 weeks or so.

What is going on is this, I have a audible growling sound coming from the front end. It starts at around 5-10 mph. While in first gear (auto unfortunately) it is hard to hear due to engine RPM. However when it shifts into 2nd it is very audible. When I coast the growling sound is also there. It increases with speed however around 50 ish I cannot hear it. There is vibration coming through the floor as well.

I took it to a shop for diagnoses because I could not figure out what the noise was coming from. Suspension components are tight, wheel bearings are good, etc. The shop determined that it was due to my t-case, which was leaking pretty badly. Got it replaced and sound was still there.

I went to a driveline shop in town. He went for a ride and said it sounds/feels like it needs a bearing overall on the diff. He also made mention that on the diffs that the needle bearing can go bad and cause these issues as well.

I have not checked for CV axle play yet and I do need to do that. I figure that this would be a cheap "shot in the dark" to see if it fixes my problem rather then getting a reman from ECGS or getting a used diff. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also Happy Thanksgiving!!!

 

[Devbot]

while i've never had my diff's needle bearing shot, I've definitely driven on a couple rusted out u-joints in my old vehicle and those needles made a similar vibration/noise, and considering it's really not that much work to remove the CV it might be worth a shot to perhaps order one preemptively and check it out (depending on their return policy, I assume it would be fine if you explained why. They're probably willing to offer some advice on this if you asked tbh). Needle bearings can really struggle to move smoothly and fluidly if they're not sitting in there just right. Regardless that sounds serious and I'd try and deal with it asap.
Some questions; Can the sound be replicated with the car up on jacks? 4WD make it better or worse? Does it only occur with throttle or is it purely when the car is rolling?
Happy thanksgiving! :usa2:

 

[Nonfactor1]

while i've never had my diff's needle bearing shot, I've definitely driven on a couple rusted out u-joints in my old vehicle and those needles made a similar vibration/noise, and considering it's really not that much work to remove the CV it might be worth a shot to perhaps order one preemptively and check it out (depending on their return policy, I assume it would be fine if you explained why. They're probably willing to offer some advice on this if you asked tbh). Needle bearings can really struggle to move smoothly and fluidly if they're not sitting in there just right. Regardless that sounds serious and I'd try and deal with it asap.
Some questions; Can the sound be replicated with the car up on jacks? 4WD make it better or worse? Does it only occur with throttle or is it purely when the car is rolling?
Happy thanksgiving! :usa2:

Thanks for the response Devbot! While I did not have the shop check out my driveline, they did have it on the lift and run it in 4wd. Unfortunately I was not there for that so I am unsure. I have not gone into 4wd since this has happened since I am a little concerned I am going to grenade something in the driveline lol.

In regards to your questions, I cannot answer the first 1 since I have not tried those. I will say that it occurs when it is rolling. Sitting I can rev the motor and have absolutely no noise whatsoever.

 

[Devbot]

Well just installed my bushing this weekend
Removed the excess play from the drivers side CV and the needle bearing was NOT moving smoothly or quietly anymore
However I still have a vibration and roar around 45-50, so it must be a driveline (and since it only happens with throttle, the rear shaft)

 

[EvergreenPearl]

Tool available

After sitting on the parts for a few months I finally got this done. Huge difference in the play of the drivers side CV axle. Steering feels more responsive at slow speeds, and maybe less vibration around 50-60mph.

Anybody need the ECGS bearing removal tool? Let me know.

 

[ninethings]

Well I think I've developed the roar after all. Does this sound familiar to anybody? Really hoping it's the CVs and not my new driveline acting up.
I believe 4WD helps it somewhat, but certainly doesn't stop it. The driver's side CV has very slight extra play over the passenger side, and has play in all directions;

-audibly starts around 30mph, can start feeling it around 45mph (have noticed it through 55-60mph freeway speeds, not sure if cuts out at higher speeds like 70-80mph). Quiet as a mouse at 25 and below.
-similarly starts around 1500-2000rpm at these speeds
-only with throttle, stops immediately after letting off the gas
-gets worse on hills
-oscillating sound/feel? Like a "wwwommm wwwommm wwwommm"
-starts somewhat abruptly
-vibrates to the point of blurring the mirror

Just this very afternoon, I think I noticed the famous CV clack happen for a split second when making a sharp right turn, so the chances of them being the culprit seems high to me (unless I'm hearing things) but I'd like to know what you guys think - bad axles, bad needle bearing, or bad driveline?
I would replace the needle bearing with the CVs, while I'm at it

you ever get this sorted? I have virtually the same symptoms minus any vibration.

-Noise starts at 30mph, 1,500-2,000rpm
-Quiet as a mouse up to 30mph
-Cant tell if it stops around 45mph or the wind and engine noise cancel it out
-Much quieter but can still be heard in 4hi
-Goes away as soon as I'm off throttle but can be heard slightly when breaking to a stop.
-Recently replaced both CV axles and front diff fluid.

Having a shop look at it on monday. It's over 100f here and I'm without a garage. Dont really feel like digging around under the truck in an open parking lot right now. I didnt feel any excessive play in my axles, maaaaybe a mil in either direction. Dont think the needle bearing was damaged or bad as the sound *seems* to be more pronounced on the passenger side. Theres a neighborhood behind me with a long cinder block wall, when I drive past in either direction the sound appears to be more pronounced on the passenger side regardless.


Anything is greatly appreciated. Kind of at a loss. Have pulled the CV's twice to be absolutely sure everything was seated. No leaks from the diff, everythings flush as it should be.

After reading thru this post I'm maybe leaning to something driveline related. Going to have the shop grease all of the driveline points (theres like 5 or 6?) and see if that helps. Reeeally dont want to pull it back apart again.

I did just lift it a few months ago, hence the CV replacement. I'm wondering if my increased driveshaft angle coupled with little grease is whats causing that sound. Really scratching my head over this one. Almost wish there was some vibration to help narrow it down

 

[Devbot]

you ever get this sorted? I have virtually the same symptoms minus any vibration.

-Noise starts at 30mph, 1,500-2,000rpm
-Quiet as a mouse up to 30mph
-Cant tell if it stops around 45mph or the wind and engine noise cancel it out
-Much quieter but can still be heard in 4hi
-Goes away as soon as I'm off throttle but can be heard slightly when breaking to a stop.
-Recently replaced both CV axles and front diff fluid.

Having a shop look at it on monday. It's over 100f here and I'm without a garage. Dont really feel like digging around under the truck in an open parking lot right now. I didnt feel any excessive play in my axles, maaaaybe a mil in either direction. Dont think the needle bearing was damaged or bad as the sound *seems* to be more pronounced on the passenger side. Theres a neighborhood behind me with a long cinder block wall, when I drive past in either direction the sound appears to be more pronounced on the passenger side regardless.


Anything is greatly appreciated. Kind of at a loss. Have pulled the CV's twice to be absolutely sure everything was seated. No leaks from the diff, everythings flush as it should be.

After reading thru this post I'm maybe leaning to something driveline related. Going to have the shop grease all of the driveline points (theres like 5 or 6?) and see if that helps. Reeeally dont want to pull it back apart again.

I did just lift it a few months ago, hence the CV replacement. I'm wondering if my increased driveshaft angle coupled with little grease is whats causing that sound. Really scratching my head over this one. Almost wish there was some vibration to help narrow it down

Mine was driveline vibration. Or at least I'm heavily positive it is, I never fully sorted it out. I can't remember if this was before or after I got a new driveline, but my old one was definitely causing the vibration so I went and got an aftermarket one - it got slightly better but was built with a faulty u-joint in the rear, so pretty quickly it went back downhill. Fixed THAT, got a little better again, but my pinion angle was off so not much headway. I adjusted the angle and got it within a hair, after that the vibration greatly subsided... for a while at least. Eventually it came back so I got the angle matching perfectly but by that point one of the u-joints in the cardan has begun to develop some play in it due to the increased strain from the bad pinion angle. Currently it's pretty low on my list of shit to address, I have a handful of other noises that are much more concerning and are much harder to track down, that I would rather focus my attention on - one of those being pretty similar to what you described; a weird resonance coming from the front passenger wheel (I think?)

The fact that you DON'T have a vibration would lead me to believe the problem lies elsewhere, it's very rare to have a problem with the driveline where it doesn't vibrate, at least a little bit. At it's worst mine would cause my rearview mirror to fully blur out like I was blasting subwoofers. Personally I'm at a loss with my sound as well, one of these days I'm gonna try to remove the CV axles and drive around to see if that changes anything as I have a feeling it might be a carrier bearing in the axle tube. If you haven't replaced your wheel bearings yet I would suspect those first.

At any rate I would greatly consider a new driveline in the future, or at least keep it in the back of your mind. The long and skinny of it is the needle bearings within the u-joints have all worn down at specific angles over the years being in the stock configuration, and now due to the lift they're being forced to work at a completely new position as the angle at the cardan and pinion have both been increased. They'll survive this way for a little while but eventually they'll start to go out, and in a hurry too. Same goes for rear (upper) trailing arms if your pinion angle is off.

If your driveline was dry you'd know it, I mean I bet it could use some grease but it's definitely not bone dry. On my Dakota when the driveline went dry I'd just get some weird light clicking sound, maybe a little bit of a groan... but with 4Runner it was the worst metallic screeching/squeaking I've ever heard, so bad I was convinced it was my trans/torque converter suddenly failing in some way. But sure enough with a couple pumps of grease and it vanished and never came back.

The CV axles should have a very small amount of play in them regardless. Just not the 1/2 inch of play like what Timmy showed in his video.

Lmk what the shop says.