front drive shaft not engaging/grinding sounds and vibrations!!

[palwine]

Hello. Sounds like I have a serious problem here. While driving in this AM in the rain, I had my 4wd on. 2001 SR5 with center differential. After driving trough a large puddle in the road, a horrible grinding noise and vibration was felt. When I disengaged the 4wd back to rear wheel only, the sound went away. I could actually hear the front drive shaft slowly come to a stop (stop spinning). I engaged it again, the vibration and noise came back. I turned it off and called the dealer for an appt. I have the 6 year, 100k drive train warranty which expires in Oct so I will bring it in quickly.

Has anyone had this problem before or know exactly ehat it is? It sounds like the front drive shaft somehow isn't fully connecting and therefore is grinding. If the 4runner can't make it through a puddle on the road I'm a bit let down. By the way, I have never been off roading in my runner, it has never been abused.

 

[palwine]

I dropped it off at the dealer this AM. Of course, on the ride in today I hit the switch and put it into 4wd. It didn;t make the grinding/vibrations. During a drive with one of the mechanics, he got it to act up again. While completely stopped, he placed it into 4wd. While steppin gon the gas slowly he turned the steering wheel. The clunking/grinding/vibrations came back. The quote was "thats not normal." It only comes from the front end and only when 4wd is engaged. Again, like I said yesterday, you can actually hear the drive shaft spinning (from the center diff to the front).

Has anyone had this happen to them before?? I have a third generation 2001 SR5. I will keep you posted on what the dealer says...........

 

[lee]

if you put it in 4wd at a stop, its not actually in 4wd. you have to move forward with the tires straight first then it will engage. if he had the tires turned it was probably locking up on him and hating that he was doing that.

no idea from your desc what it is, but let us know what they say.

 

[palwine]

Toyota called me this morning. They said the front axle needs to be replaced. Ouch. Good news is...my extended 6 year/100k warranty which expires next month will cover it! Woo Hoo! The new axle has been ordered and will be installed tomorrow. The extended warranty also covers the loaner car.

 

[lee]

did they say why? what caused it? find out details.

 

[palwine]

It is so hard to get an answer from a dealer shop. I did ask and they mumbled something about it binding. The 4wd system as a whole is working, the vacuum and electrical components are all fine, they checked out the center diff to make sure, drive shafts are fine, etc. It only makes the noise when it is in 4wd because the front axle is bad. That is really all i could get out of them. You know how dealers are...they don't fix anything they just replace parts. Sometimes I'm surprised they don't replace an engine every time it needs an oil change. Kidding aside, I hope a new axle will solve the problem. Its only a 2001 with 70k miles...it isn't even broken in yet!!

 

[lee]

do you use awd/4wd at all? sometimes if it goes a long time without use it can fail...

 

[palwine]

yeah, I use it enough not to have it freeze up. In the summer months I rarely turn it on, but try to at least once a month for 10 miles or so. Have it on lots in the winter and when it rains. I'll try to get more info from the dealer when I pick it up tomorrow on what exactly they saw, etc.

 

[palwine]

Oh brother. Now they mumbled something about not only the axle, but that there is also a vacuum leak...might be on the manifold end...and something about a crimp in an intake gasket?!?! I hate dealerships.

 

[palwine]

Just to keep people who care filled in....the dealer replaced the left front axle last month in September. This did not slove the problem. I just got off the phone with the dealer and Toyota Extra Care will replace the front diff. They got in there and discovered metal shavings, etc. in the fluid. I knew there was something wrong....and it took a lot of complaining and calls to the main Toyota line in CA to ge this done. Has anyone had problems with the front diff before to this degree? I've always run it at least once a month to keep things moving, and it has never been off roading. It is a 2001 with 72k miles! In the end Toyota came through.

 

[GatorGreg]

Glad to hear your warranty covered it. Since you've got the '01 multimode, was it happening when you hit the switch to go from 2hi to 4hi (unlocked center diff) or when you pulled the lever to go from 2hi to 4hi (locked center diff)?

 

[palwine]

The problems would begin when I would push the button from 2 HI to 4 HI. If it engaged, there would be a grinding and clinking noise. It took a lot of pressure to get them to admitthere was a problem. I was told the noises were "normal", "thats how 4x4 works", etc.

 

[05T4R]

read all of these posts with interest. I have a 05 T4R SR5. Last night leaving work I disengaged my 4WD. It made this horrendous grind and clunk. I've used the 4WD many times before and it has never made that loud of a sound. I took it to the dealer and you all can guess what they said...Oh sounds are normal when engaging or disengaging 4WD. When I told them I agreed that SOME sound was normal, but not this sound, they wouldn't really listen. Now I read this post about the same type of problems. Does anyone know if there is TSB about this?? How many others out there are hearing this same..not normal sound? This forum has helped me with other issues in the past. The clunking sunroof..the sulphur smell,which they say can't be fixed. They even supposedly replaced the cat.converter under the one TSB. No good. I am really dishearted with Toyota. That sulphur smell has been an issue for years. Toyota of old would have fixed that and not let other year vechiles go out with the same problem. I don't know, maybe we should all start buying American. If their sales fell off, they'd get their butts in gear. Sorry I am rambling. Anyway..if anyone has any more info on the 4WD clunk. Please post.

Thanks!

 

[vinnymac]

Clunk!

Let's think about this logically in a review of basic of parts.
Transfercase:
1: The T-case Electric Motor
2: Actuator fork and bushings in T-case
3: Reduction Box Housing and Mounts
4: Planetary gears in T-case
5: LSD or Torsen Center Differential
6: Input/Output Bearings and Seals
7: Chain drive unit

Drive Shaft:
1: Double Carden Joint
2: Skid Plate
3: Slip Joint and Splines
4: Front U- Joint
5: Pinion Flange and Dust Cover

Front Diff:
1: Outer pinion Bearing
2: Crush Sleeve
3: Inner Pinion Bearing
4: Front Differential Spider Gears
5: Carrier Bearings

Axles:
1: Inner CV Joint
2: Birfield-style Outer Joints
3: Crappy Copper Spindle Bushings
4: Outer Axle Castle/Lock-Nut
5: ADD (automatic disconnecting diff system)

Clunking or clicking noises could be a lot of these things in the front end of the T4R. The axles could be loose in the spindle (the bushings wear out and the axles bang around), the U-Joints, the double carden joint (has a habit of wearing out if not greased regularly), and the spider gears in the front differential. The front shaft only spins when the t-case and front diff are locked in to 4WD or 4WD without the center diff locked. Eliminate what could not be spinning in 2WD and look at what could be spinning in 4WD. In the Toyota shop I work in, I cannot tell you how many double carden joints, U-joints, pinion seals and bearings, and also differentials I have replaced or repaired due to strange happenings.

My guess is that the drive shaft, carden joint, U-Joint, splines, or even the pinion bearings are bad.

If the dealer says that there is an axle that is askew, they are full of it. The CV shafts and inner axles along with the driver side spider gears spins continuously. The ring and pinion gears do not spin with the T-case in 2-Hi though. Eliminate what is not spinning in 4-Hi and there is your problem.

 

[4Run97]

re

everytime i take off my 4WD it makes a loud crank sound..i think it's normal..and is it normal that when your at a low speed (5MPH) and try to turn right or left sharp it skips and seems resisted?

 

[KyleT]

mine clicks into 4wd and clunks pretty hard sometimes when disengaging out.

Dont drive in 4wd on dry concrete. that causes crazy binding. and yeah it wont turn well and will be jerky feeling. it can bind enough to break the front ring gear among other things.

 

[palwine]

I haven't been following this thread in a while....and after reading some of the posts I need to clarify a few things. The day after (I'm being serious) the day after my extended 5 year/100,000 mile warranty expired the grinding came back. The dealer never really fixed it the first time...they just replaced an axle that probably didn't need replacing but it was far cheaper than a new front dif...which is what they ultimately put in for me. After a few calls to Toyota Extra Care and a call to the main Toyota customer service line in CA I was able to harass the dealer enough for them to know I wasn't going to be screwed with BS. They replaced the front differential!! No more grinding. No more clunks. They did this work for me back in November of 2006 . The receipt shows a charge of 1200.00 to Toyota Extra Care...$0 to me. If ANYONE has problems with the dealer service dept dishing them BS when you know there is a serious problem to NOT let them wear you down. Call the main Toyota number and have the facts ready. They will call the dealer and put some add'l pressure on them. Again, know the facts and pin point the problem or else they will walk all over you.

 

[nserpa9248]

yea cause your driving in 4WD when you have plenty of traction..

You cant drive in 4WD in sharp turns like that, or at high speeds..Its built for non-ideal situations.

If you need to make a u-turn or such, throw the truck back into 2wd, i could explain the stresses on a 4wd system in tight turns, but if youve ever seen a "bobcat" or similar piece of equipment, if its a "skidsteer" your basically doing the same thing..